RAPS-3 reconnected to grid after major renovation exercise: NPCIL

A 220 MW nuclear power plant at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan has been reconnected to the grid after its life was extended by about 30 years by undertaking a major renovation and modernisation exercise, the plant operator said.

Unit 3 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS-3) was commissioned on June 1, 2000, and continued commercial operations for over 22 years before being taken up for renovation and modernisation (R&M) on October 27, 2022.

It said RAPS-3 was connected to the grid on July 24 this year.

"The unit underwent Enmasse Coolant Channel Replacement (EMCCR), Enmasse Feeder Replacement (EMFR) and other upgrades during the R&M," the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said in a statement.

R&M activities were carried out in the core of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor remotely using precision technologies developed indigenously.

"The NPCIL has over the years attained maturity in carrying out in-core jobs using sophisticated remotely operated tools. The entire job was carried out with utmost safety, with no undue exposure of personnel," the statement said.

The NPCIL said the R&M activities in the RAPS-3 unit were completed in the shortest time among Indian reactors where similar activities were taken up.

The nuclear operator said R&M jobs were completed within budget despite an increase in prices of certain key components after the start of the project.

The cost incurred on R&M of this unit (on a per MW basis) is much lower than that incurred internationally in PHWRs, the NPCIL said.

"India thus has an edge globally in carrying out such in-core jobs safely and precisely at a very competitive cost and can potentially export these services," the NPCIL said.