Construction of two 700-MW nuclear power units at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) is progressing fast and preparatory work to install the coolant channels was on, said a senior NPCIL official on Monday.
"Welding of end shield and calandria is over. Preparation work for core components - coolant channels - has started. It will take six months to complete," B.C. Pathak, project director for 7th and 8th units at RAPS, told IANS over phone.
He said the 7th unit was expected to go on stream sometime in 2017-18 and almost 57 percent of the physical work had been completed.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) is building the two 700-MW pressurised heavy water reactors at RAPS with an outlay of around Rs.12,300 crore.
The NPCIL already has six units at RAPS, with a total capacity of 1,180 MW (4x220 MW and one each of 100 MW and 200 MW).
Ruling out any cost escalation, he added: "We expect to complete the project within the budget. The softening of steel prices has resulted in lower escalation in costs."
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As for the 8th unit, the overall physical progress was around 40 percent.
"All the tenders have been finalised and contracts issued. There is no major tender that needs to be processed," he added.
The senior NPCIL official said both the upcoming units will share many common facilities like the switchyard, control building and others.