Kudankulam nuclear plant’s unit 3 enters reactor spillage phase

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu has initiated the "spillage to open reactor" phase for unit three, a key step in its commissioning process. This phase involves flushing safety systems and coolant pipelines with light water to ensure operational readiness.

New Delhi: The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project’s unit three witnessed the commencement of the “spillage to open reactor” phase on Saturday, marking a significant development in the ongoing construction of the project, a statement said.

The spillage to open reactor phase involves flushing of the safety system and main coolant pipelines (MCP) using light water to ensure cleanliness of the systems for further commissioning activities.

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Located in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, the project is currently being developed in technical cooperation with Russia under the framework of the inter-governmental agreement.

In its statement, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said, “The milestone signifies the start of individual functional testing of primary system equipment and piping in accordance with design requirements, marking a critical step towards commissioning of the plant.”

Currently, the plant’s units one and two (2×1000 MW) are operating and unit four (1000 MW) is at an advanced stage of construction, it said.

Units five and six (2×1000 MW) are at different stages of construction and are planned to be commissioned progressively.

“Upon completion of these projects, the Kudankulam site will have a total installed capacity of 6000 MW,” the NPCIL said.