Unit 5 of India's Rajasthan nuclear power plant was connected to the country's northern grid for the first time on 22 December 2009.
Plant owner and operator, the Nuclear Power Corporation of Indian (NPCIL), said grid connection was made at 14:43 hrs local time after authorisation from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
This brings the total number of operating nuclear power plant units in India to 18, plus five units formally declared as under construction.
Rajasthan-5 (also known as RAPP-5) achieved first criticality on 24 November 2009.
NPCIL said the commercial operation of the unit will increase India‚s installed nuclear generating capacity to 4,340 megawatts gross (MW). This is set to increase to 7,280 MW gross (6,692 MW net) by the year 2012 with the completion of units in Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamilnadu.
Rajasthan-5 is one of two 202 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) under construction at the Rajasthan plant in Rawatbhata, northern India. NPCIL said last month that completion of the other PHWR, Rajasthan-6, was "following closely".
First concrete for Rajasthan-5 and -6 was poured in October 2002. Four PHWRs are already in operation at the plant.
