BARC celebrates its golden jubilee

Mumbai, Nov 11 (UNI) Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Commission Tarapur Chairman Vasant Gowarikar said, Homi Bhabha with the help of colleagues established an identity not only for himself but also for the nation and made it a nuclear power.

Speaking about the BARC facilities at Tarapur yesterday Dr Gowarikar said Tarapur is a unique DAE site, where nuclear reactors fuel reprocessing plant, fuel fabrication plant and nuclear waste management facilities are located.

PREFRE (Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant) was commissioned by BARC in 1975 with the indigenous technology. The technology of reprocessing has been mastered by very few countries in the world, he said.

The irradiated fuel, which consists of valuable plutonium, is brought from reactor sites in specially designed casks, using a complicated and difficult technology (purex process).

Plutonium is separated from the spent fuel and recycled back into reactor for making nuclear fuel for power generation.

Recently advance vitrification system (AVS) has been commissioned to immobilise high level waste in borosilicate glass matrix. A ceramic melter has been used in this plant. This plant has processed good quality of high level waste after commissioning.

The vitrified waste product in the glass form is stored in a canister in the Solid Storage Surveillance Facility (SSSF).

This facility is designed to store 1700 storage units. This will be finally disposed off in deep geological formation after 30 years.

A number of new projects have also been taken up at Tarapur.

Spent fuel storage facility (SFSF), Tarapur has recently been commissioned to store spent fuel from reactors.

Health Physics division provides Health Physics support.

Architectural and Civil Engineering Division (A&CED) is responsible for the major construction activities at the site and colony.

General services organisation provides the necessary support and services both at the site and Colony.

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