Chennai, June 28 (IANS): The Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) is awaiting the atomic regulator's nod to load sodium in its upcoming 500 MW fast breeder reactor (FBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu.
A senior official said the design for the next two reactors has been finalised and pre-project activities have begun.
"We are in the final leg of getting a clearance from AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board). We are hoping to get AERB's nod to load 1,750 tonnes of liquid sodium and test the systems. We expect to get the permission in three weeks' time," BHAVINI chairman and managing director Prabhat Kumar told IANS.
The 500 MW reactor, called prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) is designed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) that is also located in Kalpakkam, about 70 km from here.
A fast breeder reactor is one which breeds more material for a nuclear fission reaction than it consumes. It is the key to India's three-stage nuclear power programme. IGCAR is tasked to design fast reactors and also carry out relevant research activities.
"We expect the PFBR to attain criticality (start of fission process for the first time) this September if everything goes as per our plans," Kumar added.
The BHAVINI had erected the two sodium pumps this February.
"The project has achieved a physical progress of 97.6 percent. All the major components have come to the site and most of them have been erected," Kumar said.
The dummy fuel (fuel pins similar to the real fuel pins but without the fission material) pins numbering 1,757 were loaded last year.
"The real fuel pins will be loaded into the reactor later after checking the systems. Now we have to test and establish the sodium parameters and the systems like pumps," Kumar said.