Nuclear fuel for Kudankulam N-Plant arrives

Mumbai, May 26 (UNI) The first consignment of Uranium fuel for unit-1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) arrived at the site in Tamil Nadu yesterday.

The KKNPP comprising two units of 1000 MW each are at advanced stage of completion in technical collaboration with Russian federation.

The two units belong to advance design of VVER family, a pressurised water reactor constituting majority of power reactors in the world, a release issued by Nuclear power Corporation of India Limited said here today.

These reactors use light enriched uranium as fued. This kind of fuel is in use in VVER 1000 MW units in several countries around the world since 1980s and has given excellent performance. The life-time fuel supply for Kudankulam reactors is covered through a sovereign gurantee of Russian federation, the release said.

The KKNPP is under construction at Kudankulam in Radhapuam taluka of Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district. The project is being set up through a bilateral agreement between former USSR and India.

The construction activities are being carried out round the clock for an early completion of the project. A physical progress of around 88 per cent has already been achieved. All the major compenents have already been erected at the site.

Concurrently, the pre-commissioning activities have already commenced. Indian engineers and scintists have also been trained and qualified for commissioning peration and maintenance activities, the release added.

UNI JM GR RL ND1840