Palghar

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) on Monday announced the successful reconnection of Unit-1 of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS-1) to the national electricity grid, following the completion of a landmark life-extension programme.

The development marks a significant milestone for India’s oldest nuclear power facility, which has undergone extensive renovation and modernisation to ensure long-term operational reliability. In an official statement, NPCIL said the life-extension activities were carried out under stringent regulatory oversight and in line with globally accepted nuclear safety standards.

“The successful completion of such complex activities in this reactor type reflects NPCIL’s engineering excellence and strong renovation and modernisation capability,” the release said. It added that TAPS Unit-1 and its twin Unit-2 are currently among the oldest nuclear reactors in operation anywhere in the world.

According to NPCIL, the comprehensive upgrade involved high-end engineering interventions aimed at enhancing safety margins and sustaining performance over an extended operational period.

The nuclear operator also confirmed that similar renovation and life-extension work on Unit-2 is at an advanced stage of completion, with its reconnection to the power grid expected shortly.

Commissioned in 1969, TAPS Units 1 and 2 were Asia’s first nuclear power reactors established outside the former Soviet Union. Over more than five decades of service, the twin units have together generated over 100,000 million units of clean electricity, significantly contributing to India’s low-carbon energy mix.

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Tarapur Atomic Power Station is located in Palghar district of Maharashtra.