The prototype fast breeder reactor of India is situated at:

Correct option is A

​The correct answer is (a) Kalpakkam

Explanation:

• India's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is located at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
• It is being developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) under the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (BHAVINI).
• The fast breeder reactor (FBR) is a crucial part of India’s three-stage nuclear power program, which aims to utilize thorium-based fuel cycles for sustainable nuclear energy.

Information Booster:

India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme

Formulated by Homi Bhabha in the 1950s, this program aims to achieve:

• Long-term energy security, independence, and sustainable development.
• Efficient utilization of India's uranium and vast thorium reserves.

Three Stages of the Programme

1. Stage 1: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs)
• Use natural uranium as fuel.
• Generate plutonium-239, which is required for the next stage.
2. Stage 2: Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs)
• Utilize plutonium-based fuel produced in PHWRs.
• Convert Uranium-238 into Plutonium-239, increasing fuel availability.
3. Stage 3: Advanced Thorium Reactors
• Designed to use Thorium-232, which is abundant in India.
• Thorium requires breeding (conversion to fissile Uranium-233) before use.

Current Developments

• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is conducting indigenous R&D to develop advanced nuclear power systems aligned with the three-stage plan.
• Successful completion of all three stages would enable complete self-sufficiency in nuclear energy for India.

Key Features of the PFBR at Kalpakkam:

• Uses liquid sodium as a coolant instead of water.
• Designed capacity: 500 MWe.
• Helps in converting uranium-238 into fissile plutonium-239.

Additional Knowledge:

• Kaiga (Karnataka) has Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), not a Fast Breeder Reactor.
• Tarapur (Maharashtra) houses India’s first nuclear power station (Boiling Water Reactors - BWRs).
• Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu) has VVER (Russian-designed Pressurized Water Reactors - PWRs), not FBRs.