India’s most advanced nuclear reactor has reached a self-sustaining stage that marks a major leap for the country’s atomic energy programme, and takes it a step closer to cutting dependance on uranium.The prototype fast breeder reactor (PBFR) at Kalpakkam in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu reached criticality – the stage at which a nuclear chain reaction can continue on its own – on Monday. Once the reactor becomes fully operational, India will become only the second country after Russia to have a commercial fast breeder reactor.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it “a proud moment for India” and “a defining step” in advancing the country’s 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. It is a decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves in the third stage of the programme,” he said in a post on X on Monday.So what is a fast breeder reactor, and why does this latest advance matter – for India and the world?Here’s what we know: What is India’s fast breeder reactor all about?A fast breeder reactor is an advanced nuclear reactor that produces more fissile material – fuel that can be used for fission nuclear reactions – than it consumes.India’s fast breeder reactor has been designed and developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), a key research and development institution und …
