Fuel loading begins at Kudankulam despite protests

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) today started loading enriched uranium fuel in the first reactor of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) despite persisting protests in and around the project site.

"The fuel loading has started on Wednesday," after getting the final clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on Tuesday, according to a senior NPCIL official.

He said the decks have been cleared after the AERB granted its final clearance on Tuesday and loading of 163 fuel bundles started late Wednesday evening. This is expected to take about 10 days, the official added.

After the fuel loading is completed, NPCIL will initiate the process to start the fission reaction in the nuclear reactor for the first time.

Power generation is expected to start after the reactor reaches first criticality. It would then be scaled up to the optimum level in stages.

NPCIL would have to obtain AERB approval at every stage of the process and a final licence will be granted only after NPCIL operates the unit to the full satisfaction of the regulator.

NPCIL is setting up two nuclear power reactors capable of generating 1,000 MW each at Kudankulam with Russian collaboration.

The Kudankulam nuclear plant had run into a rash of protests over safety issues in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in March last year and the local residents continue to protest over safety issues associated with nuclear plants.