India Plans To Establish 20 Units Of PHWR Reactors

Published: 04-Aug-2009

By: Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

Anil Kakodkar, chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, said that India is planning to establish 20 units of indigenous 700 megawatt (MW) of pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) type reactors and the government has already permitted for four such units. Already, the country has developed 220 MW and 540 MW PHWR type nuclear reactors which are operating successfully.

Kakodkar said, since the availability of uranium in India could supply upto 10,000 MW of power, the 700 MW PHWR are part of the evolutionary development of indigenous design.

Kakodkar said "it is possible to have 20 units of 700 MW plants which can run with indigenous natural uranium as well as imported low enriched uranium."

The designs of all these plant are export models and India has the euipment supply chain for this kind of reactors in place. Various countries have already evinced interest to buy PHWRs from India.