NAPS-1 resumes opration after safety upgradation

Mumbai, Dec 3 (UNI) The 220 MWe nuclear power unit-1 at Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS-1) resumed operation after its enmass coolant channel replacement (EMCCR) and safty upgradation.

NAPS-1 acheived criticality last night at 2110 hrs, which signifies the start of self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction in the reactor core. It will shortly be syncronised with the grid in the next few days after completion of mandatory statutory tests, according to official sources.

The unit got operational after two years, which was under upgradation since November 2005 as the coolant arrangement needs to be replaced after every 10 effective fuel power years of operation due to safty reasons, an official of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) told UNI.

The coolant channels at Pressurised Heavy Water based reactor NAPS-1 has been replaced by a new improved alloy of zirconium and niobium metal, he added.

Coolant channels are the key components of the nuclear reactor and are used to raise steam for generating electricity. In the earlier designs, it was made up of only zircoloy -- an alloy of zirconium.

NAPS, comprising two units of 220 MWe, was the first standardised PHWR of the country, where several design modifications were incorporated. NAPS-1 achieved its first criticality and was synchronised with grid in 1989 and has generated more than 18,000 MUs.

UNI