Syllabus: GS 3/Science and Technology
In News
- India’s first prototype fast breeder reactor is being developed in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)
- It is a machine designed to produce more nuclear fuel than it consumes, using plutonium-239 (Pu-239) and uranium-238 (U-238) for energy production.
India’s first fast-breeder nuclear reactor
- The PFBR is being developed by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI).
- It will have a 500 MW capacity and is expected to be commissioned in 2025-26, nearly two years after receiving approval from the nuclear regulator.
- It marks the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear program.
Functions
- It will recycle spent fuel from India’s Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), reducing radioactive waste.
- It will also enable the transition to thorium-based reactors in the third stage of the nuclear cycle.
- It will use plutonium-based mixed oxide as fuel and liquid sodium as coolant.
Significance
- It is essential for India’s nuclear program as it will provide spent fuel for future thorium-based reactors.
- It plays a key role in reducing the inventory of radioactive waste and progressing towards a closed fuel cycle.
- It will advance India’s nuclear energy capabilities, especially in utilizing thorium for self-sufficiency in energy.
| Do you know? – India aims to produce 100 GW of electricity from nuclear power. – Current nuclear power capacity in India is 8.18 GW, with additional 7.30 GW under construction/commissioning. – The total nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 22.48 GW by 2031-32. – Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) plans to add 15.40 GW from indigenous PHWRs and 17.60 GW from Light Water Reactors with foreign cooperation. – BHAVINI aims to contribute 3.80 GW through Fast Breeder Reactors. – Remaining capacity will come from Small Modular Reactors, Bharat Small Reactors, and other advanced nuclear technologies with private sector collaboration. |
Conclusion and Way Forward
- Despite delays, the PFBR is a critical part of India’s nuclear power ambitions and is set to advance India’s nuclear energy capabilities, especially in utilizing thorium for self-sufficiency in energy.
Source :BL
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