An indigenously developed 700 MWe (megawatt electric) nuclear power plant at Kakrapar in Gujarat is expected to start commercial operations by December, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Kakrapar Atomic Power Project

• The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is building two 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) at Kakrapar.

• KAPP-3 is India’s first 700 MWe (megawatt electric) Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) with innovative features. It is located at Kakrapar site in Surat where already two 220 MWe PHWRs (KAPS-1 & KAPS-2) are in operation and another 700 MWe PHWR (KAPP-4) is under advanced stage of construction.

• KAPP-3 is a pressurised heavy water type using water moderator, heavy water coolant and natural uranium as fuel with Zircaloy-4 as a cladding material. 

• KAPP-3 achieved its criticality in July 2020.

• Kakrapar Atomic Power Station Unit-1 went critical on September 3, 1992 and began commercial production in May 1993. KAPS-2 went critical on January 8, 1995 and began commercial production on September 1, 1995. 

• During the commissioning of Unit 3 at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station, elevated temperatures were observed in certain areas of the reactor building which have since been addressed by carrying out requisite modifications and improvements.

• There are no design flaws or safety issues in the design of indigenous 700 MW PHWRs, Singh said.

• In Unit-3, modifications/improvements required based on commissioning feedback have been carried out and their validation was also completed by the hot run.

• The unit is now being readied for startup and progressive power raise to full power in line with the regulatory clearances.

• The unit is expected to commence commercial operation by December 2022, after obtaining stage-wise regulatory clearances.

• Unit-4 at Kakrapar has achieved physical progress of 93.65 per cent as of June this year.

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