Construction of nuclear power plant begins in Gujarat

MUMBAI: Construction of a state-of-the-art indigenously designed nuclear power plant unit began on Monday in Gujarat, an official said here.

The first pour of concrete, signifying the zero date (the official start of construction) was achieved at the Kakrapar 3 and 4 atomic power plant, near Surat.

Both the reactors have been designed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).

They will be India's first pair of indigenously designed 700 megawatt (MW) pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR), the official said. The same technology has been used since 2005 in the company's 540 MW Tarapur plant, near Mumbai.

Preparations for the Gujarat project started in January this year, after which excavation work was carried out in a record time of four months.

NPCIL has launched four such reactors - two each at Kakrapar, Gujarat and Rawatbhata, Rajasthan in January and August this year. Commercial operations are expected to commence by 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Presently, NPCIL operates 19 nuclear power reactors, with a total installed capacity of 4560 MW.

These four reactors would help NPCIL generate up to 9580 MW of electricity by 2016, the official added. 
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