Koodankulam to start powergeneration in two months

KOODANKULAM: The
fi rst unit of the 2X1000 MW
VVER nuclear reactor of
the Koodankulam Nuclear
Power project (KKNPP) is
expected to attain criticality
and start power generation
in two months, as the preparation
for commissioning
the plant was progressing
as planned, S K Jain, Chairman
and Managing Director
of Nuclear Power Corporation
of India Limited
(NPCIL) said today.
He said KKNPP was
awaiting clearance from
the Atomic Energy Regulatory
Board (AERB) to open
the reactor pressure vessel
for inspecting the internal
components’ performance
and subsequent loading of
enriched uranium fuel rods.
He said work on commissioning
of the fi rst unit was
in full swing. The hot run of
the unit had been done a few
months ago and a report of
tests had been submitted to
the AERB. “We are expecting
a review by the AERB
and once the permission is
obtained, the fi ne tuning of
the equipment would be carried
out. Before the interruption
due to protests by
the locals, 95 per cent of the
required tests had been conducted,”
Jain informed.
Jain said “the integrated
core cooling tests is scheduled
in about a week. The
opening of the pressure vessel
after obtaining clearance
from AERB is the next step.
Once this is done, the dummy
fuel will be removed and
the reactor cleaned for another
inspection by AERB”.
After this, enriched uranium
fuel would be loaded. It was
expected that fuel loading
might be taken up by mid
June and criticality attained
in the next few weeks, he
added. Asked about reports
that some countries had decided
to scrap nuclear power
projects after Fukushima
disaster, Russian expert
Valery Limarenko rejected
the reports and said infact,
his company which was involved
in the construction of
20 nuclear reactors in Russia
and China, was holding
talks with Bangladesh, Vietnam
and Turkey for the construction
of nuclear reactors
in those countries.
Limarenko said KKNPP
incorporates several layers
of the most modern safety
features to ensure security
of the workforce and the
people living in the vicinity.
KKNPP, India’s largest
civil nuclear programme,
an Indo-Russia joint venture,
was in the midst of
controversy after the locals
demanded that the Centre
scrap the project.