Previous Year Question
Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
Nuclear Plant — Year of Commissioning
Kota — 1989
Kakrapar — 1984
Kaiga — 1999
Kalpakkam — 1995
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
(a) Kota — 1989 (Incorrectly Matched). The first unit of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), located at Rawatbhata near Kota in Rajasthan, began commercial operation on 16 December 1973. Its second unit commenced commercial operation on 1 April 1981. It is among India's earliest nuclear power stations.
(b) Kakrapar — 1984 (Incorrectly Matched). The first unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS), located in the Tapi district of Gujarat, commenced commercial operation on 6 May 1993, followed by the second unit on 1 September 1995. Both initial units are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), each with a capacity of 220 MW.
(c) Kaiga — 1999 (Correctly Matched). The second unit of the Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, was first connected to the electricity grid on 2 December 1999. This explains the use of 1999 as the commissioning year in the question. However, its commercial operation began on 16 March 2000. The first unit commenced commercial operation on 16 November 2000.
(d) Kalpakkam — 1995 (Incorrectly Matched). The first unit of the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), located at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, commenced commercial operation on 27 January 1984, followed by the second unit on 21 March 1986. Both units are PHWRs with a capacity of 220 MW each.