Russia delivers first batch of nuclear fuel to Kudankulam plant amid Putin's visit

The first two reactors at Kudankulam were connected to India’s power grid in 2013 and 2016.

Russia's state-run nuclear corporation said it has delivered the first consignment of nuclear fuel for initial loading of the third reactor at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.

The delivery of the nuclear fuel coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrival in New Delhi on a two-day visit.

A cargo flight operated by the Nuclear Fuel Division of Rosatom delivered fuel assemblies manufactured by the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant, the corporation said in a statement.

A total of seven flights from Russia are planned to supply the entire reactor core and some reserve fuel. These shipments are provided under a contract signed in 2024, which includes fuel supply for the third and fourth VVER-1000 reactors of the Kudankulam plant for the entire service life, starting from initial loading.

The Kudankulam plant will have six VVER-1000 reactors with a total installed capacity of 6,000 MW.

The first two reactors at Kudankulam were connected to India’s power grid in 2013 and 2016.

The four other reactors are under construction.

During the operation of these two reactors in the first phase of the Kudankulam plant, Russian and Indian engineers have done considerable work to increase their efficiency through the introduction of advanced nuclear fuel and extended fuel cycles, Rosatom said.