Sunday, Mar 06, 2005
Tarapur fourth reactor to generate power from today
By T.S. Subramanian
MUMBAI, MARCH 5. The fourth reactor of the Tarapur Atomic Power Project (TAPP) will start generating electricity from tomorrow. In nuclear parlance, the reactor will reach "criticality" then. TAPP-4 will generate 540 MWe. The massive reactor has already crossed several milestones on its way to the generation of electricity. These include loading of the natural uranium fuel bundles into the core of the reactor and filling it with 500 tonnes of heavy water.
TAPP-4 is the largest reactor indigenously designed and built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). TAPP-3, also of 540 MWe capacity, is under construction. It will start generating electricity before the end of 2005. These two reactors belong to a family of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR), which use natural uranium as fuel, and heavy water as both moderator and coolant. Twelve other PHWRs, generating power in different parts of India, have a capacity ranging from 100 MWe to 220 MWe. These were built by the NPCIL.
S.K. Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, NPCIL, said TAPP-4 had "world-class design.'' "TAPP-3 and 4 are the first of its kind of reactors, totally designed and developed in India by the NPCIL and the various constituent units of the DAE (Department of Atomic Energy). We have successfully done the entire concept, design, manufacturing technology and fabrication of the equipment. The unit has been built in less than five years. It is definitely a significant achievement the country can be proud of."
V.C. Agrawal, Project Director, TAPP-3 and 4, said on March 1: "We have completed the addition of the bulk heavy water [into the reactor]. Step by step, procedures are being followed and we are doing our job. Tests are being done and results are being reviewed."
According to D.K. Goyal, Station Director, TAPP-3 and 4, additional safety systems for shutting down the reactor in case of emergency, have been incorporated into TAPP-4.
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