Chronology of Nuclear programme

Science Affairs Nuclear related Issues

India is today recognised as one of the countries most advanced in nuclear technology including production of source materials. The prime objective of India's nuclear energy programme is the development and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes such as power generation, applications in agriculture, medicine, industry, research and other areas.

The country is self-reliant and has gained expertise in the complete nuclear cycle - from exploration and mining to power generation and waste management.

As part of its programme of peaceful uses of atomic energy, India has also embarked on a programme of nuclear power generation. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) is now operating 14 reactors with a total capacity of more than 4000 MWe. Further six projects, with a combined capacity of 2660 MWe are at various stages of construction.

India is the only country in the world that is committed to usingthorium as its nuclear fuel. To utilize the vast thorium reserves, which are the highest in the world, it has already begun designing its next generation fast breeder reactors.

Aiming to meet future energy needs through fusion energy, India will join the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project, for which US$ 617.73 million has already been sanctioned.

Chronology

Dec 1942	Italian physicist Enrico Fermi succeeded in producing the first nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago.
Dec, 1945	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai is inaugurated.
Aug, 1948	Atomic Energy Commission is constituted.
Aug, 1950	Indian Rare Earths Limited is set.
Aug, 1954	Department of Atomic Energy is created.
Aug, 1956	APSARA - first research reactor in Asia, attains criticality at Trombay, Mumbai.
Jul, 1960	CIRUS – The 40 MWt research reactors attains criticality.
Jan, 1961	Research Reactor ZERLINA attains criticality.
Jan, 1967	Atomic Energy EstablishmentTrombay (AEET) is renamed as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.
Apr, 1967	Electronics Corporation of India Limited is set up at Hyderabad.
Oct, 1967	Uranium Corporation of India Limited is set up at Jaduguda.
Mar, 1969	Reactor Research Centre is started at Kalpakkam. Renamed as Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research on December 18, 1985.
Oct, 1969	Tarapur Atomic Power Station starts commercial operation.
May, 1972	Research Reactor PURNIMA-I attains criticality.
Nov, 1972	Unit-1 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station at Kota begins commercial operation.
May, 1974	Peaceful underground Nuclear Experiment is conducted at Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Nov, 1982	Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant at Tarapur is commissioned.
Nov, 1983	Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, is constituted.
Jan, 1984	Madras Atomic Power Station - Unit I at Kalpakkam starts commercial operation.
Feb, 1984	Centre for Advanced Technology at Indore (Madhya Pradesh) is inaugurated.
Aug, 1985	Research Reactor DHRUVA (100 MWt) attains criticality.
Oct, 1985	Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at Kalpakkam attains criticality.
Sept, 1987	Formation of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.
Mar, 1989	Narora Atomic Power Station Unit I attains criticality.
Sept, 1992	Kakrapar Atomic Power Station - Unit I attains criticality.
Oct, 1996	Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI), with Uranium-233 fuel, attains criticality.
May, 1998	Five underground nuclear tests are conducted at Pokhran Range, Rajasthan.
Sept, 1998	Kalpakkam Reprocessing Plant (KARP) is dedicated to the Nation.
Sept, 1999	Unit-2 of Kaiga Atomic Power Station attains criticality.
Oct, 1999	India’s first Nuclear Power Plant Simulator is upgraded.
Dec,1999	Unit-3 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station attains criticality.
Jan, 2000	BRIT's Radiation Processing Plant at Vashi, Navi Mumbai is commissioned.
2000	Boron Enrichment Plant is commissioned at IGCAR, Kalpakkam.
Mar, 2000	Tarapur Atomic Power Project –3&4 rises up.
Apr, 2000	Folded Tandem Ion Accelerator (FOTIA) at Trombay delivers first beam on target.
Sept, 2000	Unit-1 of Kaiga Atomic Power station attains criticality. It synchronises to the grid on October 12, 2000.
Nov, 2000	Unit-4 of Rajasthan Atomic Power station attains criticality. It creates history by synchronising with the grid within a period of 14 days on November 17, 2000. The unit becomes commercial on December 23, 2000.
Nov, 2000	Unit - 1 of Kaiga Atomic Power Station becomes commercial.
2001	FBTR fuel reaches burn up of 100,000 MWd/T.
Mar, 2001	Units 3 & 4 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Stations dedicated to the nation.
Feb, 2002	India signs the biggest contract with the Russian Federation for the Nuclear Power Station at Koodankulam, Tamil Nadu.
Mar, 2002	First pour of concrete of Units 1&2 of Koodankulam Atomic Power Project.
Sept, 2002	First pour of concrete of Unit-5 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Project 5 & 6
Oct, 2002	Waste Immobilization Plant and Uranium-Thorium Separation Plant at (both at Trombay), and the Radiation Processing Plant Krushak at Lasalgaon, district Nasik, Maharashtra, are dedicated to the Nation.
Nov, 2002	UCIL's Turamdih Mine, Jharkhand is inaugurated and Technology Demonstration Pilot Plant becomes operational at Jaduguda.
2003	1.7 MeV Tandetron Accelerator and the demo facility Lead Mini Cell (LMC), for reprocessing of FBTR carbide fuel on lab scale, are commissioned at IGCAR.
Mar-2005	India's first 540 MWe Nuclear Power Reactor Tarapur Unit 4 Attains Criticality.
Jun,2005	TAPS 4 synchronized to the grid
2006	TAPS 3&4 begin commercial operation
May 2007	Kaiga 3 started up in February, was connected to the grid in April 2007 and went into commercial operation
September 2008	India gets waiver by NSG due to backing from mainly US and also from some other Members.
September 2008	India and France signed a bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement that will allow the sale of French nuclear reactors to India.
December 2008	NPCIL announced that as part of the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12), it would start site work for 12 reactors including the rest of the eight 700 MWe PHWRs, three or four fast breeder reactors and one 300 MWe advanced heavy water reactor (AHWR) in 2009
April 2010	Rawatbhata (RJ) begin commercial operation.
June 2010	India and Canada signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement in Toronto
2010	Nuclear Liability Act 2010 to provide a civil liability for nuclear damage and prompt compensation to the victims of a nuclear incident through a no-fault liability to the operator, appointment of Claims Commissioner, establishment of Nuclear Damage Claims Commission and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Januray 2017	India becomes associate member of European Organisation for Nuclear Research "CERN"