Surat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday dedicated to the nation two new Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) with a cumulative capacity of 1,400 megawatt established at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat's Surat district. After addressing a gathering at Navsari in south Gujarat, the PM reached Kakrapar village of adjoining Surat district where the nuclear power plant is situated.
The new Unit 3 and Unit 4 at KAPS, each having capacity to produce 700 MW of electricity, were built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) at a cost of over Rs 22,500 crore and they are the largest indigenous PHWRs in the country, officials said. During his visit to the atomic power station in the evening, the PM inaugurated the two new reactors and also interacted with senior officials, including NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director Bhuwan Chandra Pathak.
The PM was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and BJP Member of Parliament from Navsari CR Paatil, who is also the president of the ruling party's state unit. Modi visited the main control room of the power plant and understood different processes and other finer details from Pathak.
Before leaving KAPS, the PM briefly addressed scientists and as well as senior officers at the plant and motivated them to continue their good work, the officials said.
On Wednesday, a PIB release said these two units are first of its kind reactors and have advanced safety features comparable with the best in the world.
Together, these two reactors will produce about 10.4 billion units of clean electricity per year and benefit consumers of multiple states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, the release said.
The PM began his Gujarat visit in the morning by attending golden jubilee celebrations of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which sells dairy products under the Amul brand, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the Motera area of Ahmedabad city. Later, he visited Tarabh village in Mehsana district and then Navsari district, where he addressed gatherings after inaugurating as well as laying foundation stones of various development projects.
