July 6, 16:31

Megha Engineering completes concrete pouring for 700 MW PHWR reactors at Kaiga plant

Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) announced on Monday the completion of concrete pouring for the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) program at Kaiga 5 and 6 sites in the nuclear power plant project in Karnataka state.

Scale of Construction Work

This operation involved placing approximately 7,250 cubic meters of concrete with a rebar density of 360 kg per cubic meter, marking a significant milestone in the construction of both units. The first phase of concrete pouring took place in March 2026, officially commencing the construction of two 700 MW PHWR reactors at this site.

Criticality Schedule

According to the Department of Atomic Energy, Kaiga-5 is expected to reach criticality approximately five years after the initial concrete pour, which is in 2031.

Technical Aspects of the Project

MEIL was able to achieve a production capacity for temperature-controlled concrete output of 360 cubic meters per hour. The company maintained the concrete placement temperature at 19 degrees Celsius and utilized concrete pumps with a capacity of 340 cubic meters per hour. To ensure thermal control and cooling of the mix, an ice production capacity of 510 tons per day was established, along with an ice storage facility of 400 metric tons, and a joint storage facility for cement and fly ash of 2,600 metric tons.

Since the Kaiga site is located in a remote area with heavy monsoon rains and limited access, the company installed a 75-meter diameter rain protection system to mitigate weather-related risks and ensure the continuity of the concreting process. MEIL stated that it implemented comprehensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) measures at all stages to guarantee full compliance with strict standards governing nuclear construction.

Context of Indian Nuclear Energy

The Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant is situated in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state, where four 220 MW PHWR units are already operational. Furthermore, three 700 MW PHWR reactors are already operating in Gujarat and Rajasthan states, including Units 3 and 4 of the Kakrapar Nuclear Power Plant and Unit 7 of the Rajasthan Nuclear Power Plant. The PHWRs, developed by NPCIL, use natural uranium oxide and heavy water as coolant and neutron moderator, and incorporate advanced safety features in accordance with AERB requirements and international IAEA standards.

Overall Status of Nuclear Power Plants

The Kaiga-5 and Kaiga-6 units are being executed through a limited number of EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) packages, which cover earthworks, the nuclear island, the turbine island, and nuclear instrumentation. Currently, India operates 24 nuclear reactors with a total installed capacity of 8,780 MW.