Rajasthan Nuclear Power Plant

The Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPPS) is a nuclear power project built in the Rawatbhata in the northwestern part of Rajasthan, India. The site covers about a million acres and is constructed by the Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd (NPCIL), a state-owned enterprise. The plant is expected to supply power to the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) is designed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India, which uses the latest technology. According to Rawatbhata news, this plant is an upgraded design of the 540 MW PHWR, operating at the Nuclear Power Plant of Tarapur in India since 2005.

Rajasthan Nuclear Power Plant

Located in the northwestern part of the Indian state of Rajasthan, the Rajasthan nuclear power plant (RAPPS) is a nuclear power project being constructed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), a state-owned enterprise. The NPCIL, a government-owned corporation, constructed it. The first unit of the Rajasthan nuclear power plant is expected to supply power to the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The plant will have six reactors, and these reactors have a total capacity of 1180 MW.

NPCIL, which owns and operates this plant, is building two new nuclear reactors to increase the plant’s capacity.

The joint agreement was signed in November 2010 between the NPCIL and the IOC ( Indian oil corporation) to sell its equity interest, which is 26% to 49%, in the IOC project.

The seven reactors have a capacity of 700 MW; the eighth reactor is expected to have a capacity of 700 MW.

This will surely increase the plant capacity by 1400 MW, and out of this capacity, 700 MW will be allotted to the government of Rajasthan.

History of Rajasthan Nuclear Power Plant 

• In December 1973, the first reactor came into effect with an installed capacity of 100 MW.

• In April 1981, the second reactor, having a capacity of 200 MW, was installed.

• The two reactors 3 and 4 were installed, having a capacity of 220 MW. In 2000, both reactors started commercial operations.

• Reactor number five was also installed with the same capacity of 220 MW and started its first commercial operations in Feb 2010.

• In March 2010, the sixth reactor started its first commercial operation with a capacity of 220 MW.

Technology Introduced into the RNPP

NPCIL designed the new technology of 700 MW PHWR using the latest technology, known as state-of-the-art. NPCIL upgraded the 540 MW PHWR version. The advanced safety features have been added to the new reactor, which does not need any intervention from humans or machines to ensure security. 

It works on natural convection and gravity principles, ensuring safety under any operational state.

These reactors have two diverse and independent shut down systems. One is used for passive decay heat removal, which has an excellent capability of cooling the reactor’s core even when there is a complete power cut.

The other system can hold the entire radioactivity within the core of the reactor in case of an accident.

Development of Two Units, 7 and 8

In October 2009, the Government of India approved both the RAPP Units, 7 and 8. In August 2010, the work of excavation for both units started. In May 2010, the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) signed the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract. The total cost of this contract was around $1.85m. Moreover, the company was involved in making previous units.

The plant’s present capacity will be increased by 1400 MW by adding these two PHWR reactors.

Rawatbhata news suggests that this contract includes construction for various things like ventilation stack, room for stack monitoring, heavy water upgrading plant, and other associated buildings.

NPCIL has chosen the Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL) as the technology partner in a Mou, which stands for memorandum of understanding, signed in December 2010. This agreement was made because ECIL is one of India’s most reputable and experienced companies in nuclear technology.

Conclusion

The RAPPS is a nuclear power project built in the Rawatbhata in the northwestern part of Rajasthan, India. The NPCIL, a government-owned corporation, constructed it. The plant has eight reactors, with a total installed capacity of 1180 MW. This will increase the capacity of the plant by 1400 MW. NPCIL designed the new technology of 700 MW PHWR and upgraded the 540 MW PHWR version. The advanced safety features have been added to the new reactor, wherein the reactor does not need any intervention from humans or machines to ensure security.