India Third 700 MW Nuclear Power Reactor Completes Hot Conditioning, says NPCIL

On Thursday, India marked a significant achievement in its nuclear energy endeavors as the third indigenous 700 MW nuclear power reactor, under construction at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan, completed the hot conditioning of its primary heat transport system, according to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). The reactor, known as Unit-7 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP) 7&8, is a pivotal component of the 700 MW series and has now progressed towards further commissioning activities such as Initial Fuel Loading (IFL), First Approach to Criticality (FAC), and the eventual commencement of electricity generation.

RAPP-7 represents the inaugural unit of the RAPP 7&8 (2X700 MW) project underway in Rawatbhata, with its counterpart, RAPP-8, also advancing in construction. The achievement follows the operational commencement of India first indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (KAPS-3) at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station in Gujarat on June 30. The accompanying unit, KAPS-4, is in an advanced stage of construction, having completed Initial Fuel Loading in October.

The NPCIL is actively engaged in the construction of sixteen 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) across the country, having received both financial and administrative approval for the ambitious initiative. Concurrently, the development of 700 MW nuclear power plants is underway at Kakrapar (KAPS-4), Rawatbhata in Rajasthan (RAPS 7&8), and Gorakhpur in Haryana (GHAVP 1&2). The government has further sanctioned the construction of 10 indigenously developed PHWRs in fleet mode at four strategic locations: Gorakhpur in Haryana, Chutka in Madhya Pradesh, Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan, and Kaiga in Karnataka.

Providing an update on nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russia at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, the NPCIL announced the completion of concreting for the inner containment dome of reactor building-3 of the KKNPP-3 unit, boasting a capacity of 1,000 MW. Additionally, a significant shipment comprising project cargo for KKNPP-3&4 and KKNPP-5&6, totaling approximately 700 FRT and 590 FRT respectively, departed from Russia St Petersburg port on October 10. The Kudankulam nuclear power project encompasses six units, each with a capacity of 1,000 MW, of which two have already been commissioned.