New Delhi, April 7 With the domestically built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam achieving criticality, the Congress said on Tuesday that this is the result of over three decades of effort, and it would have been appropriate for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to acknowledge this remarkable achievement.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said that the reactor was the result of over three decades of dedicated, persistent, disciplined, and determined effort by the country's nuclear energy establishment, the foundations of which were laid by the Bhabha-Nehru duo and many other distinguished nuclear scientists.
"The 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam achieved criticality yesterday. India is the only country other than Russia that will have commercial fast breeders, which will then enable the utilization of our vast thorium reserves," Ramesh said on X.
"This reactor is the result of over three decades of dedicated, persistent, disciplined, and determined effort by our nuclear energy establishment – the foundations of which were laid by the Bhabha-Nehru duo and many other distinguished nuclear scientists and technologists who came later," the Congress leader said.
"I vividly recall my own visit to Kalpakkam in July 2008 and the interactions I had with Dr. Baldev Raj and his team. It was a very inspiring morning. It would have been appropriate for the PM to acknowledge this remarkable achievement in his post," Ramesh said and shared pictures from his 2008 visit to Kalpakkam.
Prime Minister Modi said on Monday that India has taken a defining step in its civil nuclear journey as the domestically built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam achieved criticality.
In a post on X, Modi said this is a proud moment for the country.
"Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme," he said.
"The domestically designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam has achieved criticality," he added.
