The commissioning of India’s 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is facing further delays. Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha (upper house of parliament): “Delay in completion of the PFBR project is mainly due to first of a kind technological issues being faced in the integrated commissioning phase of the project.” He said these issues were being solved systematically in close co-ordination with the designers.
The core loading of the PFBR began in March 2024 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signalling India’s approach to the second stage of its three-stage nuclear programme. In July 2024. the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted approval for integrated commissioning of the PFBR.
PFBRs are critical for India’s nuclear programme as the used fuel from these reactors will be used to power the thorium-based reactors that form the third stage of the closed fuel cycle. India has been operating a Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at Kalpakkam for the last four decades. The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR), which marks the third stage of India’s nuclear programme, is undergoing peer review of the design.
In a written answer to the Lok Sabha (lower house) he said: “These issues are being solved systematically in close co-ordination with the designers.” He had been asked “whether any delay has been observed in critical projects such as the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, Advanced Heavy Water Reactor, and Indian High Temperature Reactor.”
In response he added that “the design validation of Advanced Heavy Water Reactor is on-going along with peer review of the design. The project … is not formally launched hence, no delay has incurred. Molten Salt Reactor is a version of Indian High Temperature Reactor. The establishment of reactor technology as part of proof in design concept is being carried out, hence no delay has incurred”.
A separate part of the question was “whether India is implementing the three-stage nuclear power programme as envisioned by Dr Homi Bhabha, and the present status of each stage”.
The answer was: “Yes. The first stage of the country’s sequential three stage programme comprising of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors has attained maturity. For realisation of second stage of nuclear power programme, Fast Breeder Test Reactor and other facilities were established for material research and proof of design concepts. The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is at advanced stage of commissioning at Kalapakkam, implemented by BHAVINI. The third stage of the programme for utilising the vast resources of thorium reserves of the country is presently under development.”
The PFBR was developed by BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited), a government enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy. Construction began in 2004, with an original expected completion date of 2010.
