The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) announced Saturday that Unit 3 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu has achieved a significant commissioning milestone. This development marks a crucial step in the project's progress, which is being constructed in technical cooperation with the Russian Federation.
"Spillage to Open Reactor" Phase Begins
The milestone signifies the successful commencement of the “Spillage to Open Reactor” phase. This important stage involves the flushing of safety systems and Main Coolant Pipelines (MCP) using light water. The process ensures the cleanliness of these critical systems, preparing them for subsequent commissioning activities.
Flushing operations are meticulously carried out from the Main Control Room, with safety system pumps operated in a controlled, sequential manner. This precision maintains system integrity and achieves the required technical parameters for clean conditions as per design specifications. The initiation of this phase also signals the start of individual functional testing of primary system equipment and piping, aligning with the project's design requirements.
Leadership Presence and Project Context
The commencement of the “Spillage to Open Reactor” was inaugurated by B.C. Pathak, Chairman & Managing Director of NPCIL. He was joined by M. Novikov, Director for Indian Projects at Atomstroyexport (ASE), and other senior officials, underscoring the importance of this achievement.
The Kudankulam site already hosts Units 1 and 2, each with a 1000 MW capacity, which have collectively generated approximately 121 Billion Units of clean electricity. This output has prevented the release of about 104 Million Tonnes of CO2 equivalent into the atmosphere. Unit 4 (1000 MW) is currently in an advanced stage of construction, while Units 5 and 6 (2 x 1000 MW) are also progressing through various construction phases, with planned progressive commissioning.
Advancing India's Nuclear Energy Ambitions
Upon the full completion of all planned units, the Kudankulam site will boast a total installed capacity of 6000 MW. This expansion is a vital component of India's broader national nuclear power strategy. Currently, India operates 8.8 GW of nuclear power capacity across seven sites, contributing around 2% to the nation’s electricity generation capacity.
The government aims to significantly scale up nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047, projecting a 5% share of the country's total electricity capacity. The progress at Kudankulam is a key step towards achieving these ambitious clean energy targets.