The brief

Analyst view

• BHAVINI is a public undertaking under India's Department of Atomic Energy, established 2003.
• PFBR achieved first criticality April 6, 2026, marking India's stage 2 of three-stage thorium program.
• 500 MWe sodium-cooled reactor; second in India's fast reactor series after the FBTR.

Technical approach

As reported

Fuel breeding

Conversion of U-238 to Pu-239

Fast neutrons convert abundant uranium-238 to fissile plutonium-239, multiplying usable fuel.

Cooling

Liquid sodium circulation

Sodium transfers heat efficiently at higher temperatures than water, increasing thermal efficiency.

Fuel type

Mixed oxide (MOX) from spent fuel

The PFBR burns mixed uranium-plutonium oxide, which can be made from reprocessed spent fuel from light-water reactors, closing the fuel cycle.