Chennai: The Rs3,492-crore 500 MW prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) being built by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nagam Limited (Bhavini) is progressing as per schedule. (See: Powerful leap)

Come November, the reactor safety vessel will be lowered into the reactor vault. Fabricated by Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) at the project site, the safety vessel measures 13.4 metres in diameter and 13.4 metres high with a dish bottom.

Says Prabhat Kumar, project director, "For the first time in India, a reactor safety vessel has been fabricated at the project site."

The safety vessel for the 500 MW prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) will be lowered into the reactor vault during the first week of November, 2007 at Kalpakkam. The vessel outer will be stacked with 0.1 mm thick mirror polish stainless steel plates that would act as the thermal insulation.

According to Kumar orders for all the major equipments has been placed and whatever remains will be bought as the project progress.

Critical components like main reactor vessel, inner vessel, steam generator and primary pipe will be received from L&T soon. The company will also assemble the reactor roof at the project site.

Recently power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited has bagged the Rs530 crore order to supply turbo generator and related equipment.

While the Hyderabad MTR will supply control plug, grid plate, control safety rod drive mechanism (CSRDM) and diverse safety rod drive mechanism (DSRDM), the Pune based Walchand Nagar Industries has bagged the orders for core catcher and core support structure. Kirloskar Brothers will supply the pumps for the reactor.

Speaking about the civil structure Kumar says, around 1 lakh cubic metre of concreting has been completed. "Not even one honey comb structure in the concrete was found. We have not missed any reinforcement and there are no reinforcement projections."

The Mumbai based Gammon India Limited has won the civil construction order from Bhavini.