India Aims to Triple Generation of Carbon-Free Nuclear Energy by 2032
India is taking significant steps towards curbing carbon emissions and combating climate change by focusing on atomic energy. At the Conference of Parties (COP-28) in Dubai, where the control of fossil fuel use is being debated, the deployment of atomic energy as a source of carbon-free electricity is gaining acceptability.
India already has a well-established atomic energy program and intends to triple its generation of carbon-free nuclear energy to 22,000 megawatts by 2032. Currently, India produces nearly 7,000 megawatts. Dr. Jitendra Singh, India’s science minister, stated that nuclear power is considered one of the most promising clean energy options for India’s clean energy transition to meet the Net Zero target.
While the rest of the world primarily relies on uranium as a nuclear fuel, India is advancing rapidly in utilizing plutonium and thorium as alternative sources of energy. India has a successful fast breeder nuclear reactor program that can provide the country with much-needed energy independence.
Dr. Jitendra Singh predicts that India’s nuclear sources will contribute nearly 9% of its electricity by 2047. The Department of Atomic Energy aims to achieve a nuclear power generation capacity of 20 GW by 2030, positioning India as the world’s third-largest producer of atomic energy, after the USA and France.
Leading the charge is the facility in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, where Indian engineers are working diligently to master the fast breeder reactor technology. NDTV’s Science Editor, Pallava Bagla, was granted rare access to the laboratories where Indian scientists are studying the complexities of using plutonium and thorium as fuel.
The fast breeder reactor program in India is highly secured, with multiple layers of intense security. Currently, only Russia and India operate functional fast breeder reactors due to the complexity of the technology.
Fast breeder reactors are unique in that they produce more fuel than they consume, earning them the nickname “akshaya patra,” meaning endless sources of energy. These reactors utilize high-energy fast neutrons.
The Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), a sodium-cooled fast reactor using a mixture of plutonium carbide and uranium carbide as fuel, has been instrumental in India’s fast reactor research. It attained first criticality on October 18, 1985, and has successfully completed 38 years of operation. The FBTR continues to play a significant role in India’s nuclear power program.
With the experience gained from the FBTR, India is now designing the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), a 500 MWe reactor that is in the advanced stage of integrated commissioning. If all goes well, the PFBR may commence operation in 2024.
In addition to nuclear power generation, scientists at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) are exploring the possibility of clean and green hydrogen production from the FBTR, as the plant already produces steam at high temperatures.
India’s Department of Atomic Energy is preparing to commission its indigenously designed and locally mastered big fast breeder reactor. These reactors may seem magical, but they require careful control and management. However, India’s commitment to meeting its energy needs leaves no stone unturned in mastering this technology.
