Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)
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- Context : The Union Minister has announced that India is set to become the second country in the world, after Russia, to operate a commercial-scale Fast Breeder Reactor.
- The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam has achieved its ‘First Criticality’.
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- The reactor was designed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) and constructed by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), showcasing India’s indigenous capabilities.
- The reactor uses Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel and operates on the ‘breeder’ principle.
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- This marks India’s transition to the second stage of its three-stage nuclear power program, which focuses on the utilization of plutonium.
- It paves the way for the third stage (Thorium-based reactors), which is essential to utilizing India’s vast thorium reserves.
- Currently, Russia is the only country operating commercial Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs). Therefore, once fully operational, India will achieve a significant strategic position globally.
- As part of its long-term energy strategy, India aims to achieve 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
- The proposed ‘SHANTI’ (Strategic Harmonization of Atomic Nuclear Technology and Innovation) Act 2025, which aims to allow private sector participation in the nuclear energy sector, represents a major policy shift.
- The development of the PFBR strengthens India’s closed nuclear fuel cycle, reduces dependence on uranium, enhances technological self-reliance, and contributes to achieving India’s Net Zero 2070 goal.
