Relevance: GS-III (Science & Technology — energy, self-reliance) | Source: The Indian Express
- What is the news?
A team of US nuclear experts visited India. This came less than six months after a new law opened India’s civil nuclear sector to private players.
- The government said it will grow nuclear power using home-built Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and small, factory-made Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Top scientist Anil Kakodkar urged a faster move to thorium.
- India’s three-stage plan (in simple words): It was designed by Homi Bhabha.
- Stage 1 – PHWRs run on natural uranium and make electricity (the spent fuel gives plutonium).
- Stage 2 – Fast Breeder Reactors use that plutonium with thorium to create a new fuel, uranium-233 (U-233).
- Stage 3 – Reactors run mainly on thorium and U-233.
- The 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam starting up is a big milestone.
Fig: India’s three-stage plan — the fuel slowly shifts from uranium to thorium.
- Why thorium matters for India:
- India has one of the world’s largest thorium reserves, found in the monazite beach sands of Kerala and Odisha.
- India depends on imported uranium, which is risky.
- The plan: use thorium-HALEU fuel in PHWRs now, and a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) later.
- The target is a 100 GW nuclear mission by 2047 (PHWRs about 60 GW).
UPSC Value Box
| Term | Meaning |
| Small Modular Reactor (SMR) | A small, factory-made reactor (under ~300 MW); easy to add and good for replacing coal plants. |
| PFBR | Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, run by BHAVINI; it makes more fuel than it uses. |
| Thorium-232 / U-233 | Thorium itself cannot burn; it first turns into U-233, which then powers the reactor. |
| HALEU | High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (5-20% U-235) — an advanced fuel for new reactors. |
Prelims Practice Question
With reference to India’s three-stage nuclear power programme, consider the following statements:
- The first stage uses Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors run on natural uranium.
- Thorium is used directly as fuel in the first stage.
- The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is located at Kalpakkam.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Why: Statement 1 is right — Stage 1 uses PHWRs on natural uranium. Statement 2 is wrong — thorium cannot be used directly; it must first become U-233 in a later stage. Statement 3 is right — the PFBR is at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
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