The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has officially granted permission for the “First Approach to Criticality” of the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
- A reactor achieves criticality (and is said to be critical) when each fission event releases a sufficient number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions.
- It is India’s first indigenous PFBR. This critical milestone includes the loading of fuel into the reactor core and the initiation of “Low Power Physics Experiments.”
- This authorization represents a significant advance toward the operationalisation of the PFBR, a key component of India’s nuclear power program.
- The 500 MWe sodium-cooled Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, commissioned by the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), signifies a crucial step in advancing the country’s nuclear energy capabilities.
