New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) The second unit of KudankulamNuclear Power Plant, which was connected to the southern gridlast week, is scheduled to begin commercial operation inDecember this year. The unit with the Russian-designed VVER-1000 reactor wassynchronised with the southern grid on August 29 and has beengenerating about 245 MWe. The connection of the second unit brings India’sinstalled nuclear generating capacity to 6,780 MWe. Excavation for Kudankulam units 3 and 4 is in progressand first concrete for the new units will be poured in Marchnext year, Rosatom, the Russian counterpart of India’sDepartment of Atomic Energy (DAE) said. The units 3 and 4 will begin power production by2022-2023. Construction of the unit 2 was completed in July, 2015and was loaded with fuel in May, 2016. Following safety tests,it attained criticality on 10 July. The Kudankulam first unit achieved first criticality inmid-2013, was connected to the grid in October, 2013 and begancommercial operation in December, 2014. Kudankulam units 1 and 2 have been built by Nuclear PowerCorporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL). These are operated by NPCILunder IAEA safeguards, with supervision from Russianspecialists. Enriched uranium fuel for the entire life of theplant is to be supplied by Russia. PTI PR SMN DVSMN
Unit 2 of Kudankulam to start commercial operation from Dec
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