Loading of the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) with liquid sodium awaits clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), said Prabhat Kumar, chairman and managing director, Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI).
BHAVINI, a public sector undertaking of the Department of Atomic Energy, has built the PFBR at Kalpakkam, 60 km from Chennai.
The PFBR uses plutonium-uranium oxide as fuel and liquid sodium as coolant.
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Disclosing this to reporters at Kalpakkam, in the presence of AERB chairman S.S. Bajaj on Wednesday, the BHAVINI CMD said all the construction works on setting up of the PFBR had been completed. However, the AERB, which was more interested in ensuring environmental and public safety than the schedule for attaining criticality, had made few more suggestions and these would be complied with, Mr. Kumar said.
Once the loading of liquid sodium was done, synchronisation of conventional auxiliary systems, switch yard for outgoing power transmission etc. could be carried out in a phased manner and criticality could be achieved in about six months, he said.