Nuclear power plants with Russian fuel

The Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) will set up six more plants to produce 8,000 MW on Kudankulam mode with Russian fuel support, Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Power, said on Wednesday.

A few of them might be set up at Kudankulam, the Union Minister said, inaugurating a 92-MW natural gas cycle additional power station, established by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board at Vazhuthur near Ramanthapuram.

Pointing out that the first consignment of enriched uranium had arrived from Russia, he said the first 1000- MW unit at Kudankulam would be commissioned in April 2009. Another 1000-MW unit would start functioning in December 2009.

He said the country was badly in need of nuclear energy.
“Without the nuclear agreement, the support of International Atomic Energy Agency and Nuclear Suppliers Group countries, we cannot get fuel from Russia for the proposed projects.” The government would expand its cooperation with Russia and France, he said.