M A I N   N E W S

Tarapur plant goes critical
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, May 21
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited’s Tarapur Atomic Power Plant (TAPP-3), which was dogged by delays, finally went critical this morning. The plant, which would produce 540 MW of power, would be connected to the western power grid in June, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCL), Mr S.K. Jain said.

He added that the plant would begin commercial generation of electricity from July. Power from the plant would be priced at Rs 2.65.

Most of the power generated by TAPP-3 would be allotted to Maharashtra which is facing a power shortage of more than 4000 MW this summer.

TAPP-3 and TAPP-4 are the only big nuclear power plants in the country which can generate 540 MW of power .

The next generation of nuclear power plants, being designed by the NPCIL, will have a capacity of 700 MW. Four such plants are coming up in Kakrapur, Gujarat and Rawatbhata, Rajasthan. The TAPP-4 nuclear plant was commissioned in March last year and began commercial production in September 2005.

According to Mr Jain, the NPCIL achieved savings of more than Rs 400 crore in constructing both plants. The company had spent just Rs 6,100 crore as against the sanctioned budget of Rs 6525 crore.