Safety vault installed in N-plant

India achieves a significant milestone in the area of commercial production of nuclear power with the successful installation of a safety vault in the 500 MW prototype fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam.

With the successful installation of a safety vault in the 500 MW prototype fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam, India on Tuesday achieved a significant milestone in the area of commercial production of nuclear power, which is scheduled to go critical by 2010 and start producing power an year later.

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The near 200 tonne safety vessel has been erected to prevent any possible leakage of sodium which is a coolent in the reactor using uranium oxide and plutonium oxide as fuel.

The vessel was erected in the reactor vault by scientists of Bharathiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd Kalpakkam.

Sources said the installation of the safety vessel was the first process in attaining criticality by 2010. The main vessel will be installed inside the safety vault after three months, source said.

Nitrogen will be used in between the vessel and the vault to prevent any "unlikely leakage".