Contract for Indian reactor components

26 May 2010

Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) will undertake main plant civil works of units 7 and 8 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP) after a Rs8880 million ($188 million) contract by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).

 

RAPP 7 and 8 will be 700 MWe indigenously designed pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs). The units are scheduled to begin commercial operation in June and December 2016, respectively. HCC has constructed all six existing units at RAPP, which are also PHWRs of varying sizes, the first of which began operating in 1973 and the latest earlier this year.

 

Under the latest contract, the scope of the work involves construction of the reactor buildings, auxiliary buildings and the waste management exhaust ventilation building. It also involves the construction of the heavy water upgrading plant, a new fuel storage building and a waste management facility. HCC will also build an overhead water tank, road infrastructure, and will fabricate and erect structural steel works involving civil, structural and architectural works. The project is scheduled to be completed in 50 months.

 

In a statement, HCC said that it has constructed over half of India's nuclear power capacity. Out of the country's total of 19 operating nuclear power reactors, the company has built eleven units, including units 1 and 2 of the Kakrapar plant in Gujarat and units 1 and 2 of the Narora plant in Uttar Pradesh (all 202 MWe PHWRs). It is also constructing two 950 MWe Russian-designed pressurised water reactors (PWRs) at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu, due to begin commercial operation in 2010 and 2011.

 

In September 2009, HCC and Amec of the UK signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership under which they would "jointly explore" the application of engineering procurement and construction services, as well as consulting. HCC said it would be strengthened in the areas of mechanical and electrical components by being able to source the latest technologies through Amec.

 

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News