&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'A proud moment for India': PM Modi lauds Kalpakkam’s prototype fast breeder reactor as it achieves criticality")
PM Narendra Modi on Monday (April 6) lauded India’s first indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam for attaining criticality, calling it a 'defining step in India's civil nuclear journey'. In a post on X, the PM highlighted the reactor’s strengths and described it as a "decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves." Expressing pride over the achievement, he congratulated the scientists and engineers involved in the programme.
"Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme. The indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam has attained criticality. This advanced reactor, capable of producing more fuel than it consumes, reflects the depth of our scientific capability and the strength of our engineering enterprise. It is a decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves in the third stage of the programme. A proud moment for India. Congratulations to our scientists and engineers," the PM wrote on a social media platform.
In 2024, PM Modi personally witnessed the commencement of "core loading" at the 500 MWe PFBR in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. During his visit, he toured the reactor vault and control room and received a detailed briefing on the facility’s salient features. Once fully commissioned, India will become only the second country in the world, after Russia, to operate a commercial Fast Breeder Reactor.
The PFBR has been developed indigenously by Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), with significant contributions from more than 200 Indian industries, including MSMEs, in line with the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The reactor is designed to initially use Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel. Surrounding the fuel core, a Uranium-238 "blanket" undergoes nuclear transmutation to produce more fuel, earning the reactor its “breeder” name.
Looking ahead, Thorium-232 is also envisaged as a blanket material. Through transmutation, thorium will generate fissile Uranium-233, which will be used as fuel in the third stage of India’s nuclear programme. The PFBR thus serves as a critical stepping stone toward the eventual full utilisation of India’s abundant thorium reserves, highlighting the country’s long-term vision in nuclear energy.
In terms of safety, the PFBR is an advanced third-generation reactor equipped with inherent passive safety features. These systems ensure the plant can promptly and safely shut down in the event of an emergency, reflecting India’s commitment to safe and reliable nuclear energy. With the PFBR achieving criticality, India has marked a milestone in its three-stage nuclear programme, showcasing the nation’s technological prowess and strategic foresight in energy security.
