India's second 700 MW nuclear power KAPS-4 starts ops at full capacity

India's second home-built 700 MW nuclear power reactor at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat on Wednesday started operating at its full capacity, the plant operator said.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said Unit 4 at KAPS had been operating at 90 per cent capacity before raising it to full power of 700 MWe.

"The full power operation of KAPS-4 after the smooth operation of its twin unit KAPS-3 at full power demonstrates the strength of the first of a kind indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) design," the NPCIL said.

The KAPS-4 unit achieved first criticality on December 17 last year and commenced commercial operations on March 31.

The power level of the unit, which commenced commercial operation on March 31, 2024 was raised in line with the permissions of the regulatory authority, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

India is building 14 more 700 MW nuclear power reactors of the same design which are expected to commence operations progressively by 2031-32.

The NPCIL presently operates a fleet of 24 reactors with a total capacity of 8180 MW and has eight units with a capacity of 6800 MW under construction.

In addition, 10 more reactors with a total capacity of 7000 MW are in pre-project activities. These are expected to be completed progressively, taking the installed nuclear power capacity in the country to 22480 MW by 2031-32, the NPCIL said.