Nuclear Program

Recently, the Prime Minister of India witnessed the commencement of “core loading” of India's first completely indigenous fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. This marked an important milestone in India’s Nuclear Program and this would pave the way for utilisation of abundant thorium as a fuel in the nuclear reactor. These Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR) are part of the second stage of the three-stage nuclear program of India, which is aimed at utilising thorium as fuel and eventually making India self-sufficient in nuclear energy. Stage II utilises plutonium-239 or Pu-239 with uranium-238 or U-238 in a FBR to produce energy and more Pu-239. This Pu-239 will be used as fuel together with thorium-232 or Th-232, in the third stage. This event is the result of India’s decades-long struggle of making a successful working FBR. India has set an ambitious target of achieving nuclear power of 22.48 GW by 2032. Therefore, the successful commencement of the second stage of the nuclear program is crucial for achieving this target.

Evolution of Stage II

• To realise the vision of the three-stage nuclear program, India took several steps in the early 1950s that served as the foundation for nuclear research in India.
• For the second stage, a Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) was completed in 1977 at Kalpakkam. It served as a testing ground for FBR technologies. But sanctions against India by International community delayed the progress towards FBR.
• In 2003, Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI) was set up by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) at Kalpakkam as a special-purpose vehicle. BHAVINI works under the direct control of DAE, and it is entrusted with the construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of FBR. In other words, BHAVINI is entrusted with the implementation of Stage II.
• The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, has designed a Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PTBR) with 500 MW capacity. It is a fully indigenous FBR constructed by BHAVINI at Kalpakkam.

Working of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PWHRs)

• In the first stage, natural or low-enriched U-238 is used as fuel in the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which contain a very small amount of U-235 (fissile material). The reaction inside the reactor is essentially a nuclear fission reaction, which generates enormous amounts of energy.
• PHWRs use deuterium water, an isotope of hydrogen (heavy water is D2O). This deuterium water prevents uncontrolled chain reactions by slowing excess neutrons so that there are limited neutrons present for the next set of chain reactions.
• U-235 can sustain a nuclear chain reaction, but it is completely consumed in the first stage. After the reaction, Pu-239 is produced as a by-product.

Working of Fast Breeder Reactors

• The FBR will use Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel. It is the combination of the depleted form of Pu-239 from the first stage and U-238.
• This fuel is loaded into the reactor core and is surrounded by a breeder blanket. This breeder blanket, consisting of U-238, undergoes transmutation to produce more Pu-239 as fuel. So the reactor essentially produces more fuel; hence, it is aptly named ‘breeder’.
• Sodium in liquid form is used as a coolant in two circuits. It is a highly reactive substance.
• The coolant enters the reactor and absorbs heat. Then it transfers this heat to the coolant in the second circuit.
• This eventually passes through heat exchangers, and the heat is used to generate electricity.

Utilisation of Thorium in Stage III

• Pu-239 produced in stage II along with the thorium or Th-232, will be used in reactors to produce energy and U-233. This U-233 will be used in thorium-based reactors in the third stage.

• Second only to Russia: Once commissioned, India would become only the second nation after Russia to achieve the commercialisation of FBRs. Although other nations, Japan, France, and the US, were at various stages of developing the FBR, they abandoned the project due to fears of nuclear meltdown.
• Achieve self-sufficiency: India has massive thorium reserves. Hence, operationalisation of the second stage FBRs will lead to the eventual utilisation of thorium as the fuel. This will reduce India’s dependence on other nations and make India self-sufficient in nuclear energy in line with Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Low cost of electricity: Even after massive investment involving research and commissioning of the nuclear power plant, the per unit electricity thus produced is cheaper or comparable to other power plants.
• Less Nuclear Waste: One of the biggest challenges of using nuclear energy is the radioactive waste generated, which has to be disposed of in large geological disposal facilities. The FBRs use spent fuels from the first stage; hence, there will be a significant reduction in the radioactive nuclear waste generated.
• Advance safety measures: The PFBR has enhanced passive safety features that will enable a prompt and safe shut down in case of an emergency.
• Fight Climate Change: Once commissioned, nuclear power does not emit any Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). So it can be an alternative for combating climate change along with other renewable energies and helping India decarbonise.
• India as a global leader in nuclear research and power generation: With the commissioning of stage II, India will cement its position as a global leader in nuclear research and power generation. This would pave the way for international collaboration with other like-minded countries to undertake atomic energy projects in various countries. For example, India has partnered with Russia to establish a nuclear project in Bangladesh.

• Operational and procedural delays and cost overruns have marred this project since the beginning. If such delays occur in the future, it will jeopardise the commercialisation of the project.
• Some experts point out that FBRs are difficult to handle, and there are still some safety concerns when they are fully operational. Nuclear power has also come under some scepticism after the Fukushima nuclear accident.
• Highly radioactive materials such as caesium-137, radium-224, actinium-227, and thorium-230 are produced in the thorium fuel cycle. This makes the handling and storage of thorium more complicated.
• India’s atomic sector regulatory body, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, was constituted by Presidential order; hence, it is not a statutory body. It reports to DAE. The International Atomic Energy Agency has urged India to give statutory status to the regulator and make it more independent for better regulation in the sector.

India has navigated through some tough waters to achieve the desired results in the nuclear energy sector. For India, nuclear energy presents a viable alternative to achieving the twin objectives of energy security and sustainable development. Despite sanctions, unfavourable global conditions, and technological challenges, India has reached the important milestone of entering the second stage of the nuclear program. India affirms its firm commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy to improve the lives of its people. That is why India has set an ambitious target of achieving 22.48 GW of power by 2032 from nuclear energy. This historic milestone will enable the country to achieve this target with significant ease.