India commissions third 700 MW indigenous nuclear reactor in Rajasthan

India has taken another step towards energy security by commissioning Unit 7 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP-7) at Rawatbhata. 

The 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), developed by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), was connected to the Northern Grid on March 17 after meeting all regulatory requirements set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

This marks India’s third operational 700 MW PHWR, following Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) Units 3 and 4 in Gujarat. With RAPP-7’s commissioning, India’s total nuclear power capacity has reached 8,880 MW. The unit will gradually ramp up power output to 100% capacity as regulatory clearances progress.

India’s nuclear power journey began with the CANDU (CANadian Deuterium Uranium) reactor design, which inspired the early Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) units. The first two reactors, RAPS-1 and RAPS-2, were built with Canadian collaboration, using pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) technology. However, after Canada halted nuclear cooperation following India’s 1974 nuclear test, India developed its own PHWR technology, ensuring self-reliance in nuclear energy.

India scaled down from larger CANDU designs to 220 MW for ease of manufacturing and later expanded to 540 MW and 700 MW.  

Each 700 MW PHWR can generate around 5.2 billion units of clean electricity annually (at 85% plant load factor), reducing 4.5 million tons of CO₂ equivalent emissions.  

Rawatbhata already hosts six operational reactors with a combined capacity of 1,180 MW. With RAPP-7 online, the focus now shifts to RAPP-8, which is expected to be operational by end-2025, adding another 700 MW to the grid.

Looking ahead, NPCIL plans to commission RAPP-8 by the end of 2025, which will further increase the total nuclear capacity to 9,580 MW. 

With 16 indigenous PHWRs planned nationwide, India is steadily increasing its nuclear footprint. As the country targets net-zero emissions by 2070, nuclear energy is gaining prominence for its reliability compared to intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind, which require large-scale storage solutions.