India is preparing to become the second country after Russia to begin operating a commercial Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR). This was stated by India's Minister of Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh. The 500 MW prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam achieved first criticality on April 6.
The PFBR reactor uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel and can produce more fuel than it consumes. Once fully operational, India will be able to use nuclear fuel more efficiently and move closer to utilizing its vast thorium reserves. According to Singh, nuclear energy will play a crucial role in India's transition to clean energy. By 2047, the country plans to achieve 100 GW of nuclear capacity.
Russia remains the only country in the world that successfully operates commercial fast breeder reactors. The Beloyarsk NPP operates two such power units: BN-600 (launched in 1980) and BN-800 (launched in 2015). They use so-called “closed fuel”: fast breeder reactors can reproduce nuclear fuel from uranium-238, which is significantly more abundant in nature than uranium-235 (fuel for conventional NPPs). This significantly expands the fuel base for nuclear energy.
Moreover, fast breeder reactors are capable of “burning” long-lived radioactive waste, which makes them promising from an environmental point of view. Russia's next step is the construction of the BN-1200 reactor, which should become even more powerful and economically efficient. Russia's experience in this area is unique, and its example largely inspires India to develop its own fast reactor program. Although several countries (USA, France, Japan, China) previously developed experimental fast reactors, most of these programs are now closed.
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