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CHENNAI: The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam has marked 40 years since the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) first went critical on 18 October 1985, celebrating the milestone of India's pioneering indigenous fast breeder programme. The 40 MWt/13.6 MWe sodium-cooled reactor has remained central to India's nuclear advancement, conceived as a test bed for advanced fuels and structural materials. Over four decades, it has generated vital operational data that has informed the design and development of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) and future reactor systems. FBTR is unique in the global nuclear landscape as the only fast breeder reactor powered by mixed plutonium-uranium carbide fuel. Its fuel composition - 70 per cent plutonium carbide and 30 per cent uranium carbide - provides superior thermal conductivity and high breeding potential, reinforcing its key role in India's closed-fuel-cycle strategy aimed at long-term energy security. "This reactor stands as proof of India's ability to design and operate complex nuclear systems independently," said K N Vyas, Homi Bhabha Chair Professor and former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India, during the anniversary event. He also released a commemorative volume marking the occasion. "FBTR's journey is synonymous with India's mastery of fast reactor technology," added S Sridhar, Director of Reactor Facilities Group, IGCAR. Director C G Karhadkar highlighted the reactor's "four decades of safe and reliable operation" and its continuing strategic role in the country's nuclear roadmap. The celebrations also marked a scientific achievement with the successful separation of Phosphorus-32, a key radioisotope used in cancer therapy, from irradiated strontium sulphate pellets for the first time. The isotope was subsequently handed over to the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology. Veteran nuclear scientists, including S A Bhardwaj, Dr C Ganguly, S C Chetal, Dr P R Vasudeva Rao, Dr S A V Satya Murty and Dr B Venkatraman, shared personal reflections on the reactor's evolution, while a photo exhibition traced FBTR's technological milestones and contributions to India's strategic nuclear capabilities. Factfile: Fast Breeders Around the World The Monju Fast Breeder Reactor in Japan was decommissioned in 2016 after a sodium leak and fire led to a prolonged shutdown. Rapsodie in France, a pioneering sodium-cooled reactor, operated for 15 years before being decommissioned in 1983.
Chennai: India's fast breeder reactor programme achieved twin milestones this week. The Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, marked 40 years of attaining first criticality. Meanwhile, engineers began loading fuel into the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), the country's most advanced and complex atomic power plant.Officials said the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) recently granted permission for fuel loading into the 500 MW ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: In a big boost for India's civil nuclear energy production, the indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu has attained criticality.Congratulating Indian scientists and engineers on the reactor attaining criticality, PM Narendra Modi posted on X, "Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme."This advanced reactor, capable of producing more fuel than it consumes, reflects the depth of our scientific capability and the strength of our engineering enterprise. I ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) India's most complex atomic power plant -- the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor -- moved a step forward as engineers started loading fuel into the unit, which will be the only second of its kind in the world. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted permission for loading fuel into the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor being developed by the Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu. "We faced technical problems in loading the fuel in March last year. We have solved those problems, and got the regulatory clearance to load fuel on ...Read More >
Lucknow, Apr 7 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Tamil Nadu's Kalpakkam stands as a symbol of India's technological excellence and national ambition. He said the achievement reinforces India's rise as a global energy leader. In an X post, Adityanath said, "India enters a new era of nuclear strength. The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam stands as a symbol of our technological excellence and national ambition. By harnessing our vast thorium reserves, Bharat is taking a decisive step towards energy supremacy and l ...Read More >
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced that the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu has attained criticality, marking a major milestone in India's "civil nuclear journey". The Prime Minister described the development as a "defining step" that advances the second stage of India's three-stage nuclear programme. "India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme," he said in a post on X. The PFBR, which has been indigenously designed and built, is capable of producing more fuel than it ...Read More >
Surat (Gujarat) [India], April 7 (ANI): India possesses vast nuclear energy resources, particularly thorium reserves, that can generate around 5,000 units of electricity per person per year for nearly 500 years, but greater public awareness is needed to address safety concerns and accelerate adoption. Speaking to ANI on India's advancing nuclear programme, Senior Scientist, Department of Atomic Energy, Neelam Goyal said that electricity remains the backbone of India's economy, supporting agriculture, industry and services. Also Read | 'Completely False': Sundar C and Wife Khushbu Slam Fake M ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced that indigenously designed and built 500 megawatt Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam has attained criticality -- which means that it is producing more nuclear fuel than it is consume. This makes India only the second country to run breeder reactors after Russia. Criticality means the start of controlled fission chain reaction: In the PFBR, it means producing more nuclear fuel and electric power. The PFBR runs on a mix of Plutonium-239 (the 'fire) and Uranium-238 ('the breeding ground'). This mix fires atomic particle ...Read More >
