Kudankulam Unit-1 at advanced stage of commissioning: Sinha

India is at an advanced stage of commissioning the Unit-1 of the Kudankulam nuclear power project and fast completing its first commercial Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam.
Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Ratan Kumar Sinha also stressed that there was no change in India's nuclear power policy which is based on the principle of closed fuel cycle and the three-stage programme aimed at utilising its large thorium reserves.
"The Unit-1 of Kudankulam NPP is in an advanced stage of commissioning, following multi-tier safety reviews," Sinha told the IAEA International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in 21st Century at St Petersburg in Russia.

He said discussions were also underway with identified vendors for setting up Light Water Reactors at designated coastal sites, including Kudankulam.
Sinha said construction of four indigenously designed 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) -- two each at existing sites of Kakrapar in Gujarat and Rawatbhata in Rajasthan was in progress.
"In addition, 16 more PHWRs of 700 MWe capacity will be progressively taken up for construction at five different inland sites already identified," he said.

India was also planning to set up PWRs of indigenous design in the next decade, Sinha said.
He said the first PFBR of 500 MWe capacity -- was at an advanced stage of completion of construction at Kalpakkam.

"All the major equipment of PFBR have been erected and the loading of dummy fuel bundles at peripheral locations is in progress. Indigenously developed mixed oxide type fuel pins for the first core of the PFBR are under manufacture and progressive delivery," Sinha said.