Kudankulam to generate full power by November

Will produce 400 MWe by August.

The controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is expected to gradually increase the power generated by its twin nuclear reactors to their maximum capacity of 1,000 MWe by end November.

Project Site Director R.S. Sundar said the first reactor was performing exceptionally well. As part of a mandatory exercise, the reactor was shut down and started again on five occasions to test the equipment performance.

The entire process was closely monitored by Russian experts from the Kurchatov Institute and India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. Since operational parameters and tests of the first reactor were well within permissible levels, AERB is expected to soon approve plans that operations be taken to the next level.

Sundar said the second reactor, which has been loaded with dummy fuel assemblies, will undergo a “hot run” in the next 90 days.