Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan | Photo Credit: ANI

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Thursday termed the achievement at Kalpakkam nuclear reactor as a "moment of national achievement over two decades in the making."

The 500-MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu achieved first criticality on April 6.

First criticality is the moment when a nuclear reactor initiates a controlled and sustained chain reaction for the first time.

Highlighting the significant scientific progress in the House, Radhakrishnan said the milestone marked "the successful culmination of sustained efforts by thousands of scientists, engineers, industries and multiple units of the Department of Atomic Energy."

The chairman said that the achievement advances India into the second stage of its three-stage nuclear programme, which uses plutonium in fast breeder reactors to generate more fuel than it consumes. The third stage will involve thorium-uranium-based reactors.

"Unlike conventional reactors, a fast breeder reactor has the unique capability to produce more fuel than it consumes," Radhakrishnan said.

PFBR has been designed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) and constructed by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI) through entirely indigenous efforts, he said.

Radhakrishnan noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally witnessed the core loading of the PFBR in March 2024.

He said the achievement bolsters India's nuclear energy mission and its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, and is aligned with the government's target of 100 gigawatts of nuclear power.

The chairman also referred to the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, passed by Parliament in December 2025, which opened the civil nuclear energy sector to all players.

"With this milestone, India takes its rightful place among a select group of nations that have mastered this advanced technology," Radhakrishnan said.

He placed on record the appreciation of the House for all scientists, engineers, technicians and industry partners involved in the achievement.

Published on April 16, 2026