Physical launch of first block at India's Kudankulam NPP slated for Aug, launch of power operations to happen next year - NIAEP
MOSCOW. June 4 (Interfax) - The physical launch of the first power block at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (NPP) in India is slated for August while the start of power operations at the facility should take place next year, the head of the united company, Nizhny Novgorod Atomenergoproekt (NIAEP) - CJSC Atomstroyexport, Valery Limarenko, told journalists on the sidelines of the Aotmexpo-2012 forum.
"In August, [fuel] will be loaded. The launch of power operations will happen next year," he said.
It was earlier reported that the physical launch of the first block at the NPP should have taken place in autumn 2011 but it was delayed owing to protests by the local population, which was stepped up following the accident at Fukushima NPP in Japan. The Indian government have been able to halt the protect movement.
Two power blocks are planned for the first section with capacity around 2,000 MWt. A second section with blocks three and four will be built in the future. The construction is being implemented under the management of NIAEP-Atomstroyexport.
