On 21 May 2006, Unit 3 of Nuclear Power Corporation of India's Tarapur Atomic Power Plant in Maharashtra attained criticality. The 540 MWe unit will begin commercial production by August 2006. The project was completed at a cost Rs.6,100 crore that was aorund Rs.400 crore lower than the anticipated cost.

Both TAPP-3 & 4 are based on pressurized heavy water reactor technology and use uranium as fuel. Both the reactors use heavy water as both moderator and coolant.

TAPP-3 and TAPP-4 (that turned critical in March 2005) will supply electricity to western states like Maharashtra, Goa and Chhattisgarh. However, Maharashtra would received the highest share of 38 per cent.

Both the reactors are not on the civilian list of nuclear reactors and so are excluded from safeguards by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The commissioning of Unit-3 will take NPCIL's total number of reactors in operation to 16 with a total capacity of 3,850 MWe.

Also See:

TAPP-3: Fuel loading complete (20-May-06)

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