Rajasthan Atomic Power Station
| Rajasthan Atomic Power Station | |
|---|---|
  Location of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station in India | |
| Country | India |
| Coordinates | 24°52′20″N 75°36′50″E / 24.87222°N 75.61389°ECoordinates: 24°52′20″N 75°36′50″E / 24.87222°N 75.61389°E |
| Construction began | 1963 |
| Commission date | 16 December 1973 |
| Operator(s) | Nuclear power Corporation of India Ltd |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational |
1 x 100 MWe 1 x 200 MWe 4 x 220 MWe |
| Units under const. | 2 x 700 MWe |
| Average generation | 3,140 MW |
|
Website Nuclear power Corporation of India Ltd | |
The Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS; also Rajasthan Atomic Power Project - RAPP) is located at Rawatbhata in the state of Rajasthan, India.
History
The construction on Douglas Point reactor in Canada was begun in 1961 and duplicate station at Rajasthan was committed in 1963. The Rajasthan Power Project (RAPP) included two 220 MWe CANDU reactors built in the state of Rajasthan and put into service, respectively, in 1973 and 1981. Indian tradesmen and professional engineers came to be trained at Douglas Point. After the nuclear bomb test explosion in 1973 the nuclear trade links between Canada and India were curtailed and the second RAPP reactor was completed by the Indians with no Canadian assistance.
In the context of the Indian atomic program, two more PHWR with an output of 220 MW each were built. They cost around 570 million dollars. RAPS-3 became critical on 24 December 1999, RAPS-4 became critical on 3 November 2000. Commercial operations began on 1 June 2000 for unit 3, and on 23 December 2000 for unit 4.
Two more reactors (RAPS-5 and RAPS-6) with 220 MWe have also been built, with unit 5 beginning commercial operation on 4 February 2010, and unit 6 on 31 March 2010.[1]
Two of the new Indian-designed 700 MWe series of reactor (RAPP-7 and RAPP-8) are under construction at Rajasthan.
In November 2012, International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) intensively audited over several weeks two reactors at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station for safety. It has concluded that the reactors are among the best in the world, the indigenously made 220 MW atomic plants can withstand a Fukushima type of accident, even suggesting that the "safety culture is strong in India" and that India emerged a winner with a high global safety rank.[2]
First concrete for unit 7 was poured on 18 July 2011,[3] with commercial operation expected by 2016. The two reactors will cost an estimated Rs 123.2 billion (US$2.6 billion).[4]
2006 meteorite
On 29 August 2006, a 90% iron meteorite weighing 6.8 kilograms fell in Kanvarpura village, near the power station. The Deputy Director-General (western region) of the Geological Survey of India, R.S. Goyal, said that devastation on an "unimaginable scale" would have ensued had the object struck the station.[5]
2012 nuclear leak
In June 2012, 38 workers were exposed to tritium when a welding operation went wrong inside the protected environment of the reactor.[6]
Units
| Unit | Type | Net MW | Gross MW | Construction | Date of Criticality | Commercial operation | Shut down |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan−1 | CANDU | 90 MW | 100 MW | 01.08.1965 – 30.11.1972 | 11.08.1973 | 16.12.1973 | Oct 2014 |
| Rajasthan−2 | PHWR | 187 MW | 200 MW | 01.04.1968 – 01.11.1980 | May 1981 | 01.04.1981 | |
| Rajasthan−3 | PHWR | 202 MW | 220 MW | 01.02.1990 – 10.03.2000 | 01.06.2000 | ||
| Rajasthan−4 | PHWR | 202 MW | 220 MW | 01.10.1990 – 17.11.2000 | 23.12.2000 | ||
| Rajasthan−5 | PHWR | 202 MW | 220 MW | 18.09.2002 – | 24.11.2009 [7] | 04.02.2010 [1] | |
| Rajasthan−6 | PHWR | 202 MW | 220 MW | 20.01.2003 – | 31.03.2010 [1] | ||
| Rajasthan−7 | PHWR | 630 MW | 700 MW | 18.07.2011 [8] | |||
| Rajasthan−8 | PHWR | 630 MW | 700 MW | Dec.2011 |
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS)". Plants Under Operation. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- ↑ UN's nuclear watchdog: Rajasthan reactors are among world's safest. NDTV.com (2012-11-15). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
- ↑ "India begins construction of 25th nuclear plant". The Hindu. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- ↑ "Construction starts on new Rajasthan units". World Nuclear News. World Nuclear Association (WNA). 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- ↑ Meteorite fall in Rajasthan village The Hindu, 2006-09-06.
- ↑ Radiation scare in Rajasthan, workers exposed. NDTV.com (2012-06-30). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
- ↑ "RAPS' fifth nuclear reactor attains criticality". The Hindu. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
- ↑ "Construction of RAPP-7&8 Begins – First Pour of Concrete Achieved" (PDF) (Press release). NPCIL. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
External links
- Juggernaut, a 1968 Canadian documentary on the delivery of the plant's calandria.