Reactor Pressure Vessel opened at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Chennai, May 22 (PTI) The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu achieved an important milestone on Monday when the Reactor Pressure Vessel was unsealed paving the way for removal of dummy fuel and inspection of the vessel, moving it one step short of filling enriched uranium. "An important milestone of unsealing of Reactor Pressure Vessel is achieved today. During early hours, the equipment known as "Multiple Stud Tensioner" was lowered on the top of the sealed reactor pressure vessel to loosen all the studs which are used for sealing the vessel," a KNPP release said on Monday. This would facilitate removal of dummy fuel assemblies from the reactor pressure vessel. Subsequently reactor pressure vessel inspection would be taken up, KNPP Senior Manager (HR) K Anbumani said in the release. India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board had on May 10 permitted KNPP to open the Reactor Pressure Vessel Top Head, Dummy Fuel Assembly removal and the vessel inspection, one step short of filling enriched uranium. The release said the process of commissioning activities were in progress on round-the-clock basis. It also said R.S.Sundar has taken charge as KNPP Site Director from M.Kasinath Balaji, who has been shifted as the first Executive Director, Operations-Light Water Reactors, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, Mumbai. NPCIL last week had said the 1,000 MW first unit of the controversy-hit KNPP in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu was expected to start commercial operations in August this year. Commissioning work of the reactor at the Indo-Russian project, which had remained stalled following protests by anti-nuclear activists citing safety concerns, resumed in full swing after the Tamil Nadu Government gave its green signal in March last. PTI Caption for pic: Site Director R.S. Sundar and other senior scientists observing the preparatory work towards the commissioning of the first 1,000 MWe unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) at Kudankulam in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Monday. PTI Photo