Kota:
India's 19th nuclear power reactor went into operation on Saturday night at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant near Kota, giving a boost to availability of electricity in North India.
The indigenous reactor of Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP-6) at Rawat Bhata, near Kota, attained its first criticality at 21:53 hrs on Saturday, posting a major milestone in the project completion process.
Rajasthan Atomic Power Project 5 and 6 comprises of two Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 220MW each. The first unit, RAPP-5 achieved first synchronisation on December 22, 2009 and RAPP- 6, the second unit, an indigenous nuclear power reactor has now joined the fleet of 18 nuclear power reactors in operation.
With the operation of RAPP 5 and 6, the installed capacity has risen to 1180MW. The power will be shared by the beneficiaries of Northern Electricity Grid. Both Units 5 and 6 of RAPP are using uranium imported from Russia and are under India-specific safeguards agreement of International Atomic Energy Agency as per the separation plan of military and civilian nuclear power plants agreed under the landmark Indo-US civil nuclear deal.
With the operationalisation of RAPP6, the overall installed capacity of nuclear power in India has gone up to 4560MW. The reactors have been designed and built by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The Indian industry has played a major role in supply of critical equipment and in meeting construction schedules, Ranjit Raj Kakde, General Manager (Corporate Communications), said in a release.
The total nuclear power capacity is planned to be increased to 7280MW by completion of projects under construction in Karnataka (Kaiga 4) and Tamil Nadu (Koodankulam units 1 and 2). The long-term plans are to take the capacity close to 60,000MW through diverse reactors technologies and designs.
NPCIL is unique in having comprehensive capacity in the various facets of nuclear technology namely site selection, design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance and life extension of nuclear power plants, Kakade said. PHWRs use natural uranium as a fuel and heavy water both as moderator and coolant.
Meanwhile, NPCIL, as part of its expansion plan of PHWRs, has designed 700MW PHWRs based on the experience of its540 MW built in Tarapur. Four 700MW PHWRs, including two at Rawat Bhata site, have been approved by government and construction is being taken up. These are slated for completion with a gestation period of 60 months.