Surat, April 8: Nuclear energy expert Dr. Neelam Goyal hailed the achievement of criticality in the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFB) in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, as “a significant victory for India” and a crucial step towards “self-reliant India.”
The domestically designed and constructed PFB successfully reached its first criticality on April 6, marking the initiation of a sustained nuclear chain reaction.
In an interview, Goyal emphasized that agriculture, industry, and services are the three main pillars of India’s economy. She stated, “Electricity is the backbone of all three. Currently, 70% of our electricity is generated from coal, most of which we import from Indonesia. Additionally, we purchase gas from Qatar.”
She noted that the reactor will play a vital role in the nuclear energy sector. “India possesses 85% of the world’s nuclear fuel. We currently operate 24 reactors that utilize uranium, which we import from countries like Australia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia.”
Interestingly, while India has limited uranium reserves, it boasts one of the largest thorium reserves globally. To maximize these resources, the Department of Atomic Energy has designed a three-phase nuclear energy program based on a closed nuclear fuel cycle. The goal is to gradually increase the use of domestic fissile resources and achieve long-term energy self-sufficiency.
Goyal explained that thorium is a fertile material, and converting it into a fissile material requires a small amount of uranium. “Uranium is needed in the first phase of the nuclear energy program. The fuel that remains is plutonium, which is being used as fuel in the second phase of nuclear power in Kalpakkam.”
She elaborated on how India can become self-reliant and reduce its dependency on coal and gas imports. “If facilities for water, electricity, and food processing are made available in villages, farmers’ incomes could increase by nearly 10%.”
Goyal stressed that as demand rises, industries will also grow, necessitating more electricity. “Nuclear energy is the best source for this. The money spent on importing gas and electricity can be saved.”
According to the nuclear energy expert, if biogas plants are established in hundreds of villages, India could meet 70% of its gas demand locally. She added, “Given the increasing demand in cities, using electric stoves for cooking could reduce our dependence on gas imports.”
She pointed out that ongoing conflicts in West Asia have led to a gas crisis in India, with coal prices also rising significantly.
Furthermore, Goyal believes that India can reduce its reliance on foreign coal by establishing nuclear power plants in 650 districts and deploying 300 MW small modular reactors (SMRs) everywhere. “This would provide affordable electricity to the people,” she stated.
She also mentioned that while there are some objections to nuclear energy compared to solar energy, she emphasized that nuclear power plants in India have been operational for many years without any major accidents reported.
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