IGCAR scouts for more local manufacturers
The successful handing over of a component to Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) by a city-based company is considered the first step towards achieving the target of producing one-fourth of the country’s energy requirement from nuclear sources by 2032.
“It proves that our small scale industries can make nuclear grade components. We need more such industries to come up across the country,” said IGCAR nuclear and safety engineering group director Dr P. Chellapandi.
He said the country is expecting 63,000 MW from nuclear energy by 2032. “While we will get 40,000 MW from imported LWR (Light Water Reactors), the remaining power needs to be generated from Fast Breeder Reactors and Water Reactors. To instal these reactors, we need components that can be manufactured locally,” he added.
On Sunday, L&T, Hazira and its partner KRR Engineering, Chennai handed over the inner vessel sector to IGCAR for CFBR (Commercial Fast Breeder Reactors). The inner vessel is a large size reactor component with a cylindrical shell of 11.65 metres diameter, 9.1 metres height and double curvature single toricone. The vessel, which will act as a leak resistant barrier between the hot and cool pools weighs 62 tonnes.
“We have developed this project for the soft breeder reactors that are coming up in Kalpakkam. This equipment will lessen the amount spent on electricity,” said G. R. Iyer, Joint GM, L&T. He said the company has been associated with KRR Engineering in producing components for nuclear technology. “We will continue to work with KRR Engineering in designing and manufacturing new products,” he added.
Dr Chellapandi said the success of KRR Engineering would motivate more such firms to take up producing components for nuclear reactors. “We want matching industries in India to provide components to about 100 reactors that would come up at various parts of the country,” he added.
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