PLF of Nuclear Power Generation

The Plant Load Factor (PLF) of nuclear power plants in operation in the year 2009-10 was 61%.

There are 19 nuclear power reactors with a capacity of 4560 MW in operation in the country. Out of these, 5 reactors of 960 MW use imported uranium and are being operated at high PLFs. 14 nuclear power reactors are fuelled by domestic uranium which is not available in the required quantity. These reactors are being operated at lower power levels to match the fuel availability, resulting in lower average PLF.

The Government has taken a series of measures to augment the fuel supply from domestic sources and through imports for fueling reactors under safeguards, which have resulted in increase in average annual PLF from 50% in 2008-09 to 61% in 2009-10. The uranium prospecting, exploration, mining and commissioning of processing mills thereof is an ongoing endeavor and the resulting augmentation of domestic uranium supplies are expected to improve the PLF of nuclear power plants progressively.

This was stated by Shri Prithviraj Chavan, the Minister of State (I/C) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences in the Lok Sabha today.

Source: Press Information Bureau
Date: May 05, 2010