CHENNAI: After working continuously for 278 days since February, unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) has halted operations -- an incident that activists claim was caused due to power to the unit tripping, and raised concerns about the quality of components used in the controversial plant against which there have been protests for years.
Officials, however, claim it was planned shutdown.
Site director RS Sundar said the reactor had been functioning continuously for 278 days since February. So the reactor's functioning was stopped for maintenance. “It would take 10 days to complete the work. Unit 2 is generating 670 MWe power now,” he said.
Sources said unit 1 power generation was 815MWe for a month before the shutdown.
Meanwhile, anti-nuclear activists assert that KKNPP unit 1 had tripped, bringing back the focus on the quality of components used.
"It has become impossible to keep track of the number of times the unit has tripped since it began operations two years ago. In this background, starting the work on other units is only an audacious disregard to the safety of the people in the vicinity and their justified demands.
“We demand an independent probe of units 1&2 and stopping its expansion,” said Sundarrajan of Poovulagu Nanbargal, an environmental movement.
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