India's ambitious deadline to generate 20,000 MW nuclear energy by 2020 may be delayed by almost a year, a top official said here Wednesday.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) had planned the launch of around 17,000 MW capacity in the current Five Year Plan period (2012-17) by setting up 10 Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors of 700 MW each and 10 Light Water Reactors of 1000 MW each, based on international co-operation.

"With the progressive completion of these reactors by 2021-22, the nuclear power capacity is expected to reach over 20,000 MW," NPCIL chairman and managing director S.K. Jain said.

The current installed capacity of NPCIL of 4,680 MW will touch 9,580 MW by the end of the current Five Year Plan on progressive completion of the reactors under construction, he said.

On the controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) Unit-1 in Tamil Nadu, he said that the hot run was completed last July (2011) and the unit is now being readied for an early start with the activities related to fuel loading procedures after securing stage-wise regulatory clearances.

The KNPP Unit-2 is closely following the Unit-1, he added.

Similarly, Jain said construction activities at other new projects are progressing as planned.

The first pour of concrete was achieved for the 2x700MW PHWRs at Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant (RAPP-7 and 8) last July, while construction was apace for another similar pair at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP3 and 4), Jain said.

The Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS-Unit 3), the 540 MW PHWR and forerunner of the indigenous 700 MW category, achieved a remarkable feat of continuous operation for 522 days.

By this, Jain said TAPS-Unit 3 has joined the elite fleet of 10 nuclear power reactors in the country which have operated continuously for over one year.

Record n-energy production in 2011-12
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), which operates 19 nuclear power reactors in the country, has notched the highest-ever energy generation of 32,455 MU during the fiscal ending March 31, 2012, a top official said here Wednesday.

This is an increase of 23 percent over the previous high of 26,473 MU in the previous year, NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director S. K. Jain said.

"The year 2011-12 has seen a robust growth for NPCIL. The turnover has increased from Rs.6,000 crore the previous year (2010-11) to Rs.7,500 crore," Jain said.

While the overall average availability factor of the nuclear power plants remained high at 91 percent during the last year, the average capacity factor for nine (out of 19 in operation), using imported Uranium recorded an all-time high at 97 percent, he added.

"The overall average capacity factor for NPCIL reactors stood at 79 percent against the targeted 66 percent," Jain said.

Safety continued to be the top priority at all nuclear power reactors with no untoward incidents while achieving excellent operational performance.

The safety review, post-Fukushima for the existing operating nuclear power reactors and those under construction, found them to be safe from extreme natural events like earthquakes or tsunamis, he said.

"While the safety performance of Indian nuclear power reactors continued to be impeccable over 350 reactor-years of operation, additional safety measures have been implemented to enhance safety to a higher level," Jain noted.

Source: Indo-Asia News Service