Installed N-power capacity grew by 40% in 7 yrs, prototype fast breeder reactor to be completed by Oct 2022: Minister

NEW DELHI: The country’s installed nuclear power capacity grew from 4,780 MW to 6,780 MW — an increase of over 40% — in the past seven years, the Centre told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
In reply to a question raised in the House, Union atomic energy minister Jitendra Singh said India is pursuing an indigenous three-stage nuclear power programme to provide the country with long-term energy security in a sustainable manner.In addition, light water reactors based on foreign cooperation are also being set up as additional facilities to provide clean electricity.
In a separate question on nuclear power augmentation, the minister informed that Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant’s (KKNPP’s) 3 & 4 (2X1000 MW) project units implemented by public sector undertaking Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has achieved a physical progress of 54.96% as of November this year.
He said the KKNPP 3 & 4 units are expected to be completed by March 2023 and November 2023, respectively. The fast reactor fuel cycle facility (FRFCF) project is currently being executed by the Nuclear Recycle Board, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Department of Atomic Energy. The progress of the project as on November 30 is 32% and it is expected to be completed by December 2027.
The minister also informed the House that the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) being built by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) at Kalpakkam is under integrated commissioning stage. “The project was originally sanctioned in 2003 and expected completion was by September 2010. According to the latest approval, the revised completion target for the project is October 2022,” Jitendra Singh said.
He said the government has allocated Rs 250 crore for the pre-project activities of FBR-1 & 2 to be built at Kalpakkam. Detailed design and analyses of FBR-1 & 2 are under progress at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), taking into consideration the commissioning and operational feedback of PFBR.