S.K. Jain, chairman and managing director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), said ‘This is the first consignment of the light enriched uranium for the second unit of the Kudankulam project. Several more consignments of the fuel will come from Russia for the project,’ , told IANS from Mumbai on phone.
Jain said that the first consignment reached India and the rest of the fuel required for the second unit is expected to arrive some time next week. ‘But we can’t give the total fuel quantity right now’, Jain said.
According to Jain, the first unit was now 94% complete.
‘Nearly 99 percent of the components are at the site. Some are yet to be received from Russia owing to unforeseen delays. It is a complex job with project in one country and the components manufactured in another country,’ Jain added.
Jain said that loading of fuel for the first unit will be completed by end of 2009.
‘Dummy fuel is expected from Russia next week. It will be loaded in the first unit.’
Dummy fuel is similar to real fuel in terms of weight and other features, but without uranium.
This dummy fuel will be inserted into the reactor core to test the functioning of all systems. If the systems function as per the norms, then the real fuel will be loaded.
Jain reported that the first unit would be commissioned 2010 and the second unit would go on stream eight months after the first.
Asked about last week’s joint coordination committee meeting of NPCIL and the Russian supplier AtomStroyExport in Kudankulam, he said: “We reviewed the status of the project. Every quarter we hold such a meeting in India or in Russia.”
Additionally, four Russian generators will be established in Kudankulam for which site leveling and laying of road has started.
