25 Nov : The newly constructed unit 5 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP-5) attained its first criticality on Tuesday, state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) said.
Located in Rawatbhata, the 220 MW plant attained criticality at 12.51 pm signifying the start of self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction in the reactor core, N Nagaich, Chief Engineer, Corporate Communication, NPCIL, said in Mumbai, in a press release on Tuesday.
This is the first indigenous plant using imported uranium fuel from Russia and has come under the fold of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.The operation of RAPP-5 has increased the installed nuclear power capacity to 4,330 MW.
RAPP-5, an indigenous nuclear power reactor has joined the fleet of 17 nuclear power reactors in operation. The power will be shared by the beneficiaries of Northern Electricity Region.
It has been designed and built by NPCIL, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
Indian industry has played a major role in supply of critical equipment and in meeting construction schedules. PHWRs use natural uranium as a fuel and heavy water both as moderator and coolant.
“The reactor was placed under IAEA safeguards earlier in the year under the India specific safeguards agreement and has been fuelled with the imported fuel,” Nagaich said.
Completion of RAPP unit 6 which is also a 220 MW plant will also be ready soon, he said.Rawatbhata site has already four PHWRs with a total installed capacity of 740 MW which are in operation.
Nagaich said, NPCIL has also designed 700 MW PHWRs based on the experience of its 540 PHWRs of Tarapur.
Four 700 MW PHWRs, including two at Rawatbhata site, have been approved by the Government and construction is being taken up.
These are slated for completion with a gestation period of 60 months from the day of first pour of concrete.
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, he added.