Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology
In News
- The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted a five-year operation licence to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) for two indigenously developed 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat.
| Do you know? – KAPS-3 achieved full-power commissioning in August 2023, followed by KAPS-4 in August 2024. – These are the country’s first 700 MWe indigenous PHWRs. 1. The 700 MWe PHWR design evolved from the earlier 540 MWe model. |
India’s Nuclear Journey
- It began shortly after Independence with the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948.
- In 1956, Asia’s first research reactor, Apsara, was commissioned at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay.
- India was the second Asian nation to build a nuclear power plant in 1969 at Tarapur, just after Japan and long before China.
- It also built up an impressive nuclear research and development programme in the 1950s and 1960s with significant assistance from its Western partners.
- India’s three-phase nuclear power program, aimed at ensuring long-term energy security, was envisioned by Dr. Homi J. Bhabha and supported by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
- They emphasized the development of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs), which produce more fuel than they consume by converting fertile isotopes into fissile material.
Three-stage Nuclear Programme
- STAGE 1: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) use natural uranium-based fuels to generate electricity, while producing fissile plutonium (Pu239), which can be extracted by reprocessing the spent fuel.
- It uses heavy water (deuterium oxide) both as a coolant and moderator. The programme has been supplemented by the construction of imported Light Water Reactors (LWRs).
- India’s Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor(PHWR) program began in the late 1960s with the construction of RAPS-1, a 220 MWe reactor based on Canadian design.
- India currently operates 15 PHWRs of 220 MWe and two of 540 MWe capacity.
- STAGE 2: It involves setting up Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) of the kind at Kalpakkam, using plutonium-based fuels, which can enhance nuclear power capacity, and convert fertile thorium into fissile uranium (U233).
- Reprocessing of the spent fuel is vital for efficient utilisation of the plutonium inventory.
- STAGE 3: The third stage will be based on the ThU233 cycle. U233 produced in the second stage can be used for the third stage of the power programme, which consists of advanced thermal and fast breeder reactors, for long-term energy security.
- The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) is proposed for this. Now, the use of molten salt reactors is also seen as an option.
Government Initiatives for Enhancing India’s Nuclear Capacity
- India is actively enhancing its nuclear power capacity to meet growing energy demands and achieve environmental goals.
- The government has initiated steps to increase nuclear power capacity from the current 8,180 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-32.
- This expansion includes the construction and commissioning of ten reactors, totalling 8,000 MW, across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.
- Additionally, pre-project activities for ten more reactors have commenced, with plans for progressive completion by 2031-32.
- Further, the government accorded in-principle approval to set up 6 x 1208 MW nuclear power plant in cooperation with the USA at Kovvada in Srikakulam district in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
- The Union Budget 2025-26 outlines a significant push towards nuclear energy as part of India’s long-term energy transition strategy.
- The government has set an ambitious target of 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047, positioning nuclear energy as a major pillar in India’s energy mix.
Recent Developments in Nuclear Energy in India
- India’s nuclear energy sector has seen major developments recently.
- A significant new uranium deposit has been discovered near the Jaduguda Mines, extending the life of the country’s oldest uranium mine by over 50 years.
- The first two indigenous 700 MWe PHWR units at Kakrapar (KAPS-3 & 4) began commercial operation in FY 2023–24.
- Marking progress in the closed fuel cycle, India’s first Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR-500 MWe) achieved key milestones in 2024, including sodium system commissioning and the start of core loading in March.
- Additionally, NPCIL and NTPC have formed a joint venture named ASHVINI to build, own, and operate nuclear power plants under the Atomic Energy Act, including the planned 4×700 MWe PHWR project at Mahi-Banswara in Rajasthan.
| The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board – It was constituted on November 15, 1983, by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act. – The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. |
Source :TH
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