Chennai, Nov 24 (IANS) With the supply of fuel likely to improve in six months, the Madras Atomic Power Station’s (MAPS) two atomic power reactors would be able to achieve their rated capacity, said a senior official.
“We are now generating 350 MW (first unit 180 MW, second unit 170 MW). There is no shortage of fuel for this level of power generation. In six months time, we hope the fuel supply position to improve so that both the units can operate at their optimum capacity which is 220 MW each,” T.J.Kotteeswaran, station director told IANS.
The two pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) of MPAS, belonging to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), are located at Kalpakkam, around 70 km from here.
Kotteeswaran said fuel supplies are expected to improve next year from the uranium mine in Tumalapalli in Andhra Pradesh.
According to him, the difference between the generation and the two reactors’ rated capacity is just 90 MW which could be easily bridged.
Meanwhile, MAPS will shutdown its second unit for around 35 days for bi−annual maintenance.
“We plan to shut down the second unit sometime next Jan/Feb for bi−annual maintenance. Certain things have to be done only when the reactor is shut down,” Kotteeswaran added.
