India unleashes nuclear might: Self-sufficient electricity with Kalpakkam reactor

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): India has achieved a historic milestone in the field of nuclear energy that has astonished the entire world. The country's most advanced nuclear reactor, the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), located in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, has successfully crossed the crucial stage of criticality. With this major achievement, India will now be permanently free from dependence on other countries for nuclear fuel and will emerge as a new nuclear superpower. Criticality means that the reactor is now capable of generating continuous energy through nuclear fission (atomic reaction) without any external intervention. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also described this success as a decisive and revolutionary turning point in India's nuclear energy sector.

It will generate more fuel than it consumes

The most significant and unique feature of this state-of-the-art reactor lies in its "breeder" technology. While conventional nuclear reactors simply burn fuel (uranium) to generate electricity, this Kalpakkam reactor not only produces energy but also creates new fuel. This machine produces far more new fuel than it consumes. This unprecedented indigenous technology will create an inexhaustible reserve of nuclear fuel for the future, ensuring the nation's continued energy supply.

Dr. Homi Bhabha's dream comes true, strong entry in the second phase

India's nuclear program is divided into three main phases (3-stage program), the strong foundation of which was laid by the great scientist Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha. The first phase consists of simple reactors (PHWRs) currently operating in many parts of the country. Now, with the spectacular success of the fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam, India has entered the second and most important phase of its nuclear program with full force.

The country's priceless 'thorium treasure' will become its real strength

The third and final stage of the nuclear program is the thorium reactor. India currently faces a significant uranium shortage and must rely on countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, and Australia to meet its needs. However, India possesses approximately 25 percent of the world's thorium reserves. PFBR is the only means that will perform the miracle of converting this vast thorium reserve into electricity in the future. With this technology, India's ambitious goal of achieving 100 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2047 can now be easily achieved.

After Russia, only India dominates, America and Japan also fail

With the Kalpakkam reactor becoming operational, India has become only the second country in the world to have its own commercial fast breeder reactor. In this complex technology, India has far surpassed many developed countries like the United States, France, and Japan, which were pursuing it but abandoned their projects midway. Most proudly, this 500 MW reactor was designed and built by the Bharatiya Nuclear Power Corporation Limited (BHAVINI) under the "Made in India" initiative, with over 200 Indian small industries also contributing significantly. This historic achievement will prove to be a major milestone in achieving India's "Net Zero 2070" goal and providing the country with 24-hour uninterrupted power, even better than solar or wind energy.