Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant
The Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant is located in Kalpakkam in Kanchipuram District of TamilNadu. This Power Plant is at a distance of 70Km from the metropolitan city Chennai. Then the Kalpakkam Atomic Reprocessing Plant(KARP) is one among the main three fuels reprocessing features in India.
History of Power Plant
In March 1996, the Plant started to cold commission or was operated without the fuel used. Later, this was started with the spent fuel by the year’s end. The fuel spent is being reprocessed from the two pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) in the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) and the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR).
In the late 1990s, the KARP was demanded to face the Plutonium needs for the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor(PFBR) that had been under the development.
Capacity of the Power Generation
The Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant contains the two units of generation capacity of 220MW each.
Technology
There is a small nuclear reactor, that was built by India in Kalpakkam known as the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR). This can produce electricity using the fast breeder route. As per the Director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research(IGCAR), the fast breeder reactors are more secure than the nuclear plant generation.
How electricity produced?
In the Nuclear Power plant, water from the condenser, is poured into the steam generators in case of Pressurized water reactor. The nuclear reaction causes to heat the fuel, then this fuel heats the water and convert that into steam. This steam rotates the turbine, which in turn operates the Generator. Thus the electrical energy is generated by Generator.
Cost
The total cost of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor(PFBR) of the Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant was Rs.5677 crores. This was extra amount of 62percent above the estimated cost of Rs.3500 crores.
Environmental Management System in NPCIL
The NPCIL had taken initiative to promote and put in action the Environmental Management System (EMS) and the Safety Management System with the necessary standards in all its stations. These procedures are put into action in all the NPCIL operating stations and they had got the certificate from the necessary agencies. Then the performance of all these is watched by the NPCIL H.Q frequently.
Transport facilities You can reach this Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant through the Bus. There are buses available from many parts of Tamil Nadu to reach this place. The buses are available from Chennai to reach Kalpakkam. This site is at a distance of 90Km from Puducherry. No trains are available to reach Kalpakkam. If you are a traveler through the flight, then reach the Chennai Airport. From there, choose a road transport to reach this Nuclear Power Plant.
Location: Kalpakkam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.