The construction of two 700 MW nuclear power units at Kaiga in north Karnataka is likely to start next year with the Department of Atomic Energy officials informing the lawmakers that Kaiga 5 and 6 may witness the ‘first pour of concrete’ in 2023.
The two new units at Kaiga would mark the beginning of construction in ten 700 MW nuclear power units that were approved by the Union Cabinet in 2017 in a fleet mode.
Kaiga would be followed by first pour of concrete at Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana Units – 3 and 4 at Gorakhpur in Haryana and four such units at Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan in 2024 followed by two units at Chutka in Madhya Pradesh in 2025. All are 700 MW units – the biggest home made nuclear reactors.
Construction of ten reactors in fleet mode at a cost of Rs 1,05,000 crore was approved by the Union government in June 2017. The purpose of the fleet mode clearance was to carry out parallel pre-project activities so that construction can start at once as soon as all the ground work is completed at any of the sites.
In its report tabled in the Parliament earlier this week, the Standing Committee on Science and Technology said moving of reactors from ‘pre-project stage’ (including excavation) to ‘under construction stage’ is marked by placement of first pour of concrete (FPC) and based on the present status of projects, the FPC of Kaiga 5 and 6 would be expected in 2023.
While the land is available at Kaiga, the environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change as well as wild life clearances have been obtained. The site consent from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has also come and excavation consent is at an advanced stage of review at AERB.
India presently has 22 nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 6,780 MW in operation. One reactor, a 700 MW unit at Kakrapar near Surat was connected to the grid on January 10, 2021. But even after one year, the unit is not generating commercial electricity.
Officials at Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited didn’t respond to DH queries on why KAPP-3 wasn’t producing commercial electricity. Department of Atomic Energy Secretary K N Vyas in January said that the data from KAPP-3 was under AERB review.
The NPCIL officials also didn’t answer questions on why the construction of Rs 20,594 crore GHAVP 1 and 2 – the first two 700 MW units at Haryana – remained stalled.
All the ten nuclear reactors are to be completed by 2031.