Plutonium and the Indian atomic energy programme

Plutonium is poised to play a key role in the Indian atomic energy programme, as fast breeder reactors with Pu fuels will be a major source of nuclear energy production in India in the coming decades. Starting from separation of Pu from irradiated PHWR fuel, to fabrication of Pu containing fuels and their utilization in fast reactors, India has mastered various aspects of Pu based fuel cycles. This paper describes the development of technologies for the fuel cycles of oxide, carbide and alloy fuels containing plutonium being pursued in India, and highlights the broad based programme of basic research on Pu science that has provided the confidence for effective utilization of plutonium.