India now world's sixth in nuclear reactors

India is now sixth in the world in terms of number of power reactors after its unit-4 of Kaiga Generating Station achdeived criticality. 

Criticality signifies the start of self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction in the reactor core, which leads to the production of power. The unit will be synchronized to the southern grid after carrying out certain mandatory tests early next month.

The electricity generated from this unit will be supplied to the beneficiary states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Pudducherry. Kaiga-4 is the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited’s or NPCIL’s third nuclear power reactor after RAPS unit-5 & unit-6, to have started operation during the current year, raising the nuclear installed capacity in the country from the current 4560 MW to 4780 MW.


With Kaiga-4 unit becoming operational, India is now elevated to the sixth rank in an elite club of nations, after USA, France, Japan, Russian Federation and Republic of Korea, to have twenty or more nuclear power reactors currently in operation.