India’s nuclear push advances with Kudankulam expansion approval

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board approved installation of key equipment at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 5 and 6, enabling major progress by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited in India’s nuclear expansion and clean energy programme

Chennai: In a major boost to India’s nuclear power expansion programme, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted permission for the installation of major equipment at Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), officials said.

The approval allows the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to proceed with the erection of critical plant components, including the reactor pressure vessel, steam generators, coolant pumps and associated systems, marking the transition from civil construction to a crucial phase of plant development.

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The regulatory clearance follows a detailed multi-tier safety review by AERB, which assessed the design of the units against its stringent safety requirements and evaluated the progress of civil construction carried out under the earlier First Pour of Concrete (FPC) permission granted in April 2021.

Officials said the latest approval indicates that the project has successfully met the prescribed safety and quality benchmarks, enabling the commencement of installation of key nuclear systems. The move is expected to accelerate the pace of work on the twin units, which are part of India’s long-term plan to enhance nuclear power generation capacity.

Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam project are based on advanced VVER pressurised water reactor (VVER) technology and incorporate several enhanced safety features in line with AERB’s Safety Code for Light Water Reactor-based nuclear power plants. These include improved passive safety systems and advanced containment mechanisms aimed at ensuring high levels of operational reliability and accident resistance.

Located in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, the Kudankulam nuclear complex is being developed in technical collaboration with Russia. The site will house six pressurised water reactor units of 1,000 MW(e) capacity each, making it one of the largest nuclear power hubs in the country.

Units 1 and 2 have been operational since 2013 and 2015, respectively, supplying electricity to the southern grid, while Units 3 and 4 are in advanced stages of construction. Once all six units are commissioned, the project is expected to significantly strengthen India’s clean energy capacity and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.