RAPS-5 recovers input costs, carbon-efficient design: Sinha

The unit 5 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) has already recovered its construction cost through sale of electricity and the plant has avoided 4.25 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide emission, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ratan Kumar Sinha today said.
Addressing the 58th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) here, Sinha said the plant has also achieved a record continuous operation of 765 days.
"On August 6 this year, the Unit No 5 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS 5) achieved a record of 765 days of continuous operation, the highest in the world in the last two decades, and the second highest in the entire history of nuclear power."

"I would like to inform you that with the sale of electricity produced by this plant in approximately four and half years of commercial operation, it has already recovered its cost of construction. RAPS-5 has avoided about 4.25 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide emission, in its dream run," he said.
Sinha, who is also the secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy, said the fuel production of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), in which India has attained expertise, saw an increase this year.
The RAPS-5 reactor cost about Rs 1200 crore to make and was completed in 2010.
"The performance of several Indian fuel cycle facilities reached their highest levels last year. Thus, PHWR fuel production achieved an increase of 18 per cent over the previous year, and the highest ever production of heavy water was achieved with the lowest specific energy consumption," he said.

He said the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is nearing completion at Kalpakkam and the reactor is expected to achieve first criticality in the next six months.