Profile
The Nuclear Energy Programme in India has been visualized to grow in three phases. Phase – I consisting of natural uranium fuelled Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) which can sustain a capacity of 12 GWe for about 30 years with proven reserves of 50,000 t of natural uranium in the country. Presently 18 Nuclear reactors of PHWR type are under operation with installed capacity of 4780 MWe. Five reactors are under construction with installed capacity of 4800 MWe.
The Phase – II consists of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR). FBR can convert the abundant U238 of natural uranium into plutonium and thorium in to U233. Thus the power generation can be increased to 300 GWe for about 70 years. In Phase – III by converting thorium into U233 the nuclear capacity can be raised to 1000 GWe and sustained for a period of 500 years.
India has gained valuable experience by indigenously constructing and operating a 40 MWt /13 MWe Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at Kalpakkam since 1985.
For FBTR, all the key components, except grid plate, were manufactured indigenously. Control rod drive mechanisms, fuelling machines and sodium pumps are operating satisfactorily since 1985. No leaks have been observed in steam generators. All the systems have performed well.
500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a pool type reactor having larger dimensions as compared to FBTR. Design of PFBR has been carried out indigenously with a strong R&D back up in IGCAR. Complete design and technology development was demonstrated by IGCAR before taking the approval for project. Cost effective design has been made by decreasing the number of loops and components and increasing the life to 40 years. |
