5 May (NucNet): India’s nuclear regulator has approved an increase in power for the Kudankulam-1 nuclear reactor to 90 percent of full power as part of pre-commissioning tests on the Russia-designed VVER unit.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) said in a statement that in January 2014 it had granted clearance for the unit to operate at 75 percent of full power for tests to be carried out. It had now reviewed the results of those tests and authorised a power increase to 90 percent for further “specific tests”.
The AERB also said it had approved an increase in power to 100 percent “for a limited duration”. Once tests at 100 percent have been completed the unit must be operated at 90 percent for seven days, after which operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) can submit an application for sustained operation at 100 percent.
Kudankulam-1 is a Russian-designed VVER-1000 light water reactor with a design net output of 917 megawatts. It was built with technical cooperation from Russia. Its twin unit, Kudankulam-2 is under construction on the same site, in Tamil Nadu, southern India.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency there are 21 commercially operational nuclear units in India with six under construction, although the IAEA lists Kudankulam-1 as already being operational.
According to NPCIL’s website, Kudankulam-1 will begin commercial operation in May 2014 and Kudankulam-2 in December 2014. NPCIL said Kudankulam-1 was 99.85 percent complete as of March 2014.
With the addition of Kudankulam-1 to the grid, India’s total nuclear power generation capacity will increase to 5,780 MW gross (5,308 MW net), NPCIL said.
