Fuel loading begins at nuclear reactor in west of country as country aims for major capacity increase
Fuel loading has begun at the Kakrapar-4 nuclear power plant in Gujarat state, western India, with New Delhi saying the landmark paves the way for the “early completion” of 14 more identical units.
India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board said it had given permission for fuel loading to begin based on the outcome of a requisite safety review.
The identical Kakrapar-3 began commercial operation earlier this year, having reached initial criticality in mid-2020. Construction of both Kakrapar-3 and Kakrapar-4 began in November 2010.
Kakrapar-3 was the first-of-its-kind indigenous 630 MW net (700 MW gross) pressurised heavy water reactor unit (PHWR) designed in India.
According to International Atomic Energy Agency data, India, which relies on coal for about 48% of its energy generation, has 19 nuclear power plants in commercial operation and eight under construction – one at Kakrapar, four at Kudankulam, two at Rajasthan and a prototype fast breeder reactor at the Madras nuclear site. Operational plants provide about 3.1% of the country’s electricity generation.
The government has said India’s nuclear capacity is expected to reach 22,480 MW by 2031, up from today’s figure of about 6,885 MW (net) or 7,480 (gross).
The government did not say if its projected 22,480 MW figure was net or gross, but either way it represents a significant threefold increase.
In a statement state nuclear company Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd said 14 more indigenous PHWR units would be built, but did not name them.
In December the government confirmed plans to build at least 10 more nuclear power plants.
The 10 plants are Kaiga-5 and Kaiga-6 in Karnataka state, Mahi Banswara 1-4 in Rajasthan state Gorakhpur-3 and -4 in Haryana state, and Chutka-1 and -2 in Madhya Pradesh state.
Earlier this year, France and India said they had made progress on a longstanding initiative to build six EPR nuclear power plants at Jaitapur in the Maharashtra region of western India.
Both countries agreed to work on establishing a partnership on small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors.
In April 2021, France’s state-owned power company EDF said it had made a binding offer to build six 1,600-MW EPR units at the Jaitapur site.
