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The two Tarapur 150 MWe Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) built by GE on
a turnkey contract before the advent of the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty were originally 200 MWe but were derated
due to recurrent problems and have run well since. They have been
using imported enriched uranium and are under IAEA safeguards.
However, late in 2004 Russia deferred to the Nuclear Suppliers'
Group and declined to supply further uranium for them. They
underwent six months refurbishment over 2005-06, and in March 2006
Russia agreed to resume fuel supply. The two small Canadian (Candu)
PHWRs at Rawatbhata started up in 1972 & 1980, and are also
under safeguards. The ten 220 MWe PHWRs (202 MWe net) were
indigenously designed and constructed by NPCIL, based on Canadian
design. The Kalpakkam (MAPS) reactors were refurbished in 2002-03
and 2004-05 and their capacity restored to 220 MWe gross (from 170).
Much of the core of each reactor was replaced, and the lifespans
extended to 2033/36
Russia is supplying the country's first large nuclear
power plant, comprising two VVER-1000 (V-392) reactors, under a
Russian-financed US$ 3 billion contract. The units are being built
by NPCIL and will be commissioned and operated by it under
safeguards. Russia will supply all the enriched fuel, though India
will reprocess it and keep the plutonium. The first unit is due to
be commissioned late in 2007, after some delay. Between 2010
and 2020, construction of four 220 MWe PHWRs, ten 700 MWe PHWRs
three 500 MWe FBRs and up to six 1000 MWe VVERs is projected, giving
about 20,000 MWe then, half from PHWRs. Some 300 MWe AHWR units may
also be built in that time frame. The nuclear capacity target is
part of national energy. policy.
Four sites were approved in 2005 for eight new
reactors. Two of the sites - Kakrapar and Rawatbhata, are to have
700 MWe indigenous PHWR units, another is to have imported 1000 MWe
light water reactors alongside the two being constructed by Russia
at Kudankulam, and the fourth site is greenfield for 1000 MWe LWR
units - Jaitapur in the Konkan region. Acquisition of any further
light water reactors depends upon international political approvals.
Due to NPT, India's nuclear power program proceeds largely
without fuel or technological assistance from other countries (but
see later section). Its power reactors to the mid 1990s had some of
the world's lowest capacity factors, reflecting the technical
difficulties of the country's isolation, but rose impressively from
60% in 1995 to 85% in 2001-02.
India's uranium resources are modest, with 54,000
tonnes U as reasonably assured resources and 23,500 tonnes as
estimated additional resources in situ. India has reserves of
290,000 tonnes of thorium Ð about one quarter of the world total,
and these are intended to fuel its nuclear power program
longer-term. Mining and processing of uranium is carried out
by Uranium Corporation of India, a DAE subsidiary, at Jaduguda and
Bhatin (since 1967), Narwapahar (since 1995) and Turamdih (since
2002) - all in Jharkand. Heavy water is supplied by DAE's Heavy
Water Board, and the seven plants are working at capacity due to the
current building program. Used fuel from the civil PHWRs is
reprocessed by BARC at Trombay, Tarapur and Kalpakkam to extract
reactor-grade plutonium for use in the fast breeder reactors.
Radioactive wastes from the nuclear reactors and reprocessing
plants are treated and stored at each site. Waste immobilization plants are in operation at Tarapur and Trombay and another is being
constructed at Kalpakkam. Research on final disposal of high-level
and long-lived wastes in a geological repository is in progress at
BARC.
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