India's indigenous nuclear reactor attains criticality, Modi calls the feat a major boost
With the achievement of first criticality, India moves closer to realising the full potential of its three stage nuclear power programme.
India's indigenous 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor in Tamil Nadu successfully attained first criticality, the start of a controlled fission chain reaction, last night (6 April), giving a major boost to the country's long term energy security and advancing indigenous nuclear technology capabilities.
With the achievement of first criticality, India moves closer to realising the full potential of its three stage nuclear power programme.
The technology development and design of the prototype fast breeder reactor was carried out indigenously by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), an R&D centre of the Department of Atomic Energy, and was built and commissioned by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), a public sector unit under the department.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactors are a cornerstone of India's long term nuclear strategy. Unlike conventional thermal reactors, the PFBR uses uranium plutonium mixed oxide fuel. The core of the reactor is surrounded by a blanket of Uranium-238, where fast neutrons convert it into fissile Plutonium-239, enabling the reactor to produce more fuel than it consumes.
The reactor is designed to eventually use Thorium-232 in the blanket. Through transmutation, Thorium-232 will be converted into Uranium-233, which will fuel the third stage of India's nuclear power programme. This capability enhances the utilisation of nuclear fuel resources and enables the country to extract far greater energy from its limited uranium reserves while preparing for large scale use of thorium.
Fast breeder technology forms a vital bridge between the current fleet of pressurised heavy water reactors and the future deployment of thorium based reactors, leveraging India's abundant thorium resources for long term clean energy generation.
Beyond energy generation, the fast breeder programme strengthens capabilities in nuclear fuel cycle technologies, advanced materials, reactor physics and large scale engineering, supporting future reactor designs and next generation nuclear technologies.
As India expands its clean energy portfolio, fast breeder reactors are expected to play a key role in delivering reliable, low carbon base load power with higher thermal efficiency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated scientists and engineers on the achievement, calling it a defining step forward in India's civil nuclear journey and significant progress in the second stage of its nuclear programme.
He emphasised that the advanced reactor, which has the capability to generate more fuel than it consumes, showcases the country's strong scientific capabilities and robust engineering expertise.
