Dr SC Chetal, a key figure in India’s fast breeder reactor programme, says the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) achieving criticality marks a major indigenous breakthrough. He argues it strengthens India’s “second-stage” nuclear energy roadmap, where fast breeder technology is expected to play a central role in expanding long-term nuclear power ambitions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated scientists for achieving “first criticality” at India’s Prototype Fast Breeder Nuclear Reactor in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. Calling it a historic milestone, the achievement strengthens India’s long-term nuclear roadmap. The PFBR uses MOX fuel and a uranium-238 blanket, designed to help breed additional fuel for future reactor use.
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India’s fast-breeder nuclear reactor has reached criticality, marking a major step in a long-running effort to secure energy independence. The reactor is designed to use plutonium recovered from spent fuel to generate electricity and produce additional fissile material—technology that only a handful of countries have mastered. Analysts say the milestone strengthens India’s next phase of nuclear capability.
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