DAE to construct four 500 MW FBRs from 2011

Chennai, Jan 30 (UNI) The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) will construct four 500 MW Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR) from 2011, a top official of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) said today.

Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of a workshop on research and career opportunities here, IGCAR Reactor Group (Operations and Maintenance) Director P V Ramalingam said four of the two new reactors would be constructed at IGCAR's Kalpakkam facility.

The location for the other two reactors would be decided soon, he added.

All the four new reactors would be constructed by the Bharathiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a company owned by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

''BHAVINI, is at present engaged in the construction of the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor. Once the project is completed by 2009 and the reactor becomes operational, we would be able to supply power at Rs 3.20 per unit,'' he said.

Earlier, inaugurating the workshop, IIT Madras Director Prof M S Ananth said ''since the country was facing shortage of Uranium to fuel its reactors, the fast breeder reactors would solve the problem of Uranium shortage.'' UNI GV AJ DKS HS1625