Kudankulam powers up from Monday

A day after the 1,000 MW first unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) attained criticality, the power generation was expected to start from Monday after which it would be re-connected to the southern grid. Sources said after a gap of seven months, the reactor would start generating power from Monday. 

In June last year, the reactor was shut down for maintenance and refuelling and it attained criticality (restarting of the fission process) yesterday. KNPP Site Director RS Sundar said once the unit attains criticality, the power generation would begin slowly. “The unit will start generating full capacity of 1,000 MW of power during the first week in February,” he added. 

As per the allocation made by the Central Electricity Authority, Tamil Nadu will get the lion’s share of 562.50 MW from the KNPP first unit. Karnataka would get 221 MW. Kerala (133 MW), AP (50 MW) and Puducherry (33.50 MW). The first unit of KNPP is India’s first pressurised water reactor belonging to the light water reactor category.