40 years of Tarapur Atomic Power Station commemorated

Tarapur (Maharashtra), Apr 2 (ANI): Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar hailed 40 successful years of Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) in Maharashtra.

India's first atomic power plant, which turned 40 on April 1, is still going strong running 100 per cent to its capacity.

Addressing mediapersons on the occasion, Anil said that the current Atomic Energy Act envisages a government company to handle the nuclear power generation.

"Now within the ambit of this current Act, I think it is theoretically possible for anybody to join in Power Corporation of India Limited (PCIL). With PCIL holding more than 51 per cent share and this would enable the necessary experience under Indian conditions which I view as very important," said Kakodkar.TAPS was set up in 1963 with two boiling water reactor units of 160 MW each with cooperation of the USA and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), incidentally the first of its kind in Asia.

Later, these were upgraded to 540 MW each with Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), executed by Indian companies.

With a total capacity of 1400 MW, Tarapur is the largest nuclear power station in India.

India's nuclear programme has gained much prominence after it signed a potentially lucrative agreement with the USA on October 10, 2008 that would allow India to buy American civil nuclear technology for the first time in three decades. (ANI)