Work on maiden fast reactor fuel cycle facility starts

The Rs 9,600-crore project at Kalpakkam near Chennai would be completed by 2018 and may be commissioned the following year

Work on India's maiden fast reactor fuel cycle facility (FRFCF) involving an outlay of Rs 9,600-crore has started at Kalpakkam near Chennai.

The project work started recently soon after receiving the green nod from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).

Prabhat Kumar, chairman and managing director of Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) confirmed the green nod for the project and said construction had begun recently.

The project would be completed by 2018 and might be commissioned the following year, he added.

Planned for launch by 2014, the project faced delay due to issues like resting and showcasing the technology considering its use for the first time, said Kumar.

The facility will cater to the upcoming Rs 5,600-crore 500-Mw capacity prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) at the same location.

This is part of the planned three PFBR plants attracting an investment of over Rs 5,600 crore for each of them, said Kumar. "We expect the first PFBR to be critical this year and have gone to the board for the approval to set up two more PFBRs at the same location," he said.

"Sooner the RFCF project is completed, the better for us as we need not go to the government for fresh fuel supplies".

Till the FRFCF is ready, PFBR will be storing the fuel at its complex.

A fuel cycle facility near the PFBR eliminates the transport risk of fuel bundles. For the fuel reprocessing facility to be functional the PFBR should first go on stream.

A fast-breeder reactor is the one which breeds more material for a nuclear fission reaction than it consumes. It is key to India's three-stage nuclear power programme.

PFBR uses plutonium-based fuel, which is an important resource for India.