FBR AND ENERGY SECURITY
Why in the news?
Fast Breeder Reactor core loading at Kalpakkam signifies advancement in India’s nuclear power program, enhancing energy security plans.
source:researchgate
About Core Loading at Kalpakkam Fast Breeder Reactor:
- The commencement of “core loading” at Kalpakkam Fast Breeder Reactor signifies a significant milestone in India’s three-stage nuclear power plan.
- Core loading involves placing nuclear fuel assemblies into the reactor’s core, initiating the process towards achieving criticality and generating power.
- India’s Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) program, initiated two decades ago, aims to develop comprehensive capabilities across the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium extraction to power generation.
What is a Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR)?
● It utilises fast neutrons to trigger the fission of uranium-238, unlike traditional reactors. ● These reactors are dubbed “breeders” because they generate more fissile material, such as Plutonium-239, than they consume. |