First Criticality Reached At India’s Kudankulam-2

11 Jul (NucNet): First criticality was achieved at Unit 2 of the Kudankulam nuclear power station in Tamil Nadu, southern India, on 10 July at 20:56 local time, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said in a statement. The “first approach to criticality” began on 8 July after completion of all statutory and regulatory requirements and receipt of clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), the statement said. According to NPCIL, Russian and AERB experts were part of a team which supervised the process. NPCIL said during the first stage of operation the 917-MW plant will be synchronised to the local grid with about 400 MW of power “within 30 to 45 days from the date of criticality”. Then, after completion of procedural and regulatory requirements, power will be gradually increased in several steps. NPCIL did not give any date for commercial operation. The VVER-1000 PWR unit is being built at Kudankulam as part of an agreement between India and Russia signed in 1988 that also saw the construction of Kudankulam-1. Kudankulam-1 began commercial operation in December 2014.