CHENNAI: In a bid to lay the groundwork for the next phase of the Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) programme and widen its industrial supplier base, Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a company under the department of atomic energy convened manufacturers, engineering firms and technology partners at Mahabalipuram on Friday.
P A Suresh Babu, BHAVINI's chairman and managing director, told delegates that the project's progress owed much to the same model that underpinned India's earlier reactor fleets: close coordination between nuclear institutions and domestic suppliers, paired with consistent quality and safety standards.
The conclave was held shortly after the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) achieved criticality, marking a significant milestone in India's nuclear energy programme.
Discussions centred on the challenges of scaling up the Fast Breeder Reactor programme, including the creation of new manufacturing capacity, increasing the domestic production of critical components, and strengthening quality assurance across an expanding supply chain. Participants also examined ways to ensure sustained engagement from both public- and private-sector enterprises, addressing a longstanding challenge in large-scale nuclear projects that span several decades.
Officials from BHAVINI and the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), the programme's principal research institution, outlined the roadmap for future reactor projects while reviewing the development and key milestones of the PFBR.