Tamil Nadu: Construction of new units at Kudankulam plant begins

TIRUNELVELI: Construction of the 2,000 megawatt (2 X 1000) units 5 and 6 at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) commenced with the ‘first pour of concrete’ on Tuesday. The project, to be completed at an outlay of Rs 49,621 crore, was launched by chairman of the atomic energy commission and secretary of the department of atomic energy Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas through videoconference.
KKNPP comprises six units of light water reactors with a capacity of 1,000 megawatt each. It is set up in technical cooperation with the Russian Federation.
The project is being implemented in three phases with 2 X 1000 MW in each phase. Construction of units 3 and 4 is underway in the second phase and these units with a total capacity of 2,000 MW are nearly 50% complete.
The ceremony was marked by pouring 6,200 cubic metres of concrete. Construction of units 5 and 6 will be completed in 66 and 75 months’, respectively. Construction of these two units will be executed by Larsen and Toubro (L&T) Limited that is engaged in the ongoing construction of units 3 and 4 that are almost 50% complete.
Works to be carried out by L&T at Rs 2,305 crore include construction of the reactor, reactor auxiliary, turbine and diesel generator buildings and safety structures.
While KKNPP was dependent on Russia for every component used in the first two reactors (units 1 and 2), it is learnt that around 36% of the components to be used in units 5 and 6 will be fabricated in India.
On completion of these projects, the six units in KKNPP will generate 6,000 MW of clean electricity by the latter half of 2027, making it the largest power producing complex in India, Vyas said. The chairman expressed confidence that the reactors at KKNPP will place India among the frontrunners of nuclear energy producing countries globally.
It will also make a significant contribution for the growth of Tamil Nadu, he added. He termed the construction of KKNPP reactors a stellar example of Indo–Russian strategic cooperation, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both the countries are determined to complete the construction in the scheduled time, he said.
Director general of the Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) Dr Alexey Likhachev who virtually addressed from Moscow, said the third generation plus light water reactors built in KKNPP will have cutting-edge technologies to make the reactors the safest.
Chairman and managing director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited Satish Kumar Sharma said that units 1 and 2 have generated more than 57.4 billion units of carbon free green energy since they were commissioned.
While global warming is a serious issue of concern world over, KKNPP plays a vital role in generating green energy. The contribution will be more when the plant generates 6,000 MW, he added.