Kalpakkam to have two more PFBRs: Govt

The Department of Atomic Energy will construct two Prototype Fast Breeder Reactors (PFBR) of 600 MW each at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, besides the present one of 500 MW capacity which is expected to go fully functional by October, the government said today.
"All the construction activities of PFBR have been completed and the integrated commissioning activities have started. PFBR is expected to go fully functional by October 2017.
"This delay is primarily due to augmentation of certain additional assesments and checks on the installed equipment prior to commencement of their commissioning," Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the PMO, which looks after the Department of Atomic Energy said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

The minister said the additional assessments and checks have essentially emanated owing to both increased regulatory requirements and as a matter of abundant caution.
The 500 MW PFBR, which is to be functional by October, will be the first PFBR in the world for commerical use. No other country has sucessfully able to execute this feat.
As per the three-stage Indian nuclear energy programme, PFBR will be attaining the second stage
In response to another question, Singh said there has been a continuous increase in availability of radiation oncology facilities for cancer care in India and the number of treatment units (Linear Accelerators and Telecobalts) have increased from less than 250 in 1995 to approximately 552 units in 2015.