G Kalyanakrishnan has taken over as Chief Executive of Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), Hyderabad.
He succeeds N Saibaba, who has retired on completion of two years of extended period of service.
The Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) was established in 1971 as a major industrial unit of India’s Department of Atomic Energy, for the supply of nuclear fuel bundles and reactor core components.
It is a unique facility where natural and enriched uranium fuel, zirconium alloy cladding and reactor core components are manufactured under one roof.
Kalyanakrishnan will also be the Chairman of the NFC Board.
Prior to this assignment, he was the Deputy Chief Executive. He has vast experience in erection & commissioning as well as operation of Heavy Water Plants.
He has also contributed in the successful commissioning of Zirconium Complex (ZC – a Unit of NFC) at Pazhayakayal, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu and in achieving its nameplate capacity of 250 MT in the shortest time.
A chemical engineer from the Regional Engineering College, Warangal in 1980, Kalyanakrishan has joined the 24th batch of 1980-81 Training School of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai.
Natural uranium, mined at Jaduguda Uranium Mine in the Singhbhum area of Jharkhand state, is converted into nuclear fuel assemblies.
Nuclear Fuel Complex supplies zircaloy clad uranium oxide fuel assemblies and zirconium alloy structural components for all 14 operating atomic power reactors in India. The Hyderabad plant has a capacity to produce 250 tons of UO2 per year and is expected to expanded to a 600 tons per year capacity.
NFC products are supplied to the Department of Atomic Energy, the Indian Navy, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and other defence organisations, as well as chemical, fertiliser, and ball bearing industries.
