UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PARLIAMENT QUESTION: INDIGENOUS PHWR

Q1. The regulation of India's atomic energy activities, including the deployment of indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors, is derived primarily from which of the following?

  • A. The Atomic Energy Act, 1948
  • B. The Atomic Energy Act, 1962
  • C. The Atomic Energy (Regulation) Act, 1983
  • D. The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010

Q2. In the context of India's 700 MWe PHWR programme, the term 'fleet mode' most precisely refers to which of the following?

  • A. Bulk sanction and standardised, serial construction of multiple identical reactors with common design and pooled procurement of long-lead equipment to cut time and cost
  • B. Synchronising all the reactors of a station to feed the grid as a single combined generating unit
  • C. Commissioning reactors of successively increasing capacity one after another at the same site
  • D. Operating a group of reactors at a common fleet-average load factor set by the regulator

Q3. Which one of the following was the first indigenous 700 MWe PHWR to be built and to attain criticality in India?

  • A. Kakrapar Atomic Power Station Unit-3 (KAPS-3)
  • B. Kakrapar Atomic Power Station Unit-4 (KAPS-4)
  • C. Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Unit-7 (RAPS-7)
  • D. Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Unit-8 (RAPS-8)

Q4. The construction and operation of the 700 MWe PHWRs such as RAPS-7 and the Kakrapar units are carried out by which one of the following?

  • A. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
  • B. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
  • C. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)
  • D. Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC)

Q5. India's first Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (RAPS-1) was set up with the technical collaboration of which country?

  • A. Canada
  • B. United States of America
  • C. Soviet Union (USSR)
  • D. France

Q6. The design and development of India's indigenous PHWRs (as distinct from their construction and operation) is principally the responsibility of which organisation?

  • A. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
  • B. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
  • C. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)
  • D. Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL)

Q7. How many indigenous 700 MWe PHWRs were sanctioned together in 'fleet mode' by the Union Cabinet's 2017 approval?

  • A. 6
  • B. 10
  • C. 12
  • D. 16

Q8. Which of the following statements best describes the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)?

  • A. It is the body responsible for independent safety regulation and licensing of nuclear installations in India
  • B. It is the public-sector undertaking that constructs and operates India's nuclear power plants
  • C. It is the department, functioning directly under the Prime Minister, that formulates atomic energy policy
  • D. It is the research centre that designs India's indigenous reactors and fuel

Q9. The 2,100 MW of nuclear capacity added since December 2022 (through KAPS-3, KAPS-4 and RAPS-7) was implemented by NPCIL, which functions under which Union department/ministry?

  • A. Department of Atomic Energy
  • B. Ministry of Power
  • C. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
  • D. Ministry of Science and Technology

Q10. In which financial year did India's nuclear power plants achieve their highest-ever electricity generation of 56,681 Million Units?

  • A. FY 2022-23
  • B. FY 2023-24
  • C. FY 2024-25
  • D. FY 2025-26