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India's Three Stage Nuclear Program

India's Three Stage Nuclear Program

Shiv Parekh
March 22, 2014
Submitted as coursework for PH241, Stanford University, Winter 2014

Background
Dr. Homi Bhaba devised India's three-stage nuclear
power program in the 1954. It was formulate to
provide energy security to India. The main aim was
to capitalize on India;s vase thorium reserves while
accounting for its low uranium reserves. India has
only about 2% of the global uranium reserves but
25% of the world;s thorium reserves. [1]
The three stages are: [2]
1. Natural uranium fuelled Pressurized Heavy
Water Reactors (PWHR)
2. Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) utilizing
plutonium based fuel
3. Advanced nuclear
utilization of thorium

power

systems

for

Stage 1
The first stage involved using natural uranium to fuel
Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors to produce
electricity and producing plutonium-239 as a
byproduct. Using Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors
rather than Light Water Reactors was the best choice Fig. 1: Homi Bhabha. (Source: Wikimedia
for India given its infrastructure. While Pressurized Commons)
Heavy Water Reactors used unenriched uranium,
Light Water Reactors required enriched uranium. Also, the components of PWHR could be
domestically manufactured in India, as opposed to LWRs, which would need some components to be
imported. Furthermore the byproduct plutonium-293 would be used in the second stage. [3]

Stage 2
The second stage involves using plutonium-239 to produce mixed-oxide fuel, which would be used in
Fast Breeder Reactors. These reactors have two processes. Firstly plutonium 293 undergoes fission to
produce energy, and metal oxide is reacted with enriched uranium reacts with mixed-oxide fuel to
produce more plutonium-239. Furthermore once a sufficient amount of plutonium-239 is built up,
thorium will be used in the reactor, to produce Uranium-233. This uranium is crucial for the third stage.
[4]
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India's Three Stage Nuclear Program

Stage 3
The main purpose of stage-3 is to achieve a sustainable nuclear fuel cycle. The advance nuclear system
would be used a combination of Uranium-233 and Thorium. Thus India's vast thorium would be
exploited, using a thermal breeder reactor. Currently this stage is still in the research stage. Thus India is
looking to simultaneously using its thorium in other technologies. The options include Accelerator
Driven Systems (ADS), Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) and Compact High Temperature
Reactor (CHTR). [5,6]

Current State
Currently India has 21 reactors that produce 5780 MW, 6 under construction aimed to produce 4300
MW and 33 planned aimed to produce 33000 MW. Currently India's installed capacity of energy is
230,000 MW so nuclear energy could form a significant portion of India's energy output. [7]
Shiv Parekh. The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form,
with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial
rights, are reserved to the author.

References
[1] K. M. V. Jayaram, "An Overview of World Thorium Resources, Incentives for Further Exloration
and Forecast for Thorium Requirements in the Near Future," in "Thorium-Based Nuclear Fuel: Current
Status and Perspectives," International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA-TECDOC-412, March 1987, p.
7.
[2] S. A. Bhardwaj, "Indian Nuclear Power Programme - Past, Present and Future," Sadhana 38, 775
(2013).
[3] R. G. Busher, "India's Baseline Plan for Nuclear Energy Self-Sufficiency," Argonne National
Laboratory, ANL/NE-009/03, January 2009.
[4] M. R. Srinavasan, "A Nuclear Dream Is Set to Come True," Deccan Chronicle, 29 Dec 13.
[5] A. Kalam and S. P. Singh, "Nuclear Power Is Our Gateway to a Prosperous Future," The Hindu, 6
Nov 11.
[6] S. Banerjee, R. K. Sinha and S. Kailas, "Thorium Utilization for Sustainable Supply of Nuclear
Energy," J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 312, 062002 (2011).
[7] "Energy Statistics 2013," Central Statistics Office, Government of India, March 2013.

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