TIRUNELVELI: Unit-1 of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) attained full capacity by generating 1,000 MWe for the first time on Saturday.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted clearance to Unit I for First Approach to Criticality (FAC) in July 2013. The reactor attained criticality within 48 hours.
For the first time, the Unit-1 was synchronized with the southern grid on October 22, 2013. Meanwhile, officials gradually increased the generation level up to 160 MWe. After around two hours of action, the unit I was stopped. Then the synchronization resumed on October 25, and the production was increased to 300 MWe. Again, the generation was stopped on October 29.
By and by, generation was raised from 400 MWe to 680 MWe and in May the production rose to 900 MWe.
On May 28, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gave clearance to augment the production level to 1000 MWe. As a result, the Unit-1 reached its full generation capacity of 1000 MWe on Saturday.
KKNPP Site Director R S Sundar, in a press release on Saturday announced that the Unit-1 achieved its full capacity of 1,000 MWe at 1.20 pm. During the process, all technical parameters were found to be satisfactory and within norms. All systems and components were operating satisfactorily. After conforming to all the criteria for system performances as per the design requirements and after meeting all the stipulated statutory and regulatory requirements and final clearance from AERB, safety review committee and Russian specialists, full production has been achieved.
The KKNPP is the 21st nuclear power reactor in the country and India’s first Pressurised Water reactor belonging to Light Water Reactor category. The Site Director noted that the cumulative generation from Unit-1 till date was around 1,900 million units.
Sources said that the power generation went up to 1,011 MWe. Some more tests would be conducted to ensure smooth and safe functioning of the unit.