AHWR DESIGN READY AND UNDER PEER
REVIEW
The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor Project
is progressing as per schedule and the design of the 300 MW reactor
is ready and undergoing a peer review. Progress has also been reported
in the engineering of its fuel handling system as well as reprocessing
of the spent fuel. The setting up of the critical facility for conducting
AHWR experiment has also picked up momentum. Fabrication of critical
equipment for the project has also reached advanced stages.
Being developed by
the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre the AHWR is capable of using
both thorium-uranium-233 and thorium-plutonium mixed oxide as
fuel. The AHWRs are intrinsically safe plants which can even be
located in major cities without any exclusion zone around them.
Since the uranium
potential in the country is capable of going only upto 10,000
MW of nuclear power generation, the experience gained in designing
and operating pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) will enable
migration to intermediate fast-breeder type reactors and eventually
to the thorium based system, where India's potential is very large.
Also the BARC has made a significant achievement with the time
taken from hydro-testing to commercial operations reduced to about
six years for large power projects. Meanwhile, a reprocessing
facility which has become operational last August to separate
U-233 from irradiated thorium fuel on a plant scale. With this
a vital link has been established in the thorium fuel cycle programme.
