Russia to start construction of reactors at Kundankulam

Moscow, Sept 29 (PTI) Russia could start construction
work of four additional nuclear reactors at Kudankulam nuclear
power plant in Tamil Nadu next year with a formal Indo-Russian
atomic agreement expected to be inked during President Dmitry
Medvedev's maiden visit to India in December.

"We are planning to build with the Russian help four
more nuclear reactors with a capacity of 1000 M.W. each in
Kudankulam," Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar
was quoted as saying by N.T.V. channel.

The N.S.G. waiver will enable the two countries to
launch the construction of these reactors by early next year,
he said.

Russia along with France and U.S. companies are the
major bidders for India's plans to boost nuclear power
generation by 10,000 M.W.

In anticipation of bagging part of Indian order for
new reactors, Russian experts have almost completed design of
two V.V.E.R.-1000 light water reactors with a total capacity
of 2000 M.W., Russian Nuclear Corporation RosAtom sources said
here.

In February this year, India and Russia signed a
M.o.U. for the construction of four additional units of
Kudankulam in the presence of the then Russian Prime Minister
Viktor Zubkov, who was on a visit to India.