Madras Atomic Power Station

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Active reactors ( gross ):

Reactors under construction ( gross ):

The nuclear power plant Madras (also called Madras Atomic Power Station, acronym MAPS) is a nuclear power plant in Kalpakkam in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, about 80 km south of Chennai (Madras).

Reactor data

It is the first made ​​entirely in India heavy water pressurized water reactor ( PHWR ). He is a copy of the Canadian CANDU reactor in Rajasthan -1. Madras -1 was born on July 23, 1983 critical, Madras -2 on 20 September 1985. The two reactors each produced 170 megawatts.

In the years 2002/ 03 and 2004/ 05, the reactors were overhauled. Thus, performance increased from 170 megawatts to 220 megawatts last. A large part of the reactor core were replaced, the term is extended to 2033 or 2036.

The fuel rods of Madras Madras -1 and -2 are processed in the Kalpakkam Reprocessing Plant ( KARP ).

Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

And the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research is located on the grounds of the plant with a number of investments that do not belong directly to the power plant, for example, a plutonium reprocessing (MOX ), also a breeder reactor of 40 MWt, which developed from the French reactor RAPSODIE been. He was critical on 18 October 1985.

Another fast breeder reactor ( Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor - PFBR ) of 500 MW capacity is under construction since 2004. The reactor should be completed in June 2009, but the construction time was prolonged until at least September 2011. The construction costs are due to strong increases in material and labor costs, changes in the design of the components and the tsunami of 2004 by 40 percent from the originally planned Rs. increased to Rs 35 billion 50 billion. After further delays, the start-up is now scheduled for 2013.

The spent fuel rods are then in Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant ( FRFRP ) reprocessed. The resulting radioactive waste is then stored in an interim storage site. It is also remarkable the Kamini ( Kalpakkam Mini ) test reactor can be operated with U233. This is the successor of PURNIMA - III in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

Accidents

On January 21, 2003, six workers of the KARP were contaminated when working on a tank. Out parts of the plant for six months were closed.

In the headlines and Kalpakkam nuclear power plant had fallen, as it was first called, the tsunami of 26 December 2004 have also damaged the nuclear power plant. The operators insured but, the power plant had to be shut down without incident. However, the tsunami left behind extensive damage in the town and also demanded in Kalpakkam numerous fatalities.

Data of the reactor units

The nuclear power plant Madras has two commercial power reactors:

In the nuclear research center includes the following reactors: