The Hindu Business Line : `Indian N-reactors set new global benchmark'

INDIAN nuclear reactors have set a new international benchmark by achieving an average capacity factor (CF) of 89 per cent during January-December 2002; beating in the process the best rated American reactors by a clear margin of at least one percentage point.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr S.A. Bohra, Senior Executive Director (Technical), Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), said even the Canadian reactors, which are more or less similar to Indian design, could manage a CF of only 84 to 85 per cent. It is expected that India would be able to touch a CF of 90 per cent by the end of the current financial year.

Earlier in September last, Kakrapar-1 was declared the best performing pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) among the 32 such types of reactors operating across the world. According to the latest (January) issue of COGnizant, the monthly magazine published by CANDU Owners Group (COG), KAPS-1 moved into first place on the basis of a Gross Capacity Factor (GCF) of 98.4 per cent during the preceding 12 months. The average of all the PHWR units world-over for the period was 83.3 per cent.

According to Mr Bohra, the dream performance of Indian reactors was made possible by the meticulous planning that had gone into effecting the shutdowns, among other things. Asked if NPCIL has fixed a target for the new current financial year, he said the corporation has been able to log an incremental five per cent every year during the last four or five years. "For instance, last year the target was 82 per cent but we ended up doing 85 per cent. This year, it was 85 per cent, which we have easily managed to exceed. We expect to continue with the trend during the next year, too."

According to him, a CF of 82/83 per cent is itself tough and whatever achieved over this is a bonus. Explaining the methodology, he said CF would take into account shutdowns, forced outages, equipment failures and other contingencies.

India has also the distinction of having largest number of nuclear power reactors presently under construction in the world. The country leads the tally with eight units under construction followed by China with six. In all, 35 nuclear power units are under construction in the world.

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