Technology development of fast reactor fuel reprocessing in India

The long-term self-reliance to meet the ever-growing power demand in India can be achieved if the huge thorium reserve of the country can be exploited. To harness this, adequate quantity of the isotope uranium-233 has to be accumulated to sustain the thorium-uranium-233 cycle. To achieve this goal, plutonium-fuelled Fast Reactor Technology (FRT) is the best option as the thorium fuel can be converted to uranium-233 effectively using the system. But the success of the FRT programme can be realized only if the fuel cycle is closed and the fuel recovered through reprocessing is refabricated and recycled back to the reactor for power production. This article provides glimpses of the current status of this vital link, fast reactor fuel reprocessing, in India. It also provides an overview of the developments taken place in this field and briefly describes the current projects for future development.