KNPP Unit-2 synchronised with southern grid

Chennai, Aug 29 (PTI) The 1000 MW second unit ofKudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) was test synchronisedwith the southern power grid today, marking generation ofelectricity from the unit and its supply to the grid, a topKNPP official said today. "Unit two of KNPP was test synchronised with the southernpower grid today at 1117 hours. Presently the unit issupplying 245 MW to the southern grid," KNPP Site Director R SSundar said. He said clearance was obtained from Atomic EnergyRegulatory Board (AERB) for the first synchronisation of theunit with the southern grid. Sundar said the unit would be shut down for mandatoryinspection of turbine-generator after a few days of operation. "The power level will be increased in phases to 50, then75 and 90 per cent and later to 100 per cent full power afterobtaining necessary regulatory clearances," he said in astatement. Meanwhile, Unit 1 of KNPP has been operating continuouslyfor 19 days since February 22 this year and has so fargenerated 11,269 Million Units of electricity from October2013, he said. KNPP-2 attained first criticality on July 10 this yearand subsequently various reactor physics experiments werecarried out at low power. It was done under supervision of experts from AtomicEnergy Regulatory Board, NPCIL and Russian specialists. On August 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RussianPresident Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief MinisterJayalalithaa had jointly dedicated to the nation the 1000 MWNuclear Power Plant-I. KNPP has been set up using Russian VVER type reactorsbased on enriched uranium. Completion of Unit 1 was delayed in view of stridentprotests by local people, who raised safety concerns, beforeit became operational. Pressurised Water Reactor VVER-1000 had gone critical inJuly 2014 and the commercial operations started from December31 the same year, with the unit coming to the aid of the thenpower starved Tamil Nadu. PTI VGN APRSMJ