Site in Tamil Nadu state will have six reactor units
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has reached a major construction milestone at Kudankulam-5 nuclear power project with the successful placing of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) inside the reactor building.
NPCIL said the landmark is a critical transition in the project’s construction phase.
The RPV weighs approximately 320 tonnes and is considered the heart of a nuclear power plant. It houses the reactor core where nuclear fission takes place.
Construction of Kudankulam-5, a Russia-designed VVER-1000 pressurised water reactor unit, began in June 2021.
There are three other reactor units of the same design under construction at the site, in Tamil Nadu state, southern India. Construction of Kudankulam-3 and -4 began in 2017 and of Kudankulam-6 in 2021.
Kudankulam-1 and -2 began commercial operation in 2014 and 2017 respectively.
NPCIL said the Kudankulam site is “steadily moving towards its full potential of 6,000 MWe installed capacity, reinforcing India’s long-term commitment to reliable, clean, and sustainable energy”.
India has eight commercial nuclear plants under construction and 21 in operation, providing about 3.3% of its electricity generation.
