
Mint Explainer | Why India's indigenously developed fast breeder reactor achieving criticality is significant
NEW DELHI: India took a major step towards nuclear fuel self-reliance when its indigenously developed Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu attained criticality on 6 April. This is the stage when a nuclear chain reaction can sustain itself.This will enable India to leverage its vast reserves of thorium and reduce dependence on uranium imports.
Once the reactor is fully operational, India will become the second country after Russia to have a commercial fast breeder reactor.Mint looks at the significance of the development as India aims to achieve 100GW of installed nuclear power capacity by 2047.A fast breeder reactor is one that produces more fuel than it consumes while generating power. India’s fast breeder reactor was designed and developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, the R&D centre of the Department of Atomic Energy.
It has a 500-megawatt electrical (MWe) capacity. Unlike conventional thermal reactors, these reactors use uranium, plutonium and thorium as fuel at various stages to generate electricity.Firstly, the technology was indigenously developed after decades of research, design and engineering.
Secondly, once fully operational, India will become the second country after Russia to operate a commercial fast breeder reactor. The US, France, the UK, Japan and China have worked on the technology but have not succeeded so far.Under India's three-stage nuclear power programme, these reactors will be used to breed uranium-233 from thorium, which can then be used as fuel for nuclear power generation, helping to reduce dependence on uranium imports.The three-stage nuclear power programme was designed with the goal of securing energy using India’s limited uranium reserves and
. Read on livemint.com