Russia readies reactor vessel for 5th unit of TN nuclear plant

New Delhi, April 25

Atommash, part of the machine-building division of Rosatom, has shipped a massive reactor pressure vessel and four steam generators that will be delivered to a special berth by road. After being loaded on barges, the equipment will be transported through waterways to the sea port of Saint Petersburg and then the cargo will be delivered to India by sea for the fifth nuclear power unit at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.

“In spite of external restrictions, the domestic economy builds export capacity, supplies goods, services and raw materials throughout the world,” said Igor Kotov, General Director of Atommash.

The Kudankulam nuclear power plant (NPP) involves the erection of six Russian power units with VVER-1000 reactors with a total installed capacity of 6,000 MW. Rosatom is currently building four more power units that are the second and the third stages of Kudankulam NPP.

The units were part of a package promised to France, Russia and the US for helping India gain exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG). While French and American projects are yet to take off, the Russians have powered ahead with the first batch of six units and are in talks with another batch of six units.