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India revives Kudankulam atomic power project

Leading nuclear scientists of India and Russia Thursday allayed fears about the proposed 2000 mw atomic power station at Kudankulam in south Tamil Nadu.

The Indo-Russian venture, in limbo for 10 years now, had shown signs of revival with the two countries starting on a detailed project report.

Addressing a seminar in Madras on the safety aspects of the 3.2-billion-dollar station, comprising two units of 1000 mw pressurised water reactors, the scientists assured that it would strictly follow the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Chairman and Managing Director Dr Y S R Prasad said the reactors were the safest ones available today. They were provided with modern safety features like passive heat removal system.

Besides meeting Tamil Nadu's power requirements, the station, to be commissioned by 2006, would also pave way for massive investments in infrastructure, he added.

The 10-million-dollar detailed project report would be ready in 24 months, Dr Prasad said. A team of 30 Indian and 400 Russian scientists would work on it.

Russia's Department of Atomic Energy chief N Errnakov said work has already commenced in Moscow. Eighteen design organisations and 15,000 technicians would be involved.

Once the report is completed, it would be submitted to the Indian government for approval. "If everything went well, the first unit would be commissioned by 2006 and the second, a year later," Dr Prasad said.

UNI

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