The present power generated by the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) is only a test measure and any power fed to the grid was incidental during this period, said Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Chairman S S Bajaj in Kanyakumari on Friday.
Bajaj, who was addressing a press conference on the sidelines of a VVER Regulators’ Forum meeting hosted by the AERB, said that the power produced at the KKNPP during the test phase was not to feed the grid and was only meant to check the reactor’s performance.
Through such measures areas that require fine tuning could be identifies, and the shutdown parameters also formed part of the exercise, he explained.
Stating that KKNPP was yet to reach the steady commercial phase, he said that at the present stage there might be some volatility in supply from the plant.
Alleviating security concerns, Bajaj said that even the foreign delegates were satisfied with the safety mechanisms in place at the KKNPP. “For every mechanism, there is an electricity-based safety function, we have installed a passive mechanism to back the safety function as well,” said Bajaj.
Once the tests were over and the AERB was satisfied, clearance to produce additional 500 MW would be given, said Bajaj.
A total of 14 delegates from across the world attended the 20th edition of the three-day meet that concluded on Friday. This was the first time that India hosted the forum ever since its inception in 1993.
S Duraisamy, vice chairman of AERB, R Bhattacharya, Secretary AERB, K J Vakharwala, Director Nuclear Projects safety division, P R Krishnamurthy,
Director Operating Plants Safety Division, and other senior officials of the AERB also participated in the meeting.