India’s first domestically developed 700 MW nuclear power plant in Gujarat’s Kakrapar has commenced operations at full capacity, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP) had previously begun commercial operations on 30 June, but was operating at 90 per cent capacity.
Prime Minister Modi took to ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter, to announce this significant achievement, stating, “India achieves another milestone. The first largest indigenous 700 MW Kakrapar Nuclear Power Plant Unit-3 in Gujarat starts operations at full capacity. Congratulations to our scientists and engineers.”
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is currently constructing two 700 MW pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) at Kakrapar, which is also home to two 220 MW power plants.
According to officials, KAPP unit-4 has achieved 97.56 per cent progress by July, with various commissioning activities underway. The NPCIL has granted financial and administrative sanctions for constructing sixteen 700 MW PHWRs across the country.
The construction of 700 MW nuclear power plants is currently ongoing at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan (RAPS-7 and 8) and at Gorakhpur in Haryana (GHAVP-1 and 2).
The government has approved the construction of 10 indigenously developed PHWRs in fleet mode at four locations: Gorakhpur in Haryana, Chutka in Madhya Pradesh, Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan, and Kaiga in Karnataka.