- Karnataka’s Kaiga nuclear power plant has created a world record for the longest uninterrupted operation of 941 days. It broke the earlier record of 940 days by the Heysham plant in the United Kingdom.
- The Heysham-2 Unit-8 in the U.K. had held the earlier record of the longest uninterrupted operation among all nuclear power reactors (of all technologies).
- The Kaiga Generating Station (KGS-1) equalled the world record on December 9 and surpassed it on December 10, 2018.
- While the KGS-1 is a Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), Heysham-2 Unit-8 is an Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor (AGR).
- According to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), the achievement demonstrates that the nation’s capability in nuclear power generation technology of PHWR had fully matured and proved the excellence in design, construction, safety, quality and operation and maintenance practices of the Corportion.
- On October 25, 2018, the KGS-1 had broken the earlier world record for longest uninterrupted operation among PWRS held by Pickering-7 (Ontario) in Canada which operated for 894 days and few hours. Pickering-7’s record created on October 7, 1994 was broken by KGS-1 after 24 years.
- The KGS-1 is located 56 km from Karwar and has been generating electricity continuously since May 13, 2016.
- It is an indigenously-built PHWR run by domestic fuel (uranium).
- It began commercial operations on November 16, 2000, and has produced 500 cr. units of power so far. In June this year, KGS-1 had set a national record for continuous operation of 766 days.
