Fuel Loading at India’s First Fast Breeder Reactor to Begin Next Week

India is set to begin fuel loading at its first Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at the Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu next week. This step marks a critical milestone in the country’s nuclear energy program, which aims to harness advanced reactor technology and utilize a closed fuel cycle for sustainable energy production.

The PFBR is a sodium-cooled, pool-type fast breeder reactor with an electrical output of 500 MWe and a thermal output of 1,253 MWt. It uses Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel, composed of uranium and plutonium, and is cooled by liquid sodium. The reactor is designed with a two-loop system and a steam reheat setup to optimize energy conversion. Its core has a diameter of 1,900 mm and a height of 1,000 mm, with each fuel subassembly containing 217 fuel pins of 6.6 mm outer diameter. The reactor operates with steam parameters of 763 K temperature and 16.6 MPa pressure.

Once operational, the PFBR will be only the second sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor in the world. Russia operates the BN-800 fast breeder reactor at the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Station, which has a net electrical capacity of 789 MWe. Both reactors aim to demonstrate the viability of a closed fuel cycle, where spent fuel can be reprocessed and reused, enhancing resource efficiency and reducing nuclear waste.

Construction of the PFBR began in 2004, with an original commissioning target set for 2010. However, the project faced multiple delays due to technical and regulatory challenges, pushing the expected operational date to December 2024. The project’s estimated cost also nearly doubled from ₹3,500 crore to ₹7,700 crore. Despite these delays, authorities have confirmed that technical issues have been resolved, and fuel loading is now scheduled to proceed as planned.

The successful operation of the PFBR is expected to pave the way for the third stage of India’s nuclear program, which focuses on utilizing thorium-plutonium fuels in advanced heavy water reactors. This stage is central to India’s long-term strategy of achieving energy security through a sustainable and closed nuclear fuel cycle.

Fuel loading at the PFBR is a significant achievement for India, demonstrating the country’s growing capabilities in advanced nuclear technology and positioning it among the few nations operating fast breeder reactors.