Chennai, Jan 11 (IANS) Systems testing of India’s own 500 MW prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) is expected to commence in September this year — by when the construction work is expected to be over, a senior nuclear power official said Wednesday.

“PFBR construction work will be over by September this year. Then we will start testing various systems thoroughly before the reactor goes critical. We will test the various pipes with air,” Prabhat Kumar, project director at Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (Bhavini), told reporters on the sidelines of a nuclear power safety conference here.

He said the testing of the systems is expected to be completed by December this year or January 2013.

The fast breeder reactor, which breeds more material for a nuclear fission reaction than it consumes, is one of the key projects of India’s three-stage nuclear power programme. In 1985, India became the sixth country to have such a technology.

Declaring confidently that there will not be any cost overruns in the Rs.5,677 crore project, Kumar alluded to some savings to be achieved due to project management planning.

“Construction work effectively started in 2005. And in seven years’ time, the construction work would be completed fully,” he said.

Speaking about project funding, Kumar said the government has been infusing equity and by March this year, the total equity will be around Rs.4,200 crore.