The Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant

A nuclear power plant uses nuclear energy to generate electricity. Nuclear energy is produced by special nuclear reactors, which are usually large complexes of equipment in which nuclear reactions take place. The basic idea behind a nuclear reactor is that certain unstable atomic nuclei, such as those found in uranium, can be forced to split (fission) when they are bombarded by large numbers of neutrons. This releases a huge amount of energy, and some of the products of the reaction, such as plutonium, are very useful as energy sources. Also known as the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), it is a nuclear power plant located in Maharashtra, India.

Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant

The Tarapur Atomic Power Station is the first-ever nuclear power plant launched by the government of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Its construction began in 1961 and was commissioned in 1969. It completed 50 years of operation in 2019. It is located in Tarapur, a suburb of Pune, Maharashtra. The station has four pressurised heavy water reactor units with a total capacity of 1,100 MW. Tarapur Nuclear Power Station is owned by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, a joint venture company between the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India. It is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India. 

This particular plant has four reactors and four units. The reactors in Unit 1 and Unit 2 are BWR-1, and in Unit 3 and Unit 4, they are PHWR-540. The reactor supply for Unit 1 and Unit 2 is GE, and for Unit 3 and Unit 4, it is NPCIL. The source of coolant for the Tarapur power plant is the Arabian Sea. An intake channel is used to draw water from the sea, and an outfall channel is used to discharge back the warm water from the condensers into the sea. These channels were made in a way to avoid recirculation of warm water when both the units are operating at their full capacities. The power generation in Unit 1 and Unit 2 is 2×160 MW, and in Unit 3 and Unit 4, it is 2×540 MW. The net nameplate capacity is 1280 MW. After the KudanKulam Nuclear Power Plant, the Tarapur Atomic Power Station is the second most powerful power plant in the country.

History of Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant

In 1963, inbuilt with two boiling water reactors, Tarapur Atomic Power Station was constructed by GE and Bechtel for the department of Atomic Energy. Unit 1 and Unit 2 were brought into operation in 1969, providing an initial power of 210 MW. Technical issues led to a decrease in power by 50MW. BHEL, L&T, and Gammon India constructed Unit 3 and Unit 4, which provided a power of 540 MW. They were brought into operation by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India in the year 2006 and 2005 respectively .. France, China, and Russia delivered nuclear fuel for TAPS under the safeguards of the IAEA.

Incidents Related to Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant

The chimney of the plant was damaged by a blast that occurred during the maintenance of the power plant (Tarapur-1). In January 2020, the power generation ability of Tarapur-2 was switched down completely to avoid any potential issues. 

Collaboration

This power plant was constructed in a collaboration between New Delhi and Russia The contract was signed between them in 1964. The reactors used were sent by the US conglomerate General Electric. The commercial operations began in 1969, after 5 years of the agreement. 

Boiling Water Reactors

The first two units of Tarapur Atomic Power Station use Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs). BWRs are the units that make use of water for power generation. Water behaves as a coolant and a moderator. The steam produced in the plant is rich in Uranium oxide. These reactors boil water, converting them into steam, and the condensers convert them back into water, which is then used in the process of heat generation.

Economic Contribution of Tarapur Atomic Power Station

Built in the 1960s, Tarapur Atomic Power Station is one of the oldest operating nuclear power plants in the world. It produces around one-fifth of the country’s power, and the site is a major source of employment in nearby towns. The station is currently slated to be decommissioned in the next decade. The government is exploring a number of options for its long-term energy needs, including a large-scale solar power plant, a coal-based nuclear power plant, and a gas-based power plant.

Conclusion

Starting operations in 1969, Tarapur Atomic Power Station was the first nuclear plant along the western coast of India. It is located in Tarapur in the state of Maharashtra. It is one of the oldest and the most powerful nuclear power plants in India. The first two units consist of BWRs, and the other two units consist of PHWR. According to the agreement signed between New Delhi and the USA, the reactors of this power plant were supplied by the US. The initial power rating of the Tarapur power plant was 210 MW, which was reduced to 160 MW due to the frequent reports of tube leakages. Water obtained from the Arabian Sea is used as a coolant for Tarapur Atomic Power Station.