Published: 7th Sep, 2023
Context
Recently, the third unit of the indigenously developed 700-megawatt electric (MWe) nuclear power reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP3) in Tapi district of Gujarat has commenced operations at full capacity.
Background
- The foundation of KAPP-3 happened in November 2010 and this unit was originally expected to be commissioned in 2015.
- State-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is responsible for construction and management of the plant.
- The reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP) had started commercial operations on June 30 but was operating at 90 per cent of its capacity till now.
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Before the inauguration of KAPP, the biggest reactor of indigenous design was the 540 MWe PHWR, two of which have been deployed in Tarapur, Maharashtra. |
About
- KAPP-3 is the country’s first and the biggest indigenously developed variant of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR).
- A PHWR is a nuclear power reactor, commonly using unenriched natural uranium as its fuel that uses heavy water (deuterium oxide D2O) as its coolant and moderator.
- PHWR technology was started in India in the late 1960s with the construction of the first 220 MWe reactors, Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS-1).
- Significance:
- The new 700MWe unit addresses the excess thermal margins (thermal margin refers to the extent to which the operating temperature of the reactor is below its maximum operating temperature) — and also marks an improvement in the economies-of-scale, without significant design changes to the 540 MWe reactor.
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Currently, KAPP3 nuclear power capacity constitutes around 2 per cent of the total installed capacity of 4,17,668 MW. |
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Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited:
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