The second reactor of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) that attained criticality on July 10 last crossed yet another milestone on Monday as the turbine of the 1,000 MWe unit was successfully synchronised with the Southern Grid situated at Abhishekapatti on the city outskirts at 11.17 a.m.
“We’re now transmitting 100 MWe power to the Southern Grid from the second unit, which will be gradually increased in phases after conducting mandatory tests stipulated by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board” an elated R.S. Sundar, Site Director, KKNPP, who monitored the synchronisation of the turbine from the control room on the KKNPP site along with his senior colleagues, told The Hindu .
Generation of power will be raised to 250 MWe, 500 MWe, 750 MWe, 900 MWe and then 1,000 MWe in stages. At every stage, various tests will be conducted and the technical parameters verified as mandated by the AERB. Based on the results of the tests at each stage and AERB clearances, which will consume 2 to 3 weeks, subsequent stages will be reached to take the VVER reactor constructed with Russian technical assistance to its maximum capacity of 1,000 MWe.
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“This is a great moment for the Team KKNPP that showed exemplary resolve in taking the reactors to this stage despite many hurdles. We’re immensely satisfied with the performance of the reactors, turbines and other allied units as every section is functioning exceptionally well in expected lines,” Mr. Sundar said.
Though it was originally planned to complete the construction of the first two reactors within 60 months from ‘first pouring of concrete’ held on March 31, 2002, it took 11 years for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, the proponent of the project, to take the first reactor to the criticality stage owing to various reasons including delay in supply of components by the Russians and anti-KKNNP agitations. Moreover, the VVER technology was quite new to NPCIL engineers.
The first unit, after attaining criticality in July 13, 2013, was synchronised with the southern grid on October 22 the same year. It was dedicated to the nation on August 10.
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Tamil Nadu is getting its share of 562.50 MWe from the first unit and the neighbouring Telengana, Karnataka and Kerala are getting 50 MWe, 221 MWe and 133 MWe respectively from the first reactor while the Union Territory of Puducherry’s share stands at 33.50 MWe.
Tamil Nadu is expected to get a minimum share of 462.50 MWe from the second unit.
Having successfully accomplished the mission by operationalizing the first two reactors and synchronising the turbines with the Southern Grid, the KKNPP will now pay more attention for commencing the work on the construction of third and fourth reactors, each with a capacity of 1,000 MWe, on an outlay of Rs. 39,500 crores.
Site excavation activities for Units 3 and 4 had been going on since February last and so far around six lakh cubic meter of soil excavation had already been completed. Hence the ‘First Pour of Concrete’, a very major milestone towards the construction of Units 3 and 4, would take place before the start of next fiscal.