India's 700 MW Nuclear Power Being Developed in Rajasthan

India's ongoing nuclear power initiatives marked a significant stride as the third indigenous 700 MW nuclear power reactor, part of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP) 7&8 in Rawatbhata, Rajasthan, accomplished a crucial milestone. The completion of hot conditioning for its primary heat transport system, announced by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) on November 30, paves the way for subsequent commissioning stages such as Initial Fuel Loading (IFL), First Approach to Criticality (FAC), and the eventual onset of electricity generation.

RAPP-7 represents the inaugural unit within the RAPP 7&8 (2X700 MW) project underway in Rawatbhata, with its twin unit, RAPP-8, also advancing steadily in construction.

Notably, India's maiden indigenously developed 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (KAPS-3) commenced commercial operations on June 30 at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station in Gujarat. Its counterpart, KAPS-4, has reached an advanced construction stage, having completed Initial Fuel Loading in October. NPCIL has embarked on the construction of sixteen 700 MW PHWRs nationwide, having secured financial and administrative approval for the same.

The construction of 700 MW nuclear power plants is in progress at Kakrapar (KAPS-4), Rawatbhata in Rajasthan (RAPS 7&8), and Gorakhpur in Haryana (GHAVP 1&2). The government has authorized the establishment of ten indigenous PHWRs in a fleet mode across four locations—Gorakhpur in Haryana, Chutka in Madhya Pradesh, Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan, and Kaiga in Karnataka.

In an update regarding the nuclear power plants developed at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu through collaboration with Russia, NPCIL reported the completion of concreting the inner containment dome of reactor building-3 for the KKNPP-3 unit of 1,000 MW.

Furthermore, NPCIL announced the departure of the 37th Break Bulk Vessel, carrying approximately 700 FRT (freight tonne) project cargo for KKNPP-3&4 and nearly 590 FRT cargo for KKNPP-5&6, from Russia's St Petersburg port on October 10. The Kundankulam nuclear power project consists of six units of 1,000 MW each, with two units having already been commissioned.

News by Rahul Yelligetti