In a historic development, the Unit 3 of the Kakrapur Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3 700 W) in Gujarat attained its first criticality (controlled self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction for the first time) at 9.35 am on Wednesday.
First of its kind indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), the KAPP-3 is designed entirely by the Indian scientists and engineers. The components and equipment for the reactor have been manufactured by Indian Industries, while the construction and erection was undertaken by various Indian contractors.
Lauding the State-run NPCIL’s feat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Congratulations to our nuclear scientists for achieving criticality of Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant-3! This indigenously designed 700 MWe KAPP-3 reactor is a shining example of Make in India. And a trailblazer for many such future achievements!”
“The reactors have been designed and constructed to the highest safety and quality standards comparable to the best in the world. The 700 MW PHWR has advanced features like steel lined inner containment, Passive decay heat removal system, containment spray system, Hydrogen Management systems etc,” a Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited ( NPCIL) spokesperson said.
The fuel loading of the reactor core was completed by mid-March this year. Thereafter many tests and procedures were carried out during the lockdown period following all the Covid-19 guidelines. We could achieve the tasks with the excellent coordination among the NPCIL, contracting agencies, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) units and various Central, State and local authorities,” NPCIL)’s Associate Director (CP&CC) AK Nema said.
As a next step, various experiments will be conducted and power will be increased progressively. Thereafter it will be connected with the Western grid. The KAPP-3 is the third nuclear power reactor in the country. It is the front runner in a series of 16 indigenous 700 MW PHWRs which have been accorded administrative approval and financial sanction by the Government and are at various stages of implementation.
The KAPS comprises two units of indigenous 220MW (KAPS-1&2) Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR), which commenced commercial operations in 1993 and 1995 respectively. Of the two more units of 700 MW PHWRs, the KAPP-3 has now achieved criticality and KAPP-4 is under construction.
The NCPIL currently operates 22 nuclear power reactors, including the 100MW RAPS-1, owned by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), with a capacity of 6780 MW.
NPCIL has seven more reactors,KAPP4 ( 700 MW), RAPP-7 & 8 (2 X700 MW), KKNPP 3 & 4 ( 2X 1009 MW) and GHAVP 1 & 2 (2 X 700) are under construction. “These reactors are expected to be completed and they will achieve criticality progressive from next year onwards,” the spokesperson added.