Nuclear power plant Kudankulam important for India’s energy security

The construction of the nuclear power plant Kudankulam, which is being built with technical assistance of Russia, represents an important contribution to the development of the Indian nuclear energy industry and to the country’s energy security. The opinion was voiced by Indian Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid as he met with reporters in Delhi on 29 August, BelTA has learned.

The Minister also remarked that all in all India is satisfied with the construction of the facility. It has been reported earlier that the first power-generating unit of the nuclear power plant Kudankulam was commissioned in July 2013 and has reached controllable power levels.

The nuclear power plant Kudankulam is being built with technical assistance of Russia in line with the intergovernmental agreement signed in 1988 and the addendum signed in 1998. The first power-generating unit has been completed while the construction of the second one is nearly over. Preparations are underway to build the second phase of the nuclear power plant (the third power-generating unit and the fourth one).

According to Russian mass media reports, the sides are ready to continue cooperation. Arrangements to build up to 16 power-generating units in India using Russian designs have been made.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total capacity of up to 2,400MW (1,200MW each). It will be built at the Ostrovets site in Grodno Oblast. The design AES-2006 has been chosen for Belarus’ first nuclear power plant. The design is fully compliant with international norms and IAEA recommendations. The deadlines for building the nuclear power plant are specified by the general contract. The document provides for commissioning the first power-generating unit in November 2018, with the second one scheduled for launch in July 2020.

The Russian company OAO Power Machines has already started making the primary electricity-generating equipment for the two power-generating units of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. In particular, OAO Power Machines will make and deliver two turbine plants, including fast steam turbines with the output capacity of 1,200MW each, condensers and equipment for auxiliary systems, as well as two turbine generators with the output capacity of 1,200MW and auxiliary systems.

Fast-velocity turbines with the output capacity of 1,200MW for nuclear power plants represent a new product made by Power Machines. The turbines are designed for new-generation power-generating units with increased reliability and safety. At present the 1,200MW turbines are the fastest velocity steam turbines in the world. Modern solutions have been used for designing and manufacturing the turbines taking into account the experience of manufacturing turbines for the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (India), the operation of turbines at the Tianwan nuclear power plant (Korea) and the Kalinin nuclear power plant.

Enterprises of OAO Power Machines have been designing and manufacturing high-tech equipment for nuclear power plants for over 30 years. At present 1,000MW fast turbines made by the company are used as part of power-generating units at nuclear power plants in Russia, Ukraine, China, Iran, and India. Cutting-edge specimens of fast turbines and a generator with the output capacity of 1,200MW are being installed at new power-generating units of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant and the second Leningrad nuclear power plant.