India Achieves Critical Milestone in Nuclear Fuel Self-Reliance with Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor

Key Points

• Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam has achieved criticality.
• This is a key step for India to produce its own nuclear fuel and advance its three-stage nuclear program.
• India aims to expand nuclear power capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047.

Full Details

India has reached a pivotal moment in its civil nuclear program as the domestically designed Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam attained criticality, the stage where a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction begins. This achievement is a crucial step before the reactor can start generating power, moving India closer to producing its own nuclear fuel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed this as a 'defining step' in advancing the second stage of India's nuclear program and harnessing the country's vast thorium reserves. Energy-hungry India, the world's most populous nation and third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, aims to expand its nuclear power capacity from the current 8-10 gigawatts to 100 gigawatts by 2047. The PFBR's success is foundational for India's long-term strategy to achieve nuclear fuel self-reliance and reduce dependence on imported uranium.