The top brass of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), which is constructing and operating nuclear power plants across the country and Atomstroyexport, Russian Federation’s nuclear power equipment supplier and service provider, are scheduled to meet at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) on Wednesday and Thursday (February 7 and 8) to review the progress of the ongoing construction of KKNPP reactors 3 to 6.
With the Atomstroyexport’s technical knowhow, the NPCIL has built 2 X 1,000 MWe VVER (water-cooled, water-moderated reactors) at the cost of ₹17,270 crore, which are operational now at KKNPP, and is constructing four more VVER-type reactors with similar capacity on the same premises. While more than 70% of the construction of reactors 3 and 4 has been completed as the work was started in June 2017, the remaining two reactors have crossed 40% of the construction.
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Though NPCIL and Atomstroyexport want to complete the projects and commission the reactors as planned, the supply of certain critical components from Russia is getting delayed. This high-level meeting is expected to weed-out the delays in future and accelerate the ongoing construction, sources in KKNPP said.
While Chairman and Managing Director of NPCIL Bhuvan Chandra Pathak arrived at KKNPP on Tuesday afternoon, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, Ajit Kumar Mohanty is expected to reach the site on Wednesday along with a team of high-level delegates to hold talks with the Atomstroyexport representatives.
“The duration of construction of a VVER – 1,000 nuclear reactor is normally five years, which may spill over a bit due to some unexpected delays. However, the construction of reactors 3 and 4, which started in mid-2017 and suffered huge delay duevto COVID-19 outbreak, has to be expedited to ensure its commissioning at least within a year. So, this all-important meeting is expected to draw some concrete plans and schedules for the supply of equipment from Russia for the early commissioning of reactors 3 and 4,” said a source.
The meeting is also expected to discuss construction of ‘Away From Reactor’ facility for storing the spent fuel getting generated in the two operational reactors.
“The Russians, who initially supplied UTVS fuel system with the fuel cycle of 12 months for the first reactors, upgraded it by supplying new, advanced and more reliable TVS – 2 M fuel systems which increased the fuel cycle to 18 months. It means that the reactor has to be stopped once in 18 months instead of 12 months for removal of spent fuel and refuelling. Then we are supplied Advanced Technology Fuel with the fuel cycle of 24 months. It is the testimony to the close coordination and understanding between NPCIL and Atomstroyexport. So, we are hopeful of strengthening the ties and cooperation further by removing obstacles, if any, during the discussions,” said the sources.
When asked about the possible construction of more reactors on KKNPP campus as informed by Minister for External Affairs Jaishankar during his recent visit to Russia, an official said: “I don’t have any information about it”.
