Kudankulam n-power plant generates 188 MW

For the second day in succession, the first unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) Sunday generated 188 MW power and increased its average out put as compared to the previous day.

The average power generated Oct 26 was 165 MW, according to a Power System Operation Corporation ltd report. Power System Operation Corporation operates the power grids - regional and national - and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India ltd.

On Oct 22, the 1,000 MW capacity KNPP unit was synchronised for the first time with the power grid at 2.45 a.m., and generated 75 MW of power. The power generation was subsequently increased to 160 MW and nearly two hours later, the unit tripped. On Oct 25 9.43 p.m., the unit was reconnected to the grid and generated around 160 MW. According to power sector officials, the power generated by KNPP now is termed as infirm power and will be supplied to the home state - Tamil Nadu.

 Only when the unit is declared as commercially operational then the power generated will be shared with other southern states, officials added.

India's atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India ltd (NPCIl) has been setting up two 1,000 MW Russian reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, around 650 km from here. The total outlay for the project is over Rs.17,000 crore. KNPP is India's first pressurised water reactor belonging to the light water reactor category. The first unit attained criticality July 2013, which is the beginning of the fission process.

In August, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gave its nod to KNPP to raise the reactor power levels to 50 percent and for synchronisation of the unit with the power grid. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India ltd earlier said it would connect the first unit to the grid end-August, generating 400 MW power.