Chennai
Fuel loading at India’s first Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, will begin next week, marking a major step in India’s nuclear power journey.
The 500 MWe sodium-cooled reactor, built by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), had faced several technical delays since its launch last year. Engineers have now fixed the issues, clearing the way for commissioning.
The PFBR forms the second stage of India’s nuclear programme, which aims to recycle spent fuel, reduce radioactive waste, and create sustainable energy. After fuel loading, the reactor is expected to reach its first criticality within six months, followed by a steady rise to full power. This will make it only the second operating fast breeder reactor in the world, after Russia’s 800 MWe model.
The reactor uses plutonium-based mixed oxide fuel and liquid sodium coolant, a complex technology mastered by very few countries. It will also reuse spent fuel from India’s Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors, forming a key part of the nation’s closed fuel cycle.
Approved by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, the PFBR will generate electricity and produce plutonium for future thorium-based reactors, the final step of India’s long-term nuclear strategy.
Currently, India’s nuclear capacity stands at 8.18 GW. Ongoing projects will add 7.30 GW, with another 7.00 GW approved. Together, these will raise the total to 22.48 GW by 2031–32. Future plans aim for 100 GW of clean nuclear power, combining indigenous and international reactor technologies.