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Journalism of Courage
A team of nearly 2,000 Indian and Russian engineers are working round-the-clock to commission the Koodankulam nuclear projects first 1,000 MWe reactor unit in a tightly compressed time schedule of slightly over a month.
The final inspection of the equipment at the first unit is in advanced stages and the process of obtaining clearances from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India AERB for fuel loading is underway.
Following this,the first unit is expected to start generating power after a trial run of about 15 days.
Under the intergovernmental agreement,Russian state-owned nuclear engineering company JSC Atomstroyexport is helping build the 2,000 MWe first phase of the Koodankulam project in Tamil Nadu. In September 2011,the main programmes of the hot runs phase were completed and the power unit was put in the cool-down mode,followed by moving to the second phase of equipment inspection. However,in October 2011,the personnel were barred from the site due to local protests and all start-up and adjustment operations had to be terminated. They were resumed on March 20,2012.
While the design and supply of major equipment fall in the Russian domain,the construction,installation of equipment,commissioning and some of the supplies and equipment are being undertaken by the Indian side.
On April 18,Director of Atomstroyexport affiliate NIAEP,Valery Limarenko,paid a working visit to the site.
The first Koodankulam unit is 99.2 per cent complete,while the second unit is 94.6 per cent complete.
