India’s first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu

In a historic milestone marking entry into the vital second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear program, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi witnessed today, the commencement of “Core Loading” at India’s first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor (500 MWe) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.

The Hon’ble Prime Minister took a tour of the Reactor Vault and the Control Room of the Reactor. He was briefed about the salient features of this reactor.

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India has developed comprehensive capabilities spanning the entire spectrum of the nuclear fuel cycle. Government had approved in 2003, the creation of Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) to construct and operate India’s most advanced nuclear reactor-Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

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In line with the true spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, PFBR has been fully designed and constructed indigenously by BHAVINI with significant contribution from more than 200 Indian industries including MSMEs.  Once commissioned, India will only be the second country after Russia to have commercial operating Fast Breeder Reactor.

The Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) will initially use the Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel. The Uranium-238 “blanket” surrounding the fuel core will undergo nuclear transmutation to produce more fuel, thus earning the name ‘Breeder’. The use of Throium-232, which in itself is not a fissile material, as a blanket is also envisaged in this stage. By transmutation, Thorium will create fissile Uranium-233 which will be used as fuel in the third stage. FBR is thus a stepping stone for the third stage of the program paving the way for the eventual full utilization of India’s abundant thorium reserves.

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