The under-construction nuclear reactors 3 and 4 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) have achieved a progress of 73%, Site Director Joy P. Varghese has said.
Delivering his Independence Day address after hoisting the national flag at Anu Vijay Township, Mr. Varghese said inner containment dome erection of reactor building of Unit 3 and dome concreting had been completed. Major critical equipment such as reactor pressure vessel, steam generator and reactor coolant pumps had been erected and the major milestone of main coolant pipe welding completed. Turbine erection was going on in Unit 3.
In Unit 4, reactor pressure vessel, lowering of main coolant pipelines and erection of steam generators had been completed, he said.
Similarly, polar crane and turbine hall crane had been commissioned and released for critical equipment erection in reactor building and turbine building, respectively. Electrical switch yard, desalination and demineralisation facility were getting ready for commissioning.
He said that construction of KKNPP’s reactors 5 and 6 had been accelerated to achieve 28% progress. Major milestones of erection of dry shield, guide plate and support truss in reactor cavity of Unit 5 had been completed.
Mr. Varghese said, “The KKNPP Unit 1 was synchronised to grid in 78 days after the seventh refuelling shutdown on April 16 against the scheduled 85 days. Unit 2 was synchronised to grid in 56 days after completion of refuelling shutdown on July 8 against the scheduled 63 days.”
He said, “The KKNPP incorporates the latest safety features ensuring the highest level of safety in line with the current international standards. While generating 100 billion units of power, the 2 X 1,000 MWe VVER reactors have indirectly avoided release of about 86 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,” he noted.
During the last financial year, KKNPP’s power generation registered a new benchmark of above 13,000 million units with capacity factor of 75% and availability factor of over 76%, he said.
The KKNPP had allocated ₹14 crore towards its Corporate Social Responsibility programme during 2024 – 2025, and ₹3 crore-worth works had been completed. “The KKNPP has so far spent ₹118 crore under its CSR activities in education, healthcare, infrastructure development, skill development, environment improvement, etc.,” he said.
Senior KKNPP officials, Russian engineers involved in the construction of reactors 3 to 6, and Anu Vijay Township residents participated.
