SOURCE: AFI
India’s ambitious nuclear energy program has reached a significant milestone with the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granting approval to load nuclear fuel into the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. This green light paves the way for initiating a controlled chain reaction, marking a crucial step towards India’s self-reliance in atomic energy.
The PFBR, India’s most advanced and complex nuclear reactor, is poised to harness the potential of plutonium as a fuel source. More importantly, this development signifies the country’s progress in utilizing thorium as an alternative fuel, a resource India possesses in abundance. Unlike uranium, which has limited reserves, thorium offers a virtually inexhaustible energy source with the potential to power the nation for centuries.
Chairman of the AERB, Dinesh Kumar Shukla, emphasized the reactor’s inherent safety and the monumental achievement for India’s atomic energy program. Successful operation of the PFBR will not only reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuels but also establish India as a global leader in nuclear technology.
Experts believe that mastering thorium-based nuclear energy can revolutionize India’s energy landscape and ensure energy independence for generations to come.