India's PFBR in Kalpakkam achieves criticality with IAEA support
India just powered up its Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, reaching criticality for the first time.
This milestone puts India on the global map for advanced nuclear technology and takes its atomic program to the next stage.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gave a thumbs-up, saying this helps make nuclear fuel last longer and supports a cleaner energy future.
PFBR reuses spent fuel, reduces waste
The PFBR took over two decades to build and is one of the few of its kind in the world. It reuses spent fuel, meaning less waste, and uses a special mix of fuels to get more energy from what we already have.
Looking ahead, India wants to boost its nuclear power capacity from 8.7 GW today to about 22.48 GW by 2031-32, with an ambitious long-term goal of hitting 55 GW.
The IAEA says it will keep backing India as it pushes for cleaner and more sustainable energy.