Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Infobox NPP
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Country = India
EIGENTÜMER = Nuclear Power Corporation of India LTD.
Built = 1998
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Reactor =
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S_Reactor =
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B_Reactor = 2
B_Reactor_MW = 2000
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as_of = August 11, 2007

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power station currently under construction in Kudankulam in the Tirunelveli district of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Cost estimation of this project was US$3 billion.

History

The Inter-Governmental Agreement on the project was signed on November 20, 1988 by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. The project was in limbo for 10 years. The project got delayed due to politico economic upheavel in Russia (post 1991 soviet break up) while on the other hand United States complained that the agreement does not meet the 1992 terms of the Nuclear Supplies Group (NSG) although Russia signed the deal in 1988. [http://www.nti.org/db/nisprofs/russia/exports/rusind/react.htm Nuclear Exports to India from Russia] ]

There are negotiations to see if a naval base is to be added here for both safeguarding the project and as a presence in the southern tip of the country. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/15788394.cms New Naval base at Kudankulam] ] A mini port became operational in Kudankulam on January 14, 2004. [http://www.blonnet.com/2004/01/17/stories/2004011700940600.htm Kudankulam Port operational] ] The port has been established to receive barges carrying overdimensional equipments for light water reactors from ships anchored at a distance of convert|1.5|km. This removes the necessity of land transportation that increases the possibility of damage. In 2008, an agreement on building additional reactors at the atomic station was initialized. [cite web
url = http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-31900120080212
title = Russia, India edge closer to major nuclear deal
author = Dmitry Sergeev
publisher = Reuters
date = 2008-02-12
accessdate = 2008-02-12]

Technical description

Two 1 GW units of the VVER-1000 model are being constructed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited. When the two are completed, it will become the largest nuclear power generation complex in India producing a cumulative of 2 GW of electric power. Both units are Water Cooled Water Moderated Power Reactors. [http://www.icjt.org/npp/podrobnosti.php?drzava=11&lokacija=628 Nuclear Power Plant Type] ] The first unit is estimated to go into operation in June 2009, while the second one is set for March 2010.cite web
url = http://www.npcil.nic.in/kapp.asp
title = KUDANKULAM ATOMIC POWER PROJECT 1 & 2
accessdate = 2008-06-01] [http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/26/stories/2007012616170100.htm Four more reactors] ] This will add another 2.5 GW output from the project.

India successfully joins the Nuclear Suppliers Group in September 2008 which paved the way to expand the power generating capacity further by uninterrupted nuclear fuel supply from Russia.

References

External links

* [http://www.npcil.nic.in/kapp.asp KKNPP Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant website]