Monday 28 February 2011

Nuclear Power Plants in India

In India, Nuclear power holds the fourth position among the different resources of electricity, Thermal, hydro and renewable resources being first, second and third respectively. Presently 19 nuclear power plants in India are there, which generates 4,560 MW (2.9% of total installed base) and 4 such power plants are in the pipeline and would be generating around 2,720 MW. India's contribution in fusion development is done through its involvement in the ITER project.

Since the beginning of 1990s, Russia has always been a chief supplier of nuclear fuel to the country of India. The deterioration of domestic uranium resources caused the decline of electricity production from nuclear energy in India by 12.83% during 2006 to 2008. The country has signed contracts regarding nuclear power with countries like France, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Mongolia, Namibia, Kazakhstan and Argentina after the Nuclear Suppliers Group declared a waiver in September 2008 to allow India to commence worldwide nuclear trade. India even signed a $700 million agreement with Russia in February 2009 about 2000 tons nuclear fuel supply.

Presently India aims at increasing the input of nuclear energy to the total electricity production from 4.2% to 9% by the next 25 years. The country's capacity of installed nuclear energy production will rise to 6,000 MW. As per the report published in 2009, India holds the 9th position in regards to the count of operational nuclear energy reactors in the world and 9 are still under construction which includes 2 EPRs constructed by Areva in France. TAPS-3 and TAPS-4 are 540 MW atomic reactors of Indian origin. India's $717 million venture of swift breeder reactor is likely to operate before the end of 2010.

India envisages a significant growth of its nuclear power industry in the recent future as according to the Indo-US nuclear agreement, India is allowed to carry out international trade of nuclear power and technologies so as to develop its capacity of power generation. During the operational phase of this deal, the country is expected to improve its total nuclear power production to 45,000 MW by generating an additional nuclear power of 25,000 MW by 2020.

Apart from using imported enhanced uranium and being within the safeguards of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), India has developed several nuclear fuel cycle aspects for supporting its reactors. Limited imports have strongly affected the advancement of selected technologies. The feature of heavy water reactors to allow the burning of Uranium with slight to no enrichment capacities makes its usage more attractive. India has worked hard in developing Thorium based fuel cycle. While there is a limitation in the country's Uranium deposit, there are some greater treasuries of Thorium which can multiply the power with the equal mass of fuel by hundred times. The fact of Thorium being used in heavy water reactors has tied the growth of the two. At Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station located in Madras, a prototype reactor is still under construction which would be able to burn Uranium-Plutonium fuel whilst irradiating a Thorium layer.

Power stationStateTypeOperatorUnitsTotal capacity (MW)
KaigaKarnatakaPHWRNPCIL220 x 3660
KalpakkamTamil NaduPHWRNPCIL220 x 2440
KakraparGujaratPHWRNPCIL220 x 2440
RawatbhataRajasthanPHWRNPCIL100 x 1
200 x 1
220 x 4 
1180
TarapurMaharashtraBWR (PHWR)NPCIL160 x 2
540 x 2
1400
NaroraUttar PradeshPHWRNPCIL220 x 2440
Total194560


Some of the nuclear power plant projects which are under construction can be listed below:

Power stationStateTypeOperatorUnitsTotal capacity (MW)
KudankulamTamil NaduVVER-1000NPCIL1000 x 22000
KaigaKarnatakaPHWRNPCIL220 x 1220
KalpakkamTamil NaduPFBRNPCIL500 x 1500
Total42720


Some of the nuclear power projects which are planned up for the future are as follows:

Power stationOperatorStateTypeUnitsTotal capacity (MW)
RawatbhataNPCILRajasthanPHWR640 x 21280
KakraparNPCILGujaratPHWR640 x 21280
JaitapurNPCILMaharashtraEPR1600 x 46400
KudankulamNPCILTamil NaduVVER1200 x 22400
KaigaNPCILKarnatakaPWR1000 x 1, 1500 x 12500
NPCILAHWR300300
NPCILPHWR640 x 42560
NTPCPWR1000 x 22000
Total1020600

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