The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Unit-I is expected to go commercial by January 22. Because of the problems in the turbine, the commercial run could not be started by October 22, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) submitted before the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) on October 27.
In its petition for permission to continue feeding infirm power into the southern grid, the NPCIL said the first and second stage turbine blades and diaphragm were damaged. These were being replaced with those from Unit II, and the process would take seven-eight weeks.
The NPCIL said the unit was synchronised with the grid on July 15, and the commercial run was planned in September, well before the October 22 deadline set by the CERC. However, while power generation reached 850 MWe, the turbine thrust bearing temperature went up to the operational limit.
To attend to the problem, the turbine-generator was taken off the bar, and the reactor was shut on September 26. The NPCIL said that though it estimated that all tests and outage for the mandatory containment leak rate test would be completed by October-end, the rectification of the turbine problem could take two more months. Stating that the problem would be resolved by December 22, the NPCIL sought one month for “eventualities” during the rectification work.
In a November 10 order, the CERC extended the time for injection of infirm power into the grid till January 22. However, it asked the NPCIL to inform it of the status of the rectification work by December 30.
