KALPAKKAM NUCLEAR REACTOR –
News: Kalpakkam
fast breeder reactor nearly complete, says Minister
What's in the news?
● The
prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at the Kalpakkam nuclear power plant in
Tamil Nadu is “nearly complete”, Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy
Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha.
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR):
● PFBR
has been designed indigenously by Indira
Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR).
● It
is a pool-type reactor with 1,750tonnes
of sodium as coolant.
● It
is designed to generate 500 MWe of electrical power, with an operational life
of 40 years.
● It
generates power by burning mixed
uranium-plutonium MOX fuel, a mixture of PuO2 and UO2.
● PFBR
at Kalpakkam was earlier expected to be commissioned in 2012, but has missed
several deadlines.
● PFBR
design is built on decades of experience gained from operating a lower power
Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR).
● It
comes under the second stage of India’s
three-stage nuclear power programme.
● Bharatiya
Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (Bhavini), a public sector company under DAE, has been
given the responsibility to build these reactors.
● India
is planning to build 21 such reactors by 2030.
India's Nuclear Program:
● India's
nuclear program can trace its origins to 1944 and its efforts in 3 stage
technology were established by Homi
Jehangir Bhabha when he founded the nuclear research center, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
● Today,
India has 23 nuclear reactors in operation in 7 nuclear power plants, with a
total installed capacity of 7,480 MW.
● Kudankulam Nuclear Power
Plant is the largest nuclear power station in
India, situated in Tamil Nadu.
India’s Nuclear Share:
● The
present installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 6780 MW.
● The
share of nuclear power in the total
electricity generation in the country is about 1% in the year 2020-21.
● The
present nuclear power capacity of 6780 MW is planned to be increased to 22480
MW by 2031 on progressive completion of projects.
Importance of Nuclear Energy:
1. Thorium and Uranium reserves:
● India
has vast reserves of Thorium that can fuel India’s nuclear energy provided
appropriate technology. India’s thorium deposits, estimated at 3,60,000tonnes,
and natural uranium deposits at 70,000tonnes.
● The
country’s thorium reserves make up 25% of the global reserves.
2. Energy poverty:
● Although
India is the 3rd largest producer of
electricity, about 20 % of the population of the country does not have
access to electricity today.
● The
per capita consumption of electricity is very low at about 1,181 kWh per annum,
about half of the world average and way below that of advanced countries.
● There
exist shortages in energy and peak power in the range 10-15%.
3. Energy demand:
● Nuclear
energy is a critical part for India’s
future energy security.
● As
we know India’s annual energy demand is expected to rise to 800 GW by 2032, it
is very important to consider every source of energy in the optimum energy mix.
4. Energy efficiency:
● Quantities
of nuclear fuel needed are considerably less than thermal power plants.
● For
instance, 10000 MW generation by coal will need 30-35 million tons of coal, but
nuclear fuel needed will be only 300-350 tons.
5. Economic growth:
● Rapid
economic growth is also critical to achieve developmental objectives and
poverty alleviation.
● A
sustained economic growth of about 8 to 10% is needed over the next few
decades.
● As
electricity is a key driver for economic growth, it is necessary that there is
a massive augmentation in electricity capacity, apart from transmissions and
distribution systems.
6. Decrease in Energy Supply:
● Energy
supply has been negatively affected by changing
weather patterns.
● As
water reservoirs decrease due to lower precipitation and increased evaporation,
capacity for electricity production from hydropower and other water-intensive
generation technologies may decline.
7. Climate change:
● Due
to its emission-free nature, nuclear energy can contribute to global efforts
under the Paris Agreement.
● India’s
Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has outlined goals to reduce the carbon
emissions intensity of its economy by 45% by 2030 as well as increase the clean
energy electricity capacity to 50% of the total installed capacity in the same
period.
Challenges:
1. Public Awareness:
● Commercial
nuclear power is sometimes viewed by the general public as a dangerous or
unstable process.
● This
perception is often based on three global nuclear accidents, its false
association with nuclear weapons.
2. Used Fuel Transportation, Storage and Disposal:
● Many
people view used fuel as a growing problem and are apprehensive about its
transportation, storage, and disposal.
3. Constructing New Power Plants:
● Building
a nuclear power plant can be discouraging for stakeholders.
● Conventional
reactor designs are considered multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects.
● High
capital costs, licensing and regulation approvals, coupled with long lead times
and construction delays, have also deterred public interest.
4. High Operating Costs:
● Challenging
market conditions have left the nuclear industry struggling to compete. Strict
regulations on maintenance, staffing levels, operator training, and plant
inspections have become a financial burden for the industry.