Kudankulam could be commissioned in "few days": Official
The first 1,000 MW unit of the much-delayed Kudankulam nuclear power project could be commissioned in the next few days and every step is being taken to ensure safety, a senior official said.
|Last Updated: Feb 08, 2013, 08:14 PM IST|Source: Bureau
New Delhi: The first 1,000 MW unit of the much-delayed Kudankulam nuclear power project (KNPP) could be commissioned in the next few days and every step is being taken to ensure safety, a senior official said.
"We are reaching there. It is a matter of days now," Ravi Bhushan Grover, Principal Adviser, Department of Atomic Energy, told reporters on the sidelines of the India Energy Congress here when asked about the commissioning of KNPP.
He said nuclear engineers were carrying out a thorough check of the first unit of the project, being built with Russian collaboration.
"We have to check at every stage. Whenever we find something, we correct it and move forward. We cannot take any chances. Safety has to be guaranteed," said Grover, who played a crucial role in negotiating the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement.
He said the engineers were now gradually heating up the reactor systems to the maximum after which the plant would again be put through a series of tests.
Last month, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) had granted permission to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited to repeat the `hydro-tests` on the first unit.
In December, AERB had given its nod for the `second heat up`, under which all systems of the entire nuclear power plant will be put to test to demonstrate its operability and safety.
It was during these tests that engineers found certain deviations in some plant equipment and it was felt that some maintenance operations needed to be carried out.
AERB had granted permission to load fuel in the first unit of the nuclear power project on August 10 after NPCIL complied with all the conditions laid by it.
A specially-designed robotic arm then began loading 163 bundles of enriched uranium fuel on September 18 and the process was completed on October 2.
Commissioning of the first unit was originally scheduled for December 2011 but had to be put off due to protests.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.