Robots to be inducted in fuel fabrication for new N reactors

Hyderabad-based Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) under the Department of Atomic Energy, has decided to induct robots in the fuel fabrication procedure for new nuclear power reactors which are huge in size, a top NFC official said. "We plan to introduce robots in the fuel fabrication activities as the proposed reactors are big in size.

Robots will also be needed for precision machining," NFC Senior Manager Meena Ravindran said here today. Meena, who was speaking at the ongoing Asian Nuclear Prospects 2010 (ANUP 2010), a conference on nuclear power in Asia, said her department was getting ready to fabricate fuels for different kinds of reactors- Light Water Reactors (LWR), Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) and Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR).

She said fuel fabrication facilities for imported LWRs would also be set up after discussions with overseas fuel suppliers. "The imported LWRs are expected to start operating by 2016," she said.