PFBR to undergo three phase inspection by AERB from next month

C Shivakumar


Chennai:
The 500 Mega Watt Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam, which is an important milestone for India's three-stage nuclear power programme, is likely to attain criticality in the next three months after undergoing three phase of clearance from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.


Chairman and managing director of Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), Dr Perumal Chellapandi who is also currently spearheading the design of two more Fast Breeder Reactors, each of 600MWe capacity, told Express that by September PFBR would be in a position to generate 30 per cent informal power to the grid .


Chellapandi said that AERB is currently conducting 'walk through' inspections. The first phase of AERB screening would begin from July.

This will give clearance for Sodium charging that includes filling up of liquid sodium, heating it for conducting various tests including vibration checks. This will be done without introducing any fuel in the core.


The second phase of AERB inspection would include fuel loading while the third phase of clearance would relate to reactor attaining criticality.

By the beginning of next year, PFBR will generate the full course of power and by September 2016, it will be generating 500 mega watt power commercially.


Interestingly, for this reactor, India has chosen the closed fuel cycle option under which the spent fuel discharged from the reactor is reprocessed to extract the fissile materials from it. The closed fuel cycle is part of India's phased expansion of nuclear power generation extending through the second and third stages, whereby full energy potential of Uranium and Thorium can be exploited efficiently.


To a query on whether PFBR has enough fuel to attain criticality as well as commercial production of power, Chellapandi said that BHAVINI is not facing any issues as BARC has ensured fuel supply.


Meanwhile, the work on two more fast breeder reactors is likely togain momentum from next year. “These reactors would be more advanced than the prototype fast breeder reactor and would be generating 600 MWpower,” he said.


"The reactors would have advanced features like in fourth generation nuclear reactors. They will be more advanced and have more additional safety features," said Chellapandi.


It is being jointly developed by Indira Gandhi Centre forAtomic Research, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre and Bhavini.