India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has approved the restart of unit 2 at the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, allowing it to operate for another decade. The decision followed a multi-tiered safety review and technical assessment after refurbishment and upgrades by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). AERB will maintain oversight and monitor safety performance of units 1&2 at the site.
TAPS 1&2 are 160 MWe boiling water reactors (BWRs) commissioned in 1969 and were Asia’s first NPPs. TAPS 1 underwent similar refurbishment for a 10-year operating extension and was restarted in December 2025.
Refurbishment work included replacing the reactor coolant recirculation piping with advanced corrosion-resistant forged stainless-steel components. Safety enhancements such as the Reactor Containment Filtered Venting System and Alternate Cooling Water System were commissioned to improve emergency readiness. Inspections of reactor pressure vessel welds confirmed the unit’s fitness for continued safe operation under normal maintenance regimes.
Tarapur’s life extension highlights the strategic role of legacy reactors in maintaining baseload, low-carbon electricity while India develops advanced nuclear technologies. The decision comes as India targets a long-term goal of 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047, with parallel efforts in small modular reactors and private sector participation.
TAPS also hosts two more units (3&4) both 540 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors commissioned in 2005 and 2006. The site is slated to evolve further. India has proposed Tarapur as the rollout location for its first two domestic light water small modular reactors (SMRs): the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), a 200 MWe commercial-scale reactor and the SMR-55 (a 55 MWe installation) engineered for niche, targeted utility roles.
