AERB sanctions Licence to Indigenously-built 700 MW PHWRS for Kakrapar Atomic Power Station
This is country’s first 700 Mwe indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) after concluding the Design and commissioning safety reviews, has granted the Licence for Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) for the operation of Units 3 and 4 of indigenously developed 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors in Gujarat.
This is country’s first 700 Mwe indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors. Although, being the first reactor in country, the licencing process has undergone the hectic process of safety review procedures and assessing the reactor design, covering the whole lifecycle in multiple stages from siting, along with construction to commissioning at the full-power.
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The License was handed by Dr. D. K. Shukla, Chairman, AERB, to Shri B. C. Pathak, Chairman & Managing Director, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), at a brief ceremony held at Niyamak Bhavan, AERB Headquarters, on July 3, 2025.
The event was attended by senior officials from both AERB and NPCIL.
In August 2023, the Phase-C of KAPS-3 reactor was commissioned at full power, followed by KAPS-4 unit in same month in 2024.
Therefore, after plant performance review, the regulatory board has granted the Licence for Operation to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for KAPS 3 and 4 for a period of Five years.
This could be a win-win situation for NPCIL as the 540 Mwe PHWR design is upgraded to 700 Mwe with the first pair of such reactors are operational at Kakrapar. The issuance of 700 Mwe with each in fleet mode is retained by 10 PHWRs. Similarly, Rawatbhata in Rajasthan has began 700 MW reactor commercial operation in March 2025.
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