However experts opine that the final phase of development for thorium based energy generation will only happen 20 to 30 years from now. India which boasts of a huge reserve of thorium has been running an experimental facility called a fast breeder test reactor fbtr now for 27 years. The only other commercial fast breeder nuclear reactor in history is located in russia but this uses uranium instead of thorium.
The kalpakkam reactor will generate 500 megawatts of electricity by using the element thorium instead of uranium which is rare in india. Then in july 2007 a nuclear cooperation agreement with india was finalized opening the way for india s participation in international commerce in nuclear fuel and equipment and requiring india to put most of the country s nuclear power reactors under iaea safeguards and close down the cirus research reactor at the end of 2010. But construction is not imminent and sinha who led the design stresses it.
The design of india s first reactor that could burn thorium is complete the advanced heavy water reactor ahwr. With sustained efforts over the years india has gained experience in different areas of thorium fuel cycle. Development of technologies pertaining to utilisation of thorium has been a part of ongoing activities in department of atomic energy.
Thorium has to be converted to uranium 233 in a reactor before it can be used as fuel. Several thorium fuelled reactor concepts are under consideration. When this thorium fuel cycle is used much less plutonium and other transuranic elements are produced compared with uranium fuel cycles.
Thorium can be used as a nuclear fuel through breeding to uranium 233 u 233. Thorium is much more abundant in nature than uranium. There we have it.
They are also developing molten salt thorium reactors but full production is still a few years off. It went on line in 2011. They still use heavy water moderated reactors but since india is low on uranium but rich in thorium they have now converted one heavy water reactor to thorium with a plutonium glow plug.
A three stage nuclear power program was drafted already in the 1950 s.
Thorium nuclear reactor in india. Thorium based nuclear power generation is fueled primarily by the nuclear fission of the isotope uranium 233 produced from the fertile element thorium according to proponents a thorium fuel cycle offers several potential advantages over a uranium fuel cycle including much greater abundance of thorium on earth superior physical and nuclear fuel properties and reduced nuclear waste production. India s three stage nuclear power programme was formulated by homi bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country s long term energy independence through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of south india the ultimate focus of the programme is on enabling the thorium reserves of india to be utilised in meeting the country s energy requirements. The fertile thorium 232 has to be converted into uranium 233 first for use in a nuclear reactor. Considering the country s vast thorium resources the long term nuclear energy policy of india has been focused on utilization of thorium early on.
Considering the country s vast thorium resources the long term nuclear energy policy of india has been focused on utilization of thorium early on. The fertile thorium 232 has to be converted into uranium 233 first for use in a nuclear reactor. India s three stage nuclear power programme was formulated by homi bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country s long term energy independence through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of south india the ultimate focus of the programme is on enabling the thorium reserves of india to be utilised in meeting the country s energy requirements.
Thorium based nuclear power generation is fueled primarily by the nuclear fission of the isotope uranium 233 produced from the fertile element thorium according to proponents a thorium fuel cycle offers several potential advantages over a uranium fuel cycle including much greater abundance of thorium on earth superior physical and nuclear fuel properties and reduced nuclear waste production.
