Latest Kudankulam components in preparation

13 January 2022

Main components for India's Kudankulam unit 6 are being manufactured in Russia. Construction of the VVER-1000 reactor officially began one month ago.

A segment of Kudankulam 6's reactor pressure vessel (Image: Atomenergomash)

Rosatom subsidiary Atomenergomash announced that manufacturing of the reactor pressure vessel and steam generators had begun at its facility in Volgodonsk.

Having already been shaped from thick steel blanks the shells of the components had passed inspection and had proceeded to the application of anti-corrosion coatings and other protective treatments.

The total weight of steel components Atomenergomash will supply to Kudankulam 5 and 6 is some 6000 tonnes, the company said. This includes both reactor pressure vessels and their internal components, two pressurisers and two sets of four steam generators among other things.

First concrete was poured for Kudankulam 6 in December last year, marking the official start of construction at Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd's site. Together, units 5 and 6 at Kudankulam represent the third phase of development at the huge power plant, which is near the major port of Tuticorin at India's southern tip. The new reactors follow units 3 and 4, which are at around 50% completion, and units 1 and 2, which began operation in 2014 and 2017, respectively.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News