India’s atomic power major Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) will soon connect its second 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) to the grid, an official said on Wednesday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Gujarat on Thursday to dedicate to the nation the two 700 MW PHWRs at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS).
While the KAPS-3 has been synchronised with the grid, KAPS-4 will also be connected to the grid soon, an official told IANS on condition of anonymity.
With that, both the 700 MW PHWRs will supply power to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Starting commercial operations in July last year, the country’s first 700 MW PHWR (KAPS-3) generated 3,182 million units till January 2024 and is working at a capacity factor of 88 per cent, NPCIL said.
Prime Minister Modi will dedicate to the nation the two units that have been built at an outlay of over Rs.22,500 crore are part of the NPCIL's indigenously-designed and built 16 PHWRs being set up in the country.
Two more 700 MW PHWRs are coming up at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) in addition to the existing four units of 220 MW, one of 200 MW, and another of 100 MW units.
At present, the NPCIL operates 23 reactors with a total capacity of 7,480 MW, and eight units with a capacity of 6,800 MW are under construction.
In addition, 10 more reactors with a total capacity of 7,000 MW are in a pre-project stage. These are expected to be completed progressively by 2031-32, the NPCIL had said.
The 10 reactors are: Rajasthan Atomic Power Project Unit 7 and 8 (2x700 MW, PHWRs), Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) Unit 3 and 4 (2x1000 MW, Light Water Reactors) and KKNPP Unit 5 and 6 (2 x 1000 MW, Light Water Reactors) and Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana Unit 1 and 2 (2x700 MW PHWRs).
Operation Sindoor: PM Modi meets Rajnath Singh, NSA Doval and three service chiefs
In the backdrop of the ongoing ‘Operation Sindoor’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and Chiefs of the Armed Forces and senior officials.
11 more Bangladeshi nationals held in Tripura
The Tripura Frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF), jointly with state police, on Friday apprehended 11 more Bangladeshi nationals, including four women and four children, officials said.
Railway Protection Force tightens security in NFR zone
In response to escalating security challenges across the country, Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has significantly strengthened its security protocols at stations, trains and railway premises, an official said on Friday.
India opposes IMF lifeline for Pakistan due to terror financing risk
India strongly opposed further financial assistance from the IMF to Pakistan at the executive board meeting held on Friday, expressing serious concerns over Islamabad’s track record and the fact that the bailouts were enabling the cash-strapped country to sponsor cross-border terrorism.
Sirens echo across Jammu as 'blasts' trigger blackout; CM Omar Abdullah posts urgent advisory on social media
Jammu city plunged into darkness late Friday evening after a series of blasts were heard across the region, prompting authorities to sound emergency alarms and urge citizens to stay indoors.
Enough rice, wheat, sugar, oil and pulses stock, no need to panic: Pralhad Joshi
The government on Friday reiterated that there is no shortage of essential commodities in the country, and citizens are advised not to panic or rush to the markets to purchase food grains.
Indian carriers cancel flights to 24 airports till May 15 as tensions flare up
Indian carriers on Friday announced that flights to 24 airports had been cancelled till May 15, following a notification from aviation authorities on the continued closure of multiple airports in the country.
New low even for Pakistan: India hits out at Islamabad for targetting religious places
As Pakistani troops continued resorting to heavy mortar shelling on the Indian side along the Line of Control (LoC), India on Friday slammed the rogue nation for specifically targetting religious places labelling it as a "new low even for Pakistan".