The Hindu Business Line : NPCIL's first 540 MW generation unit ready

Dr Anil Kakodkar (left), Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, with Mr S.K. Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd, addressing a press conference at Tarapur on Sunday. - Vivek Bendre

Tarapur , March 6

NUCLEAR Power Corporation of India's (NPCIL) first-ever 540 MW power generation unit is now ready.

The Tarapur Atomic Power Project's (TAPP) Unit 4 is expected to begin producing power in May.

Dr Anil Kakodkar, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, announced on Sunday that the nuclear power plant had "achieved criticality", which means that the project had sustained the chain reaction of uranium fission.

The project has been completed seven months ahead of schedule and is expected to sell power at less than Rs 2.65 a unit, compared to the estimated Rs 3.50 a unit when the project was first conceived in the late 80s.

It cost Rs 6,000 crore against the expected Rs 6,500 crore when it was revived five years ago.

The TAPP-4 540 MW power unit is the single largest power unit in the country of any kind, Dr Kakodkar told newspersons.

TAPP Units 3 and 4 were built when the country was suffering "draconian trade and nuclear embargoes", said Mr S.K. Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of NPCIL.

"The Prime Minister has conveyed his congratulations to the nuclear scientists. I think sanctions have actually hastened the indigenisation programme. The fact that the designs are entirely our own and we are no longer dependent on outside support for our programmes is a matter of great pride," said Mr M.K. Narayanan, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister.

The company, which has so far constructed only 220 MW units, plans to upgrade the design of the 540 MW plant to set up nuclear power projects of 700 MW and 1,000 MW according to its 10th five-year plan target.

The TAPP 4 will sell 39 per cent of its power to Maharashtra, 19 per cent to Gujarat, 17 per cent to Madhya Pradesh, and the rest to Goa, Daman and Diu, said NPCIL officials. The TAPP unit 3 is expected to be completed by the next financial year. Dr M.R. Srinivasan, former Chairman and current member of Atomic Energy Commission, Mr S.L. Katti, former Managing Director, NPCIL and originator of the 540 MW design and project, and Dr Srikumar Banerjee, Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, were present on the occasion.

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