Overview
- NPCIL reported that RAPP‑8 at Rawatbhata began initial fuel loading Sunday, marking the formal move from construction and system testing into nuclear commissioning.
- The start of fuel insertion followed Atomic Energy Regulatory Board permission based on safety evaluations, major system‑integrity audits, and site‑readiness reviews that met regulatory conditions.
- RAPP‑8 is the fourth of a planned 16 indigenous 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors designed for repeat, standardised deployment to shorten build and commissioning cycles.
- After initial fuel loading, the unit will pursue First Approach to Criticality, then staged power ascension and regulatory‑verified tests before NPCIL seeks commercial operation in the current financial year.
- NPCIL currently runs 24 reactors totalling about 8.78 GWe with another 17 under implementation, and officials say the 700 MWe fleet aims to boost predictable nuclear capacity and provide low‑carbon baseload power as India expands toward long‑term targets.