KAPP nuclear reactor unit 3 likely to be commissioned by Nov 2020: Govt

Unit 3 of Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant (KAPP), the 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), is expected to be commissioned by November this year, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday.

The first 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor at Kakrapar, Gujarat, KAPP-3 achieved criticality (controlled self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction for the first time) on July 22.

"The commissioning and operationalisation of the unit is expected by November2020. The commissioning and operationalisation of its twin unit, KAPP-4 is expected one year after the first unit," Singh said in a written response to a question in Rajya Sabha.

The KAPP unit 3 is the first 700 MW capacity PHWR, a technology mastered by Indian nuclear scientists and engineers. All future sanctioned PWHRs are of 700 MW.

Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, said in five more nuclear power plants --- RAPP 7and 8 (2X700 MW) at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan, KKNPP 3 and 4 (2X1000 MW) at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu and 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) -- are scheduled to be commissioned and operationalised progressively by 2024, adding 3900 MW of nuclear power capacity, Singh added.