CHENNAI: Environmental organisation Poovulagin Nanbargal has expressed concerns over India's first Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) achieving criticality at Kalpakkam, while also acknowledging that the project marks a step toward generating fissile material from thorium as part of the country's long-term nuclear programme.
The group argued that the narrative projecting thorium as a transformative energy source oversimplifies the realities of India's three-stage nuclear programme. Originally conceptualised by Homi Jehangir Bhabha in the 1950s, the programme aimed to address uranium scarcity by eventually leveraging India's vast thorium reserves.
The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, which has now reached criticality, is designed to produce more fuel material than it consumes. As part of this process, it can facilitate the conversion of thorium into uranium-233, marking a technological step toward utilising thorium for future energy generation.
However, Poovulagin Nanbargal noted that global energy dynamics have shifted significantly since the programme's inception. The discovery of large uranium reserves has made uranium-based nuclear power more viable, leading several countries, such as the United States and Germany, to abandon breeder reactor programmes. Even Japan and France, which pursued the technology, faced setbacks, including safety concerns and high operational costs.
The organisation highlighted key technical challenges associated with thorium utilisation. Thorium is not a fissile material and must first be converted into uranium-233 within breeder systems. This process also produces uranium-232, a highly radioactive isotope that complicates fuel handling and increases operational costs.
It further pointed out that Fast Breeder Reactors rely on liquid sodium as a coolant, which poses safety risks due to its chemical reactivity.
The complexity of design, high capital investment, and maintenance challenges make FBRs a difficult option compared to other available energy solutions.
Describing the approach as "using a cannon to kill a fly," it argued that deploying such complex technology for power generation may not be justified when simpler, safer, and more economical alternatives exist.
It also questioned the perception of India leading a global race in breeder technology, noting that many countries have already stepped away from this domain, while only a few, like Russia and China, continue limited development.
Concluding its remarks, the organisation said that while the Kalpakkam FBR represents a technical milestone in advancing thorium-related capabilities, celebrating it without a realistic assessment could reflect technological ambition outweighing practical energy needs.