KAKRAPAR ATOMIC
POWER STATION SETS NEW RECORD
The Kakrapar Atomic
Power Station (KAPS) near Surat in Gujarat has set a new record
by achieving the highest ever capacity factor of 97.8 percent
during the calendar year 2001 among the nuclear plants under operation
in India. This is well comparable with the performance of the
world’s best nuclear reactors. During the fiscal 2001-02 it was
96.2 percent, still retaining the highest capacity factor. The
unit-2 of the project also set another record of continuous operation
for 219 days without any trip among the pressurised heavy water
reactors in the country.
The overall capacity
factor of Indian nuclear power plants has been improving year
after year. The capacity factor of 82.5 percent during 2000-01
increased to 85 percent in the fiscal 2001-02. Some of the plants
operated at excellent level of plant-load factors, particularly,
unit 2 of Tarapore 94 percent and unit 2 of Narora 92 percent.
The total electricity generation during 2001-02 overshot the target
by 24 percent.
The two units of
Kakrapar, each 220 MW have the provision of "islanding", i.e.
during highly disturbed grid conditions, the plant gets isolated.
The islanding scheme has also been completed at the power plants
in Rajasthan and at Narora.