New Delhi, April 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Wednesday praised India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the successful achievement of the first criticality of the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), calling it an important technological milestone. In a post on X, the global energy body lauded Indian scientists and engineers for the achievement, which comes after years of development. The IEA said the reactor will use significantly less nuclear fuel compared to conventional reactors and would help pave the way for a "pathway towards a closed fuel cy ...Read More >
Chennai: India's fast breeder reactor programme achieved twin milestones this week. The Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, marked 40 years of attaining first criticality. Meanwhile, engineers began loading fuel into the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), the country's most advanced and complex atomic power plant.Officials said the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) recently granted permission for fuel loading into the 500 MWe PFBR being developed by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI) at Kalpakkam. The reactor is e ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded India's first indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam for attaining criticality, calling it a "defining step in India's civil nuclear journey". In a post on X, the PM reflected on the strengths of the reactor and recognised this as a "decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves." Expressing pride over the achievement, the PM congratulated the scientists and engineers involved in the programme. Also Read | Breach of Discipline During PM Modi Rally: Kerala Police Begins Probe Into Offi ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday congratulated scientists for building the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam as it attained criticality, a development he described as a "new epoch" in India's civil nuclear programme. India's 500 Mwe-Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Tamil Nadu's Kalpakkam achieved first criticality, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Monday. First criticality in a fast breeder reactor is the moment when the nuclear chain reaction becomes self-sustaining. In a post on X, Shah said, "New epoch in our civil nuclear program. ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India has taken a major step towards nuclear fuel self-reliance after its indigenously developed Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam attained criticality, marking the start of a controlled nuclear reaction and advancing the country's long-term atomic energy programme.The milestone, confirmed on Monday, marks a crucial stage before full power generation begins. Once operational, the reactor is expected to play a key role in India's plan to scale nuclear power capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047, from the current level of around eight gigawatts.Prime Minister Narendra Mod ...Read More >
New Delhi, April 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the country's scientists for indigenously designing and building the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister said that India has taken a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme. "The indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam has attained criticality," he said. The Prime Minister added that this advanced reactor, capable of producing more fuel than it consumes, reflects the depth of th ...Read More >
CHENNAI: India on Monday achieved a major milestone in its civil nuclear programme, with the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam attaining criticality, the stage at which a controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction begins. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a "defining step" in advancing the second stage of India's nuclear programme. "The indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam has attained criticality... a decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves," he said in a post on X, congratulating scientists and eng ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) With India's first indigenous prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu attaining criticality on Monday, experts said the development is a significant boost to the country's three-stage nuclear programme. Formulated in the 1950s by Dr Homi Bhabha, the programme seeks to make India self-reliant in the nuclear power sector by exploiting the vast thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of the coastal regions of south India. Talking to PTI, Debasish Mishra, partner at Deloitte India, said, "The PFBR reaching criticality is a seminal moment in In ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded India's first indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam for attaining criticality, calling it a "defining step in India's civil nuclear journey". In a post on X, the PM reflected on the strengths of the reactor and recognised this as a "decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves." Expressing pride over the achievement, the PM congratulated the scientists and engineers involved in the programme. "Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stag ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: With the indigenously built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam attaining criticality, the Congress on Tuesday said this is the result of over three decades of effort and it would have only been proper for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have acknowledged the continuity in this stupendous achievement. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the reactor was the result of over three decades of dedicated, dogged, disciplined, and determined effort on the part of the country's nuclear energy establishment, the foundations of which were laid by the ...Read More >
Chennai, Apr 7 (UNI) The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) announced that in a landmark achievement for India's nuclear energy programme, the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has successfully attained first criticality (start of controlled fission chain reaction) at IGCAR campus in Kalpakkam, about 70 km from here. The indigenously built PFBR attained criticality yesterday night (April 6, 2026) at 2026 hrs marking a historic step in providing long term energy security and advancing indigenous nuclear technology capabilities. The DAE in a release here on Tuesday said the critical ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 7 (ANI): In a landmark achievement for India's nuclear energy programme, the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has successfully attained first criticality (start of controlled fission chain reaction) on 6th April 2026 at 08:25 PM marking a historic step in providing long-term energy security and advancing indigenous nuclear technology capabilities, according to the Department of Atomic Energy. The criticality was achieved in the presence of Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, DAE & Chairman, AEC, Sreekumar G Pillai, Director, IGCAR, Allu Ananth, CMD-In-Charg ...Read More >
