Karandikars & Associates

28th September 2024

1. On the evening of September 19, 2024, at 9:42 PM, the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project's Unit-7 (RAPP-7), one of the country’s largest nuclear reactors, reached a very importnat milestone known as criticality. This moment marks the beginning of controlled fission, the very process that fuels the generation of nuclear energy
2. At its core, this event highlights India’s growing capability in building and operating its own nuclear reactors, paving the way for a future powered by homegrown technology
3. Criticality in a nuclear reactor marks the moment when a steady and controlled chain reaction of nuclear fission begins. This means the reactor reaches a balance where the neutrons created by the fission process match the number lost, either through absorption or escape. At this point, the reactor can maintain a stable power output
4. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), India’s nuclear safety regulator, had earalier granted permission to initiate a controlled nuclear fission reaction in the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP) Unit-7 on September 10, 2024. The AERB's authorization covered the addition of heavy water to the reactor’s moderator system and the initiation of the First Approach to Criticality, which involves controlled nuclear fission. It also included the conduct of low power physics experiments. This decision was made after comprehensive assessments of the reactor’s design, construction, and operational preparedness
5. Reaching criticality is a key step in the life of the reactor, as it signals the shift from building the reactor to running it. Once criticality is achieved, the reactor starts producing heat, which is later turned into electricity. Managing this process with care is crucial, as it ensures the reactor runs safely within its designed limits
6. RAPP-7, located in Rawatbhata, Rajasthan, is a 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). It is the third in a series of sixteen reactors being built in India, showing the country's growing skill in nuclear power. The project is owned and run by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), and plays a key part in ensuring India’s energy needs are met
7. Following the success of similar units at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station in Gujarat, RAPP-7 builds on the proven strength of India’s homegrown nuclear technology. This project, alongside RAPP-8, which will begin operating next year, has a total planned power capacity of 1400 MW. Together with the six other units already running at Rawatbhata, these reactors add significant power to the grid
8. NPCIL currently operates 24 reactors across 7 power plants with a total capacity of 8,180 MW. In addition to RAPP-7, eight more reactors are being built, adding another 6,800 MW of power in the near future. Looking further ahead, ten more reactors are in the early planning stages, with a goal to complete them by 2031-32, further boosting India’s energy supply

Read:

1. KAPS-4 achieves Full Power Operation (21st August 2024)
2. KAPS-4 Achieves First Criticality (18th December 2023)
3. KAPP-3 Attains Criticality (23rd July 2020)