The Hindu Business Line : DAE maps out ‘clusters’ of Fast Breeder Reactors

Gearing up
DAE strategy is to build FBRs in twins or large clusters for economy of scale.
Existing Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors use uranium as fuel while FBRs burn up plutonium.

M. Somasekhar

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Hyderabad. June 13 India has set plans to build ‘clusters’ of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs), which can potentially produce electricity in multiples compared to existing reactors, in the not too distant future.

With the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) expected to produce nuclear power from 2010-11, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is working on setting up a series of FBRs, said its Secretary, Dr Anil Kakodkar.

Unlike the existing Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which are the workhorse of the country’s ongoing nuclear power programme and use uranium as fuel, the FBRs burn up ‘plutonium’, and that too in very small quantities, to produce clean electricity.

Plutonium is retrieved from the spent uranium fuel burnt in the PHWRs. In contrast to the large quantity of uranium required to run the PHWRs, FBRs need small amounts of plutonium.

Advantages

The power produced is in multiples, which is the big advantage that FBRs offer. The DAE has already lined up at least four FBRs to be constructed by 2020. The department has set a target of creating an installed capacity of 20,000 MW of nuclear power by then, Dr Kakodkar told Business Line here.

The share of PHWRs by 2020 is expected to be over 10,000 MW. In addition to the existing 4,000 MW installed capacity, at least eight units of the 700-MW PHWRs are in the pipeline. The balance would be made up of over 2,000 MW from the light water reactors at Kudangulam being set up with Russian help, the enriched uranium plants at Tarapur, FBRs etc.

Much of the expansion in the FBR programme would, however, depend on the experience of the PFBR, both in terms of performance and commercial terms, once it is operational in 2010-11, Dr Kakodkar said. DAE scientists have developed a mixed oxide fuel for the PFBR.

Cost of construction

While the costs of construction of the FBR are more or less similar to the PHWR, the DAE strategy would be to construct the former in twins or large clusters which will build economy of scale and save on time, he said.

India had demonstrated its research capability to build FBRs nearly two decades ago. It is among the six nations — the US, the UK, France, Japan and Russia — which have the capability and have built such fast reactors.

With limitations of availability of high grade uranium and opening up of new mines as well as import restrictions, efforts to accelerate the FBR programme is under way at the DAE.

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Improving the economic viability of nuclear power plants

Fast breeder reactor: Is advanced fuel necessary?

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