TN to get power in next few months

The first 1,000-Mw unit of the Indo-Russian joint venture in the state commenced its commercial operations last year

Tamil Nadu can expect to draw power from the second unit of Kudankulam nuclear power plant in next few months, a top official said today.

"Kudankulam Unit 2 has been taken through a process of heating. After that dummy fuel was loaded. This exercise is over. All the pumps have been operated and the exercises have been completed," Atomic Energy Commission chairman Ratan Kumar Sinha told reporters here.

He said some "maintenance" activities are going on at the Kudankulam Unit 2.

"We will be soon approaching the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for loading the actual uranium fuel. This process can take about two months. Afterwards, we will take further operations like criticality..," he said.

 

The first 1,000-Mw unit of the Indo-Russian joint venture in the state, which faced prolonged protests from anti-nuclear activists, commenced its commercial operations last year.

The second 1,000 MWe unit has got clearance for the hot run (releasing of steam into atmosphere) from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and this process has been in progress since February 28.

Early this year, members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertaking visited Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.