Operations to restart in Kudankulam nuclear plant
power generation in the first unit of 1,000 MW capacity at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) is expected to restart in a couple of days.
The unit which got the atomic energy regulator`s sanction to generate up to 75% power levels last week stopped Jan 29 as its turbine tripped. The unit on that day touched a peak generation of 650 MW. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) is setting up two 1,000 MW Russian reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, 650 km from here. The total outlay for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) is over Rs.17, 000 crore. The first unit attained criticality - beginning of the fission process - in July 2013.
In August 2013, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board permitted NPCIL to operate the reactor up to 50% level. As the first unit at KNPP is yet to be declared commercially operational, the power generated is termed as infirm power and supplied to the home state - Tamil Nadu - at low rates. Currently, the power is supplied to Tamil Nadu power utility at just over Re.1 per unit.
