en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) of India recently announced that it has approved the restart and 10-year operation of Unit 2 at the Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant in Maharashtra, following the completion of a major renovation project by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Previously, Unit 1 of the plant received restart approval last December and is currently operating at its rated power of 160 MW.

According to the regulatory body, the renovation project included replacing all reactor coolant circulation piping with advanced corrosion-resistant forged stainless steel pipes and fittings, along with safety upgrades such as commissioning a reactor containment filtered venting system and a backup cooling water system. During the shutdown and maintenance period, the regulator inspected key components, including reactor pressure vessel welds, to assess the unit's aging condition and remaining operational life. The assessment results indicate that the reactor can continue to operate safely under normal maintenance and monitoring plans.

Tarapur Units 1 and 2, commissioned in 1969, are the two boiling water reactor units of India's first commercial nuclear power plant. Built by General Electric on a turnkey basis, their initial rated power was 200 MW, later reduced to 160 MW. Both units underwent a six-month renovation from 2005 to 2006 and have been shut down since 2020 for extensive refurbishment.

While older units are being restarted, the pace of opening up India's nuclear power sector is also accelerating. NTPC, India's largest integrated power company, is preparing to submit a feasibility study report for its first nuclear power project to the Department of Atomic Energy. The company recently signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Électricité de France (EDF) to explore cooperation in developing new nuclear power projects in India. According to the Economic Times, NTPC is also conducting feasibility studies in two other states, including Bihar, where the state government has approved related work in the Banka district. Sources indicate that NTPC is seeking to build at least two 700 MW units in the states where it is exploring nuclear power projects.

Previously, Indian law restricted private companies from participating in nuclear power projects. However, the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancing Nuclear Initiatives for Transformation (SHANTI) Act, enacted at the end of 2024, opened the nuclear power sector to private enterprises, allowing their participation in specific activities such as plant operation, power generation, equipment manufacturing, and nuclear fuel fabrication. NTPC is now part of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd (Ashvini), a joint venture with NPCIL that is developing two Indian-designed 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors, namely Units 1 and 2 of the Mahi Banswara Nuclear Power Project in Rajasthan, where excavation work began in late March.

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