India's Three-Stage Nuclear Power Program Achieves Critical Milestone
The Department of Atomic Energy is implementing a three-stage nuclear power program to reduce dependency on imported uranium and insulate India's nuclear program from geopolitical risks. The program utilizes a closed fuel cycle to optimally employ domestic uranium resources and exploit vast thorium reserves for long-term sustainable energy security.
Program Stage Achievements
The first stage has been successfully completed with expertise gained in indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs). India entered the second stage when the indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) achieved first criticality on April 6, 2026, at 08:20 PM, marking a significant milestone paving the way for the third stage of the nuclear power program.
Indigenous Technological Development
The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) served as the principal architect of PFBR, providing complete technical foundation across design, development, testing, regulatory compliance, and commissioning. Key contributions included engineering and testing of sodium systems, materials and sodium technology development, equipment qualification, design and safety assessment using in-house computational codes, and achieving nearly 90% domestic manufacturing through collaboration with Indian industries.
Breakthrough in Clean Hydrogen Production
On June 26, 2026, IGCAR achieved a global first by demonstrating successful production of clean hydrogen using nuclear heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). The facility integrated a Copper-Chlorine thermochemical cycle developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre with FBTR's secondary sodium heating loop, generating carbon-free hydrogen. This technology offers a stable base-load alternative to renewable-powered electrolysis and supports co-generation of electricity and hydrogen within nuclear infrastructure, supporting India's National Green Hydrogen Mission and Net Zero targets.
Thorium Utilization and Future Plans
The Department has undertaken sustained research for thorium utilization, with Thorium Oxide pellets used in initial cores of operating PHWRs and Thoria-based fuels irradiated in BARC research reactors. Irradiated Thoria pins have been reprocessed to obtain Uranium-233, fabricated as fuel for the KAMINI reactor at IGCAR. BARC is pursuing R&D on molten salt reactor technology for thorium utilization, with development and qualification of special materials, molten fluoride salt chemistry, and component development in progress for a molten salt demonstration reactor.
Current Status and Regulatory Process
Low Power Physics Experiments for validating design parameters and turbine generator overhauling are underway. Upon completion of LPPE, step-wise regulatory clearance will be obtained before raising power toward synchronization to grid and full power operation. Future sodium-cooled Fast Breeder Reactors including FBTR-2 planned at Kalpakkam are proposed to have facilities for co-generation of hydrogen.