Kaiga Atomic Power Station

Kaiga Generating Station is a nuclear power generating station situated at Kaiga, near the river Kali, in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India. The plant has been in operation since March 2000 and is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

Kaiga Generating Station
Country	India
Coordinates	14°51′55.16″N 74°26′22.71″E
Status	Operational
Construction began	1989
Commission date	16 November 2000
Owner	NPCIL
Operator	NPCIL
Nuclear power station
Reactors	6
Reactor type	PHWR
Reactor supplier	NPCIL/BARC
Cooling source	Kadra Dam, Kali River
Thermal capacity	4 × 754 MWth
Power generation
Units operational	4 × 220 MW
Make and model	Units 1 to 4: IPHWR-220 Units 5 & 6: IPHWR-700
Units planned	2 x 700 MW
Nameplate capacity	880 MW
Capacity factor	92.02% (2020-21)[1]
Annual net output	7094 GW.h (2020-21)[1]
External links
Website	www.npcil.nic.in/main/ProjectOperationDisplay.aspx?ReactorID=76

It has four units. The fourth unit went critical on 27 November 2010.^[2] The two oldest units comprise the west half of the site and the two newer units are adjoining the east side of the site. The older four units are small-sized pressurized heavy water reactors of 220 MW gross.

History

On 27 November 2010 the Kaiga Generating Station unit 4 of 220 MW capacity became operational.^[3]

On 19 January 2011, unit 4 with 220 MW capacity was connected to the southern power grid at 01:56 hours. With this, the total capacity rose to 880 MW gross making it the third largest in India after Tarapur (1400 MW) and Rawatbhata (1180 MW). The unit, fueled by indigenous uranium, will supply electricity to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.^[4]

In December 2018, it got the distinction of setting a world record of continuous operation among all nuclear power plants. As on 10 December 2018, KGS-1, which was synchronized to India's Southern grid on 13 May 2016, continues to operate for a record number of 962 days. Previous record of continuous operation was held by Unit 8 of Heysham II, which operated from 18 February 2014 to 15 September 2016 for a record number of 940 days.^[5][6]

Two IPHWR units, each with a 700 MW capacity, are planned at this location.^[7] As of February 2017^[update] pre-project activities have begun for them and was planned that the first of the two would become critical around 2024–25.^[8]

Units

Phase	Unit No.	Reactor		Status	Capacity in MWe		Construction began	First criticality	Grid Connection	Commercial operation	Closure	Notes
		Type	Model		Net	Gross
I	1	PHWR	IPHWR-220	Operational	202	220	1 September 1989	26 September 2000	12 October 2000	16 November 2000	—	[9]
	2	PHWR	IPHWR-220	Operational	202	220	1 December 1989	24 September 1999	2 December 1999	16 March 2000	—	[10]
II	3	PHWR	IPHWR-220	Operational	202	220	30 March 2002	26 February 2007	11 April 2007	6 May 2007	—	[11]
	4	PHWR	IPHWR-220	Operational	202	220	10 May 2002	27 November 2010	19 January 2011	20 January 2011	—	[12]
III	5	PHWR	IPHWR-700	Planned	630	700		—	—	—	—	[13]
	6	PHWR	IPHWR-700	Planned	630	700		—	—	—	—	[13]

See also

• Nuclear power in India

• India portal
• Nuclear technology portal
• Energy portal