Construction of Unit 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu has been formally launched by pouring the first concrete in the foundation slab of the reactor building, according to Rosatam State Corporation of Russia.
“In June, the first concrete was laid at Power Unit No. 5, and on December 20, the first concreting was launched at the Power Unit No. 6 ,” said Andrey Lebedev, vice-president, projects in India and prospective projects, JSC Atomstroyexport (ASE).
“The third stage of the KKNPP relating to the main construction period will provide additional power capacity to ensure the industrial and commercial development of businesses in the Tamil Nadu region and the Republic of India as a whole,” the official added.
The first two power units demonstrated sustainable operation at the nominal power level, Mr. Lebedev said, while the power units of the second stage were being constructed, that is, work is under way at Unit 3 to prepare for installation of the reactor pressure vessel.
The equipment for the top-priority installation at Units 5 and 6 was being supplied and the construction process was being supported by working documentation, Rosatam said.
“The technical solutions implemented in the Kudankulam design characterise further evolutionary development of VVER-reactor NPPs of high power and transition to creation of a new, reliable, safe and feasible power unit,” the firm added.
As part of India-Russia nuclear cooperation, Rosatom is scheduled to construct six units of VVER-1000, light-water reactors at Kudankulam. In December 2014, both sides announced a decision for the construction of at least 12 more units in India. JSC ASE is the general designer and supplier of equipment from the Russian side.
The General Framework Agreement for construction of KKNPP Units 3 and 4 was signed on April 10, 2014, following which negotiations began between India and Russia for construction of Units 5 and 6, and an agreement was reached for these units to be built in the same design as those of the second stage.
On June 1, 2017, the Credit Protocol to the Intergovernmental Agreement of December 5, 2008, and the GFA for KKNPP Units 5 and 6 were signed as a single batch of documents, according to Rosatom.
Russia is building the KKNPP under an Inter-Governmental Agreement of 1988 and follow-on agreements in 1998 and 2008. Unit-1 joined the grid in October 2013 and Unit-2 was connected to the grid in August 2016.
