India moves towards commercial Fast Breeder Reactor league after Russia: Jitendra Singh

PFBR achieves first criticality, advances second stage of nuclear programme; ₹20,000 crore nuclear mission to deploy 5 SMRs by 2033

New Delhi: India is set to become the second country after Russia to operate a commercial-level fast breeder reactor, with the indigenously developed 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam achieving first criticality on April 6, 2026, marking a major milestone in the country’s nuclear energy programme.

Addressing a workshop for MPs and MLAs on small modular reactors here on Monday, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said the achievement positions India at the forefront of advanced nuclear technology and strengthens its long-term energy strategy.

Developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research and constructed by BHAVINI, the PFBR marks the beginning of the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear programme. The reactor uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel and is designed to generate more fissile material than it consumes, enabling more efficient utilisation of nuclear resources.

With this development, India moves closer to unlocking its vast thorium reserves in the third stage of the programme, a long-envisioned goal of the country’s nuclear strategy.

Currently, Russia remains the only country operating commercial fast breeder reactors, while India is in the advanced stage of commissioning its own. Several other nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Germany and China, have experimented with fast reactor technologies in the past, though many of these programmes are no longer active.

The minister said the successful commissioning of the PFBR marks a significant step in strengthening India’s nuclear capabilities and places the country in a select group of nations with advanced fast breeder reactor technology.

Highlighting the role of nuclear energy in India’s clean energy transition, he said it will be critical in achieving the target of 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047. He added that emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, data infrastructure and advanced manufacturing will increasingly require reliable, round-the-clock clean energy, where nuclear power will play a key role.

The government is also pushing forward with its nuclear expansion strategy through the recently launched nuclear mission, with an outlay of ₹20,000 crore. Under this initiative, five small modular reactors are planned by 2033.

Singh said small modular reactors will support captive power generation for industries, serve dense urban regions, provide energy to remote areas without grid access, and enable repurposing of existing thermal power plants.

He also highlighted policy measures such as the proposed SHANTI Act, aimed at enabling greater participation of the private sector in scaling up nuclear energy capacity.

Reaffirming the government’s broader energy vision, the minister said a balanced mix of nuclear, renewable and other clean energy sources will be essential for India to achieve its net zero target by 2070.