Third and fourth reactors will come up at western side of existing ones at Kudankulam

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP), which successfully completed and commissioned the first two VVER 1,000-MWe reactors amid protests, started the construction of the third and fourth reactors of a similar capacity with Russian technical assistance on Saturday.

After Limarenko Valeri, president of Atomstroyexport, the Russian state company supplying the technology, and Sathish Kumar Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), waved the green flag, concrete was poured for the foundation of the auxiliary building of the third reactor. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed it from Goa through videoconference.

The third and fourth reactors will come up to the west of the first two reactors on an outlay of Rs. 39,849 crore. The 2,619-acre site, close to the sea, will house a total of six reactors.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Mr. Sharma said the first pour of nuclear concrete (for the reactor building) would happen in April 2017, and the third reactor would attain criticality in the 69th month. The fourth reactor would reach the milestone six months thereafter.

Having gained experience from the construction of the first two reactors, NPCIL engineers will fabricate 35-40 per cent of the components for the third and fourth reactors domestically. “And, this figure will be increased to 50 per cent when we start the construction of the fifth and sixth reactors,” Mr. Sharma said.

On the delay in commencing the pre-project and subsequent construction activities at Jaitapur in Maharashtra where the NPCIL has proposed to build six reactors, each with a capacity of 1,650 MWe, Mr. Sharma said talks were on with the technology supplier, Areva of France, and there was no delay in starting the project. He was also hopeful of the project proposed at Haripur in West Bengal coming off. “The land required for the project is yet to be acquired at Haripur. But we’re still hopeful, and hence there is no delay,” he said. Besides formally inaugurating the laying of concrete along with Mr. Putin, Mr. Modi dedicated to the nation the second reactor of the KKNPP that attained criticality on July 10 and synchronised with the Southern Grid on August 29.

NPCIL Director (Projects) R. Banerjee; KKNPP Site Director R.S. Sundar and Project Director (for the third and fourth reactors) P.A. Pillai were present.