Kalpakkam Fast Breeder Reactor Goes Critical

Context

India has made a significant milestone with the first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at Kalpakkam becoming critical.

Key Highlights

• This is an important move towards a three-stage nuclear power programme in India.
• It enhances the way India is headed towards energy security and the effective use of thorium deposits.

What Does ‘Criticality’ Mean?

• The point at which a self-sustaining nuclear fission reaction has commenced is known as the criticality.
• At this point:
  • Neutrons emitted in each fission event are sufficient to generate additional reactions.
  • The reactor main core works as intended.
• It is a major step before large-scale electricity production.

India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Programme

Indian nuclear policy has been developed in three stages, which follow one after the other:

• Stage 1: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs)
  • Natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator.
  • These reactors constitute India’s nuclear capacity.
• Stage 2: Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs).
  • Use plutonium-based fuel and generate more fuel than they use.
  • Be a transition point between uranium and thorium.
• Stage 3: Thorium-Based Reactors
  • Seek to access thorium deposits in India to produce energy in the long run.

Why Fast Breeder Reactors are Important

• FBRs are created to:
  • Produce fissile material in excess of the amount used.
  • Recycle to increase fuel efficiency.
• They transform fertile materials such as uranium-238 into plutonium-239.
• They also permit the processing of uranium-233 (thorium), that are necessary in Stage 3.
• FBRs, therefore, play a significant role in the nuclear roadmap of India.

Key Features of the Kalpakkam FBR

• Power: 500 MWe (megawatt electric)
• Fuel: Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel (uranium-plutonium)
• Blanket material: Uranium-238 that is subjected to nuclear transmutation.
• Indian-made, demonstrating the Indian technological prowess.

Strategic Significance

• India will be the second country to operate a commercial FBR after Russia, once it is fully operational.
• Improves the capability of India in:
  • Closed nuclear fuel cycle
  • Fuel reprocessing and recycling.
  • Supports the long-term goal of energy independence.

Thorium Advantage for India

• India boasts one of the largest thorium reserves in the world, particularly along the coastal areas.
• Thorium is not a fissile element, but it can be refined into uranium-233, which is a useful nuclear material.
• The FBR stage allows the accumulation of the required fissile material for this transition.

Challenges and Delays

• The Kalpakkam FBR project experienced:
  • Technological complexities
  • Sluggish commissioning schedules.
• The attainment of criticality, however, is an indication of overcoming these challenges.

Future Roadmap

• Plans include:
  • Building several FBRs to increase capacity.
  • Development of Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility (FRFCF)
  • Expansion of PHWRs in fleet mode
• Long-term vision has up-to-date reactors such as molten salt reactors.

Conclusion

• Achieving the status of criticality at Kalpakkam is one of the milestones in Indian nuclear programs.
• It intensifies the second phase of the programme and lays the foundation to thorium-based energy production.
• This is a step towards India having sustainable and self-reliant nuclear energy.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains PYQ

(Q) With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (2018)

• The realization of criticality by Kalpakkam FBR is a significant technological milestone.
• FBRs will be necessary to connect the uranium energy system and the thorium energy system.
• India will become the second country to have a commercial FBR.
• The development boosts energy security and fuel efficiency.
• It hastens the development of nuclear energy using thorium.

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