**Executive Summary**
This document, stemming from a parliamentary question, outlines the milestones achieved in the PFBR (Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor) project. It highlights the progress on initial fuel loading, addresses the state of the domestic nuclear industry, and emphasizes waste management practices in accordance with "The Atomic Energy Act, 1962." Initial Fuel Loading (IFL) permission was given on 16.10.2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PFBR Project Milestones:**
* AERB granted permission for Initial Fuel Loading (IFL) into the reactor core, First Approach to Criticality (FAC), and Low Power Physics Experiments (LPPE) for PFBR on 16.10.2025.
* Loading of 37 sub-assemblies, including 28 fuel sub-assemblies, into the reactor is in progress.
* The next milestone after loading completion is FAC.
* **Domestic Nuclear Industry:**
* The ecosystem includes both government and private entities.
* Departmental enterprises manufacture nuclear materials, fuel assemblies, components, and detectors/sensors.
* Indian private industries can manufacture nuclear equipment for PHWRs, BSMR-200, and SMR-55.
* Priority is given to developing new vendors with BARC support to fulfill the "Make in India" mandate.
* **Resource Exploration and Mining:**
* AMD identifies and evaluates mineral resources of uranium, thorium, etc. to support the Nuclear Power Programme.
* AMD conducts integrated exploration in potential geological domains.
* UCIL mines and processes uranium ore in Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.
* **Radioactive Waste Management:**
* DAE has a framework for safe long-term waste management.
* Nuclear waste is managed under "The Atomic Energy Act, 1962" and the Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987.
* No waste is released unless cleared, exempted, or excluded from regulations.
* Low and intermediate-level waste is managed at the plant site.
* Slightly enriched uranium (SEU) is considered as potential fuel for SMRs.
* Reprocessing of spent fuel is proposed to recover valuable nuclear materials and reduce waste.
**Impact Analysis**
**Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)**
* **Impact**: Oversees and implements milestones for the PFBR project and manages the domestic nuclear industry. Responsible for safe radioactive waste disposal.
* **Action Required**: Continue to oversee and support the progress of the PFBR project, including the fuel loading process and achievement of subsequent milestones.
**Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)**
* **Impact**: Provides regulatory oversight for the PFBR project, including granting permissions for critical activities.
* **Action Required**: Monitor the PFBR project to ensure compliance with safety regulations and standards.
**Indian Private Industries**
* **Impact**: Can participate in the manufacturing of nuclear equipment.
* **Action Required**: Develop capabilities to manufacture nuclear equipment for PHWRs, BSMR-200, and SMR-55.
**Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD)**
* **Impact**: Responsible for identifying and evaluating mineral resources for the nuclear program.
* **Action Required**: Continue exploration activities to augment mineral resources to support nuclear power program.
**Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL)**
* **Impact**: Responsible for uranium mining and processing in India.
* **Action Required**: Continue to operate and maintain uranium mines and processing plants.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE): Primary subject as the governing body overseeing nuclear activities and waste management.
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB): Regulator responsible for issuing permissions for nuclear activities.
The Atomic Energy Act, 1962: Governing legislation for the management/disposal of nuclear waste.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC): Assisting in development of new vendors and fulfilling the mandate of 'Make in India'.
PFBR: Nuclear reactor undergoing milestones in its project, as outlined in the document.
Department of Atomic Energy
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: MILESTONES
ACHIEVED IN PFBR PROJECT
प्रव तथ: 04 DEC 2025 6:19PM by PIB Delhi
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) issued permission for Initial Fuel Loading (IFL) into
the reactor core, First Approach to Criticality (FAC) and Low Power Physics Experiments (LPPE)
for PFBR on 16.10.2025. Loading of 37 sub-assemblies including 28 fuel sub-assembilies into the
reactor is in progress. Once the loading of all fuel sub- assembilies into the reactor core is
completed, the next milestone is FAC.
The present ecosystem of the domestic nuclear industry comprises both government and private
units. The Departmental enterprises are engaged in manufacturing of nuclear materials (fissile
materials, neutron absorbers, heavy water, zirconium alloy products etc.), nuclear reactor fuel
assemblies, components, nuclear detectors/sensors, etc.
Majority of nuclear equipment for 700 MWe PHWRs, 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor
(BSMR-200), and 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55) are within the capability of Indian
private industries. To meet the requirements of nuclear energy capacity expansion, The
Department gives priority for development of new vendors with handholding by Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre (BARC) to fulfil the mandate of “Make in India”. Capacity augmentation of
private players is likely to be stimulated by scale of orders.
Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has the mandate to identify and evaluate mineral resources
of uranium, thorium, niobium, tantalum, beryllium, lithium, zirconium, titanium and Rare Earth
Elements (REEs) to support Nuclear Power Programme of the country.
To identify and augment additional mineral resources of the aforesaid elements, AMD is carrying
out integrated and multi-disciplinary exploration (including geophysical, geological, geochemical
and radiometric surveys) in potential geological domains of the country.
Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), a Public Sector Undertaking under the DAE, is
engaged in the mining and processing of uranium ore in the country. The company is operating
seven uranium mines and two processing plants in the State of Jharkhand and one uranium mine
and processing plant in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
DAE has a comprehensive and internally aligned framework to ensure safe and long-term
management of radioactive waste generated from the existing reactors and expanding reactor
fleets including fleets of small modular reactors (SMRs). Nuclear waste arising from the nuclear
power plants and fuel cycle facility will be safely
managed/disposed under the provisions of “The Atomic Energy Act, 1962”, subsequent
amendments and the Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987.As a waste management philosophy, no waste in any physical form is released/ disposed to the
environment unless same is cleared, exempted or excluded from regulations. Low and
intermediate level waste generated from operation and maintenance of a nuclear power plants are
managed at plant site itself. These wastes are treated, concentrated, compacted, immobilised in
solid like cement and disposed in specially constructed structures such as reinforcement concrete
trenches and tile holes located at the site. The disposal facility is kept under constant surveillance
to confirm effective containment of radioactivity present in the disposed waste.
Slightly enriched uranium (SEU) is considered as potential fuel for proposed Small Modular
Reactors (SMRs). Systems have been planned to handle spent fuel and its in- situ storage. In case
of domestic fuel, it is proposed to carry out reprocessing of spent fuel to recover valuable nuclear
materials and reduce the overall nuclear waste burden. Broad philosophy of nuclear waste
management remains same to reduce the overall nuclear waste burden i.e. recovery of useful
radioisotopes, if any, volume reduction followed by vitrification of waste in stable glass matrix
and storage in engineered facilities kept under surveillance at par with internationally accepted
practices.
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NKR/AK
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