2. INTRODUCTION
NUCLEAR POWER IS THE FOURTH-LARGEST SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY IN INDIA AFTER THERMAL,
HYDROELECTRIC AND RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY. AS OF 2012, INDIA HAS 20 NUCLEAR
REACTORS IN OPERATION IN SIX NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, HAVING AN INSTALLED CAPACITY OF 4780 MW
AND PRODUCING A TOTAL OF 29,664.75 GWH OF ELECTRICITY WHILE SEVEN OTHER REACTORS ARE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION AND ARE EXPECTED TO GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL 6,100 MW.
3. ADVANTAGES OF NPP
โข IN NPP THE AMOUNT OF FUEL REQUIRED IS VERY LESS COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL THERMAL POWER
PLANT.
โข NUCLEAR POWER IS CLEAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY.
โข TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF THE FUEL IS EASIER.
โข OPERATIONAL COST OF NUCLEAR PLANT IS CHEAPER
4. DISADVANTAGES OF NPP
โข IN NUCLEAR PLANTS SAFETY IS PRIMARY CONCERN RATHER PRODUCING ELECTRICITY. THERE IS
SIGNIFICANT RISK OF LEAKAGE OF RADIATION IN CASE OF ANY ACCIDENT.
โข THE PLANT SHOULD BE NEAR TO SEA OR RIVER.
โข DURING SHUTDOWN OF THE REACTOR, DECAY HEAT IS STILL PRODUCED FROM THE REACTOR DUE TO
FISSION DAUGHTER PRODUCTS.
โข IT REQUIRES LARGE AREA AROUND THE PLANT TO BE ISOLATED FROM LIVING (ALMOST 5 KMS RADIUS).
5. NUCLEAR FUEL RESERVES
โข INDIA'S DOMESTIC URANIUM RESERVES ARE SMALL AND THE COUNTRY IS DEPENDENT ON URANIUM
IMPORTS TO FUEL ITS NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY. SINCE EARLY 1990S, RUSSIA HAS BEEN A MAJOR
SUPPLIER OF NUCLEAR FUEL TO INDIA.
โข LARGE DEPOSITS OF NATURAL URANIUM, WHICH PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE TOP 20 OF THE WORLD'S
RESERVES, HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THETUMMALAPALLE BELT IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE KADAPA
BASIN IN ANDHRA PRADESH IN MARCH 2011.
6. โข RUSSIA HAS AN ONGOING AGREEMENT OF 1988 VINTAGE WITH INDIA REGARDING ESTABLISHING OF TWO
VVER 1000 MW REACTORS AT KOODANKULAM IN TAMIL NADU.
โข INDIA AND MONGOLIA SIGNED A CRUCIAL CIVIL NUCLEAR AGREEMENT ON 15 JUNE 2009 FOR SUPPLY OF
URANIUM TO INDIA.
โข CANADA IS ONE OF THE WORLDโS LARGEST URANIUM EXPORTERS. ON 6 NOVEMBER 2012, INDIA
FINALIZED THEIR 2010 NUCLEAR EXPORT AGREEMENT, OPENING THE WAY FOR CANADA TO BEGIN
URANIUM EXPORTS TO INDIA.
9. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER
STATION
OPERATOR STATE TYPE UNITS TOTAL
CAPACITY(MW
)
KAIGA NPCIL KARNATAKA PHWR 220ร4 880
KAKRAPUR NPCIL GUJARAT PHWR 220ร2 440
KALPAKKUM NPCIL TAMIL NADU PHWR 220ร2 440
NARORA NPCIL UTTAR PRADESH PHWR 220ร2 440
RAWATBHATA NPCIL RAJASTHAN PHWR 100ร1
200ร1
220ร4
1180
TARAPUR NPCIL MAHARASHTRA BWR 160 x 2
540 x 2
1400
KUDANKULAM NPCIL TAMIL NADU VVER 1000 x 1 1000
TOTAL 21 5780
10. โข THE PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE:
POWER
STATION
OPERATOR STATE UNITS TOTAL
CAPACITY(M
W)
KALPAKKUM BHAVINI TAMIL NADU 500ร1 500
KAKRAPUR NPCIL GUJARAT 700ร2 1400
RAWATBHATA NPCIL RAJASTHAN 700ร2 1400
KUDANKULAM NPCIL TAMIL NADU 1000ร1 1000
TOTAL 6 4300