News: India is accelerating indigenous Light Water Reactor development while opening the nuclear sector to private participation, focusing on exports, and implementing the SHANTI Act, 2025.
About Light Water Reactors
- A Light Water Reactor is a thermal-neutron nuclear reactor that uses ordinary water as both coolant and neutron moderator.
- It uses solid fissile fuel and is the most common nuclear reactor type worldwide.
- Primary Types of Light Water Reactors
- Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) uses water under high pressure to prevent boiling.
- Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) allows water to boil directly inside the reactor vessel.
- Supercritical Water Reactor (SCWR) operates water above its critical temperature and pressure.
- Key Characteristics
- Water Type: Light water means ordinary H₂O and is different from heavy water that contains deuterium.
- Functional Role: Water carries heat produced during atomic fission and slows neutrons to sustain the nuclear reaction.
- Fuel Requirement: Light Water Reactors use enriched uranium as fuel to support the chain reaction.
- Design: These reactors have simpler design and engineering compared to heavy water reactors.
- Economics: They benefit from economies of scale and generally involve lower construction cost.
- Global presence: Light Water Reactors account for over 85 % of global civil nuclear reactor capacity.
- Safety Feature: If overheating occurs, the boiling away of water naturally stops the nuclear reaction.
Note: For detailed information on SHANTI Bill, 2025 read this article here.
