The construction of Unit 4 of the Kakrapar nuclear power plant in the state of Gujarat (India) has been delayed for more than a year. The 700 MW reactor was scheduled to start commercial operation during FY 2022-2023 (i.e., by the end of March 2023), but according to its operator (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), Unit 4 will not be completed before March 2024. Unit 3 of the Kakrapar plant, which was connected to the grid in January 2022, will only be able to produce at full capacity by the end of 2022.
The delay of Unit 4 could add to strain on some old coal-fired power units and potentially delay their retirement, as India is currently experiencing domestic shortages and struggles to keep up with a high power demand.
India holds 23 nuclear reactors spread over 7 sites. In 2021, nuclear energy only represented around 3% of Indian power generation (47 TWh) and 2% of its total installed capacity (6.8 GW). India has however set a target of 63 GW nuclear capacity for 2032. Eight units are currently under construction, with a total capacity of over 6 GW.
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