INDIA’S NUCLEAR PERFORMANCE SURPASSES PREVIOUS RECORDS
The performance of
India’s nuclear power plants is all set to achieve a new record.
The average capacity factor of the operating plants has already
reached the level of 89 percent upto the end of December last,
surpassing last financial year’s record of 85 percent capacity
utilisation. The capacity utilisation is expected to reach or
cross 90 percent by the time the current financial year closes
in March.
The Unit 1 of Tarapore,
Unit 4 of Rajasthan, Unit 2 of Narora and both units of Kakrapar
as well as Kaiga achieved a capacity factor of more than 90 percent
during the period ending December, 2002. The gross generation
of nuclear power during the period was 18 percent higher than
the target of the period.
Meanwhile, Kakrapar-1
has achieved the distinction of world’s best performing Pressurised
Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). 32 such PHWRs are currently under
operation across the world. Kakrapar-1 made to the first place
last September itself on the basis of its gross capacity utilisation
factor of 98.4 percent in the preceding 12 months period. Rajasthan’s
Unit-4 secured the 5th place among the PHWRs with a
capacity factor of 95 percent. The average of all PHWR units the
world over for the period was only 83.3 percent.
