Tamil Nadu Timeline

Science TechnologyRise of Dravidian rule

Construction of Madras Atomic Power Station begins at Kalpakkam

· Kalpakkam

Construction of Madras Atomic Power Station begins at Kalpakkam
IAEA Imagebank, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Work began on the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam, India's first indigenously built nuclear power station.

Construction of the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) at Kalpakkam, south of Madras, began in 1970. Its two pressurised heavy water reactors were built largely with indigenous technology. Unit 1 was commissioned on 27 January 1984 and Unit 2 on 21 March 1986. Kalpakkam also became the site of a major nuclear research centre.

Related events

  1. 1970

    1. 1970EnnoreInfrastructure

      Ennore Thermal Power Station commissioned

      The coal-fired Ennore Thermal Power Station north of Madras began generating electricity, with units added through 1975.

  2. 1971

    1. 30 Apr 1971KalpakkamScience Technology

      Reactor Research Centre set up at Kalpakkam

      An order by Vikram Sarabhai set up the Reactor Research Centre at Kalpakkam, which later became the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research.

  3. 1984

    1. 27 Jan 1984KalpakkamScience Technology

      First unit of Madras Atomic Power Station reaches full power

      At Kalpakkam, MAPS-1, the first nuclear power reactor India built largely on its own, reached full-power operation.

  4. 1985

    1. Oct 1985KalpakkamScience Technology

      Fast Breeder Test Reactor at Kalpakkam reaches criticality

      India's Fast Breeder Test Reactor at Kalpakkam reached first criticality, making India the seventh nation able to build and run a breeder reactor.

  5. 1986

    1. 21 Mar 1986KalpakkamScience Technology

      Second unit of Madras Atomic Power Station commissioned

      The second 220 MW unit of the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam was commissioned, completing the two-unit station.

  6. 2026

    1. 6 Apr 2026KalpakkamScience Technology

      Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam reaches criticality

      India's 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam achieved first criticality on 6 April 2026.

Open in the timeline explorer