India's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) reaching criticality marks a significant advancement in the country's energy security. This achievement underscores India's competency in nuclear technology, positioning it uniquely in global energy innovation. The development paves the way for future advancements and potential scale-ups in India's nuclear power strategy. Experts in the nuclear sector celebrated India's achievement of criticality in its Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR). This milestone is pivotal for energy security, especially as India seeks to reduce reliance on fossil fuel ...Read More >
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Nuclear power currently contributes 3 per cent of India's electricity generation. New Delhi: India took a significant step towards energy independence on 6 April 2026, when the indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam attained first criticality. This moment marked the start of a sustained and controlled nuclear chain reaction in the 500 MWe reactor, a technology India has pursued for decades. With this achievement, the country formally entered the seco ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 6 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced that India has reached a significant milestone in its civil nuclear programme, with the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam attaining criticality. In a post on X, the Prime Minister described the development as a "defining step" in the country's nuclear journey. "Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme," Modi said. Highlighting the significance of the achievement, he added, "The indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breed ...Read More >
India's first prototype fast-breeder reactor (PFBR) in Tamil Nadu's Kalpakkam on Monday (April 6, 2026) came another step forward in its civil nuclear journey as it attained criticality. First criticality in a fast breeder reactor is the moment when the nuclear chain reaction becomes self-sustaining. A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that produces more fissile material than it consumes. In a 'fast' breeder reactor, the neutrons aren't slowed, allowing them to trigger specific fission reactions. Is India finally entering stage II of its nuclear programme? | Explained The PFBR is a machi ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday termed the attainment of criticality of India's indigenously built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam as a proud moment for the nation and a major boost to its civil nuclear journey. In a post on 'X', he said, "India's indigenously built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam has attained criticality. This marks a key step in the second stage of India's nuclear programme." "It brings us closer to harnessing our vast thorium reserves in the third stage and strengthens the path towards long term energy ...Read More >
Surat (Gujarat) [India], April 7 (ANI): India possesses vast nuclear energy resources, particularly thorium reserves, that can generate around 5,000 units of electricity per person per year for nearly 500 years, but greater public awareness is needed to address safety concerns and accelerate adoption. Speaking to ANI on India's advancing nuclear programme, Senior Scientist, Department of Atomic Energy, Neelam Goyal said that electricity remains the backbone of India's economy, supporting agriculture, industry and services. "At present, around 70 per cent of India's electricity comes from coa ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) A 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Chennai has successfully attained first criticality (the start of controlled fission chain reaction), marking a historic step in providing long-term energy security and advancing indigenous nuclear technology capabilities, officials said on Tuesday. The criticality was achieved after meeting all the stipulations of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), which had issued a clearance after a rigorous review of the safety of the plant systems. The technology development and design of the PFBR was indigeno ...Read More >
New Delhi/Mumbai, Apr 7 (PTI) The attainment of first criticality at the indigenously designed and built 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu was on Tuesday hailed as a "seminal moment" to help India move closer to realising the full potential of its nuclear power programme and providing long-term energy security. With the 500 MWe PFBR reaching criticality on Sunday to mark the initiation of a sustained nuclear chain reaction, India has officially entered the second stage of its three-stage nuclear power programme. The milestone carries substantial global ...Read More >
India's 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) achieved first criticality on April 6, 2026. This marks a historic milestone in its three-stage nuclear programme, boosting energy security and indigenous technological capabilities. In a landmark achievement for India's nuclear energy programme, the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has successfully attained first criticality (start of controlled fission chain reaction) on 6th April 2026 at 08:25 PM marking a historic step in providing long-term energy security and advancing indigenous nuclear technology capabilities, accordin ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday praised India's latest achievement in nuclear energy, marking the first criticality at the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. He described the milestone as a transformative leap in the nation's journey toward sustainable and self-reliant energy solutions. Taking to X, CM Majhi said the successful harnessing of thorium-based energy demonstrates India's scientific prowess and long-term strategic vision. "Heartiest congratulations to every scientist, engineer, and stakeholder whose unwavering dedicatio ...Read More >
Surat, April 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Nuclear energy expert Dr Neelam Goyal on Tuesday called the attainment of criticality at the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Tamil Nadu's Kalpakkam, as a "big win for India" and an "important step towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'." The indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) successfully attained its first criticality on April 6, marking the initiation of a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Speaking to IANS, Goyal mentioned that agriculture, industry and services are the three pillars of India's economy. She said, "The backb ...Read More >