Light Water Reactors

There have been some reports in the media raising certain issues regarding the quality of equipment and components in the Light Water Reactor (LWRs) at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu which has been set up in technical collaboration with M/s Atomstroyexport (ASE) of the Russian Federation. Presently, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) Units 1 & 2 (2X1000 MW), set up in technical cooperation with M/s ASE of the Russian Federation are under implementation. Unit-1 has been commissioned and connected to the grid in October 2013 and Unit-2 is under commissioning. In addition, Government has also accorded administrative and financial approval for construction of KKNPP-3&4 (2x1000 MW) to be located at the same site. Before the commencement of manufacturing of components and equipment for KKNPP, a detailed Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) was prepared by the manufacturers which was reviewed by the Russian designers and other Russian organisations and approved by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). All the equipments and components have cleared all the stages of this Quality Assurance Plan. Thus it has been ascertained by means of establishing systems for controlling the manufacturing process, that there is no compromise in the quality of the components supplied to KKNPP from M/s ASE of the Russian Federation. We have indigenously developed a Light Water Reactor of small size, operational for the last eight years. This technology is being upgraded for making a 900 MWe Light Water Reactor indigenously. Presently, we are in the process of preparation of detailed designs for approval by the Regulatory Authority, i.e. the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The present installed capacity of nuclear power capacity in the country, of 4780 MW comprises 4160 MW based on the indigenous technology and 620 MW [Tarapur Atomic Power Station Units 1&2 (TAPS 1&2) – 2X160 MW and Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Units 1&2 (RAPS 1&2) – 100 + 200 MW] based on foreign technical cooperation. In addition, seven reactors with an aggregate capacity of 5300 MW are at various stages of construction / commissioning. On progressive completion of these reactors the installed capacity of nuclear power in the country is expected to reach 10080 MW, of which, 2620 MW (TAPS 1&2 – 2X160 MW, RAPS 1&2 – 100+200 MW and Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Units 1&2 (KKNPP 1&2) – 2 X 1000), or about 26% would be based on foreign cooperation. The present installed capacity is planned to be tripled in the next ten years, based on both indigenous technologies and with foreign technical cooperation. The capacity based on foreign technical cooperation is expected to be about 31% after ten years.