Kudankulam n-plant's commercial operation delayed by two months

The commercial operation of the first 1,000 MW unit at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) has been delayed by two months, said plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).

According to NPCIL, the commercial operation of the first unit at KNPP will happen in April. The physical progress of the project is at 99.84 percent.

The company on its website Tuesday also said the commercial operation of the second 1,000 MW at KNPP is expected to happen in December 2014. The unit has achieved a physical progress of 96.74 percent as in January.

India's atomic power plant operator NPCIL is setting up two 1,000 MW Russian reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, 650 km from here. The total outlay for the project is over Rs.17,000 crore.

KNPP is India's first pressurised water reactor belonging to the light water reactor category.

The first unit attained criticality July 2013, which is the beginning of the fission process.

In August 2013, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) gave its permission to generate power up to 50 percent (500 MW) of the rated capacity.

Last month AERB allowed the unit to generate power up to 75 percent capacity.

Meanwhile the Supreme Court Monday asked the government and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board to respond to a petition seeking to put on hold further steps for commissioning of the KNPP till the court's 15 directions were complied with.

The government and the AERB were asked to respond on the plea by G. Sundarajan on whose petition the apex court had May 6, 2013, had issued 15 directions that were to be complied with as the government proceeded with the commissioning of the plant.