India’s First Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor

• Context (TH): India’s first Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam to be commissioned by September 2026. It marks the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear programme.

About Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs)

• Advanced nuclear reactors are designed to generate more fissile material than they consume, effectively “breeding” fuel as they operate.
• Use fast (high-energy) neutrons instead of slow (thermal) neutrons, and typically employ a mixture of uranium and plutonium as fuel.
• Instead of moderator, liquid sodium is commonly used as a coolant to maintain fast neutron spectrum.
• Core is surrounded by a “breeder blanket” of fertile material (like uranium-238), which absorbs excess neutrons and is converted into fissile plutonium-239, creating more fuel for future use.
  • Making FBRS highly efficient in utilising nuclear fuel resources compared to conventional reactors.

Key Features of PFBR

• Type: Sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor (pool-type design).
• Capacity: 500 MWe (1,253 MW thermal).
• Fuel: MOX (Uranium-Plutonium mix) from reprocessed PHWR spent fuel.
• Coolant: Liquid sodium (1,750+ tonnes) enabling efficient heat transfer and fast neutron spectrum.
• Breeding: Converts U-238 to Pu-239 (core) and Th-232 to U-233 (blanket).
• Closed fuel cycle: Recycles spent fuel, minimising waste and enhancing resource use.
• Safety: Third-gen design with passive cooling, negative void coefficient, and dual SCRAM systems.
• Indigenous: Fully designed/built by BHAVINI and Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR).

• Location: Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu (expected to be operational by 2025).
• Strategic role: Bridges to thorium-based reactors (Stage III) using India’s vast Th-232 reserves.

Significance

• Energy Security: Enables India to utilize its vast thorium reserves, reducing dependence on imported uranium and enhancing long-term energy security.
• Strategic Milestone: Marks India’s entry into the elite group of nations (after Russia) with commercial fast breeder reactor technology, strengthening global nuclear standing.
• Three-Stage Nuclear Program: Crucial step in the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear program, paving the way for future thorium-based reactors and sustainable nuclear power.
• Fuel Sustainability: Breeds more fissile material (plutonium) than it consumes, ensuring a sustainable and efficient nuclear fuel cycle.

• Waste Reduction: Utilises and reprocesses spent fuel from earlier reactors, significantly reducing nuclear waste and maximising resource utilisation.
• Indigenous Technology: Entirely designed and built by Indian agencies, promoting self-reliance and technological advancement in the nuclear sector.
• Foundation for Expansion: Success of PFBR will lead to the construction of more fast breeder reactors, accelerating India’s nuclear power capacity and supporting its clean energy goals.
• Cost Competitiveness: Offers electricity generation costs comparable to conventional and other nuclear power plants, making it economically viable.
• Advanced Safety: Incorporates inherent passive safety features, ensuring prompt and safe shutdown during emergencies

Challenges for India

• Thorium Utilisation: Requires large-scale FBR deployment and U-233 production; still experimental.
• Sodium Handling: PFBR’s liquid sodium coolant is reactive with air/water, demanding stringent safety.
• Closed Fuel Cycle: Reprocessing spent fuel needs advanced facilities, raising proliferation concerns.
• BHAVINI’s Mandate: Balancing indigenous R&D (e.g., IGCAR’s FBTR learnings) with global collaboration for technology gaps.
• Regulatory Delays: Stringent safety reviews for PFBR-like projects slow commissioning.

Also refer > Three-stage programme, Nuclear fission uranium and thorium distribution in India.