TIRUNELVELI: The second unit of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant Project (KKNPP) may become operational by year-end, hinted Atomic Energy Commission chairman and Department of Atomic Energy secretary Srikumar Banerjee. Banerjee, who addressed presspersons along with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) managing director S K Jain at the KKNPP site on Thursday, said that with the cooperation of the Tamil Nadu government, work at Unit-1 and Unit-2 was progressing steadily towards criticality.He said that Unit-2 would become operational six months after Unit-1, which is expected to become operational in less than 40 days.“Only a few steps are left for the Unit-1 to attain criticality. NPCIL has applied for and is waiting for the necessary permission for the next step. After opening the pressure vessel, dummy fuel will be taken out and the fuel loaded. Then it will attain criticality.” “We expect this to happen in a short while, after which, the power will be gradually raised,” he detailed. Further, Tamil Nadu’s request to increase its share of power from the KKNPP was also being considered by the Centre, Banerjee said.Reiterating his view on the plant’s safety, he said that the questions raised by the people of the region were answered by the Central and state panels appointed for this purpose. When asked about the amount of fuel needed for the plant, the Atomic Energy Commission Chairman said the plant has enough fuel for 10 years. “No fuel processing plant would be set up here. We have technology to convert the high discharge of spent fuel to a glass-like structure. After many years, it would be kept at a geological repository,” he added.
Comments
0 comment