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Role of Nuclear Energy in Achieving Viksit Bharat
Context:
The Indian government has finally acknowledged the crucial role of nuclear energy in realising the vision of “Viksit Bharat.”
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- The ambitious target of establishing 100 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2047 may seem daunting, especially given the lack of clarity on its execution.
- Nevertheless, this goal is essential for India’s long-term energy security and economic growth.
Challenge of Uranium Supply
- Need of Huge Supply: Operating a 100 GWe nuclear capacity would require approximately 18,000 tons of mined uranium annually—equivalent to nearly a third of current global uranium production.
- A viable solution lies in the recycling of uranium and, more critically, thorium.
- Recycling: By implementing recycling strategies, the demand for newly mined uranium could be reduced by one or even two orders of magnitude.
- This shift must occur before India reaches 25 GWe of nuclear generation capacity, as uranium demand will then account for nearly 8-10% of current global production, making access difficult.
- With current projections, this threshold could be reached within the next decade.
Advancing Nuclear Fuel Recycling
- Progress: India has already made progress in closing the nuclear fuel cycle, having developed sufficient MoX fuel for the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).
- However, the widespread deployment of fast breeder reactors, which use recycled fuel and generate more fissile material, remains elusive.
- While accelerating this deployment is crucial, a more immediate solution is needed to counteract the impending slowdown in capacity expansion due to fuel supply constraints.
- Cooperation: A similar challenge was previously mitigated through international civil nuclear cooperation, which granted India access to global uranium markets.
- Now, a shift in focus from reactor options to fuel cycle strategies is necessary.
- Thorium: Thorium, long regarded as the key to India’s energy security, presents a promising alternative.
- By irradiating thorium with high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) in Pressurised Heavy-Water Reactors (PHWRs), India can produce spent fuel that can be recycled for additional power generation, including through molten salt reactors (MSRs).
- This approach aligns with India’s third stage of nuclear power development and ensures a sustainable fuel supply without dependence on foreign reactor vendors.
Benefits of Thorium Utilisation
- Beyond its energy potential, thorium offers significant economic and safety advantages, particularly in PHWRs.
- It enhances reactor performance, improves operational safety, and reduces both uranium consumption and the number of fuel bundles requiring disposal.
- Most notably, it provides a proliferation-resistant fuel cycle, minimising security risks related to nuclear material diversion.
- HALEU-thorium fuel bundles share the same external geometry as conventional ones, allowing their deployment in existing reactor designs with minimal modifications.
- Additionally, accumulated spent fuel from this cycle can serve as feedstock for thorium-uranium MSRs, which should be prioritised for future development.
- Integrating spallation neutron sources into MSRs could further support capacity growth, complementing fast breeder reactors.
Bharat Small Reactors and Modular Nuclear Solutions
- PPPs: The initiative to establish Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) through a public-private partnership is a welcome step.
- Alongside 700 MWe PHWRs, which should remain the primary contributors to capacity expansion, BSRs can provide valuable support.
- HALEU-thorium fuel could be effectively utilised in both reactor types, ensuring continued growth despite potential uranium supply constraints.
- SMRs: Globally, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have gained popularity, yet India already has extensive experience with small reactors through its commercially successful 220 MWe PHWRs.
- Unlike SMRs, which are yet to be deployed at scale, India’s reactors have a proven track record.
- However, the adoption of SMRs would require a substantial order volume for economic viability.
- Retiring coal plant sites could serve as ideal locations for SMRs, provided safety measures eliminate the need for large evacuation zones and exclusion radii.
- India should focus on SMRs that meet these criteria and can be fully manufactured domestically to ensure economic competitiveness.
- The AHWR-300-LEU, a thorium-based reactor that fulfilled these requirements, unfortunately, remains underutilised.
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The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH
