India Joins Elite Nuclear Club with Fast Breeder Reactor
PFBR criticality at Kalpakkam places India next only to Russia in commercial-level fast breeder reactor capability
- Jitendra Singh announces major nuclear milestone
- India becomes second nation after Russia in commercial fast breeder reactor operations
- PFBR marks key step in India’s three-stage nuclear programme
- Five Small Modular Reactors planned by 2033 under Nuclear Mission
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 27th April: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday announced that India is set to become the world’s second country after Russia to operate a commercial-level Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR), marking a historic leap in the nation’s nuclear energy programme.
India’s indigenously developed 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, achieved first criticality on April 6, 2026, representing a major technological milestone.
Developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research and built by BHAVINI, the reactor is central to the second phase of India’s three-stage nuclear strategy.
The PFBR uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel, enabling it to generate more fissile material than it consumes, paving the way for future utilisation of India’s vast thorium reserves in the third stage of the programme.
Jitendra Singh said the development places India among a select group of nations with advanced fast breeder reactor capabilities, significantly strengthening its clean energy and long-term strategic energy security.
The minister also highlighted the recently launched Nuclear Mission, under which five Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are planned by 2033 with an allocation of ₹20,000 crore.
He said nuclear power would be essential for meeting India’s growing clean energy demands, including sectors such as AI, advanced manufacturing and data infrastructure.
India aims to achieve 100 GW nuclear energy capacity by 2047 and Net Zero emissions by 2070 through a balanced mix of nuclear and renewable power.
