CHENNAI:The 500 Mega Watt Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam, an important milestone in India’s three-stage nuclear power programme, is likely to attain criticality in the next three months after undergoing three phases of clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
Chairman and managing director of Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), Dr Perumal Chellapandi, who is also currently spearheading the design of two more Fast Breeder Reactors, each of 600MW capacity, told Express that the PFBR would be in a position to generate 30 per cent informal power to the grid by September.
Chellapandi said that AERB was currently conducting ‘walk through’ inspections. The first phase of AERB screening would begin from July. This will give clearance for sodium charging, which includes filling up of liquid sodium and heating it for conducting various tests including vibration checks. This will be done without introducing any fuel in the core.
The second phase of AERB inspection would include fuel loading, while the third phase of clearance would relate to reactor attaining criticality. By the beginning of next year, PFBR will generate the full course of power, and by September 2016, it will be generating 500 mega watt power commercially.
For this reactor, India has chosen the closed fuel cycle option in which the spent fuel discharged from the reactor is re-processed to extract the fissile materials from it. The closed fuel cycle is part of India’s phased expansion of nuclear power generation extending through the second and third stages, whereby full energy potential of Uranium and Thorium can be exploited efficiently.
To a query on whether PFBR has enough fuel to attain criticality as well as commercial production of power, Chellapandi said that BHAVINI was not facing any issues as BARC had ensured fuel supply.
Meanwhile, work on two more fast breeder reactors is likely to gain momentum from next year. “These reactors would be more advanced than the prototype fast breeder reactor and would be generating 600 MW power,” he said. “The reactors would have advanced features like in fourth generation nuclear reactors. They will be more advanced and have additional safety features,” said Chellapandi.
It is being jointly developed by Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre and Bhavini.
