Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday praised the historic achievement of India’s 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam reaching criticality, calling it a landmark in the country’s progress in advanced nuclear energy.
In a post on X, he pointed out that India now joins Russia as one of the only nations with commercial fast breeder technology, a step that will enable the utilisation of India’s vast thorium reserves.
“The 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam went critical yesterday. India is the only country other than Russia that will have commercial fast breeders, which will then enable the utilisation of our vast thorium reserves,” Ramesh wrote, underlining the strategic importance of the development for India’s energy security.
He described the reactor as the culmination of over three decades of persistent effort by India’s nuclear establishment.
“This reactor is the result of over three decades of dedicated, dogged, disciplined, and determined effort on the part of our nuclear energy establishment—the foundations of which were laid by the Bhabha-Nehru duo and many other distinguished nuclear scientists and technologists who came later,” he said.
Recalling his own visit to Kalpakkam in 2008, Ramesh highlighted the inspiration he drew from interacting with leading scientists. “I vividly recall my visit to Kalpakkam in July 2008 and the interactions I had with Dr Baldev Raj and his team. It was a most inspiring morning,” he wrote, adding that it would have been fitting for the Prime Minister to acknowledge the decades-long continuity of effort behind the achievement.
The PFBR, a key component of India’s three-stage nuclear programme, is expected to play a critical role in the country’s drive for energy self-reliance. By using plutonium to generate more fuel and ultimately tapping into India’s abundant thorium reserves, the reactor is set to transform the nation’s long-term energy landscape while highlighting India’s commitment to innovation in nuclear science.