Daijiworld Media Network - Karwar
Karwar, Oct 25: With continuous operation of 895 days, among pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs), the Kaiga Atomic Power Station (KAPS) has set a new world record on Thursday, October 25.
The continuous operation is a major milestone for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).
The unit which has been operating continuously since 13 May 2016, beat the record held by Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (PNGS) of Canada which operated continuously for 894 days and a few hours.
The Kaiga plant has four units and each generates 220 MW power. The power generated here is supplied to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Apart from KGS-1, Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) Unit 3 has recorded continuous operation of 777 days and RAPS Unit 5 has recorded 765 days. An NPCIL source adds that India's nuclear power plants have demonstrated continuous operations, for long periods exceeding a year, 28 times so far. Such fete has not been not been achieved by US and the UK.
Officials from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board visited the Kaiga unit in September for inspection and gave a green signal for its continuous operation for the next few months.