Kudankulam nuclear power plant's four 1000-MW units to be finished by 2027: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

A nuclear power plant (Source: Shutterstock)

Construction of four units at Tamil Nadu-based Kudankulam nuclear power plant, each with a capacity of 1000 megawatt will be completed by 2027, said the Union Minister of State of Science & Technology and Minister of State of Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh on December 8.

The projected installed capacity of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) site is 6000 MW, comprising of six nuclear power reactors of 1000 MW capacity each, Singh said in a statement laid on the table of the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question.

"Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 of 1000 MW capacity each are already in operation and the remaining four units of 1000 MW each are under construction. On their progressive completion, the full capacity of Kudankulam site of 6000 MW is expected to be reached by the year 2027," the minister added.

The state of Kerala has a firm allocation of 266 MW from the KKNPP nuclear power plant  1 and 2 apart from the unallocated quota. Presently, the state has a share (firm plus unallocated) of 13.48 percent from KKNPP's Unit 1 (1000 MW) and 13.30 percent from KKNPP's Unit 2 (1000 MW), said Singh.

The Ministry of Power said that it will take a decision about the allocation of power from the units under construction, and communicate at an appropriate time, added the release.

As India pushes for less and less dependence on fossil fuels, nuclear energy seems to have become the chosen source of power.

Earlier today NTPC Ltd., India’s top power producer, also revealed its plans to build a massive nuclear fleet that’ll aid the nation’s push to shift away from coal and curb emissions to hit net-zero by 2070.

Speaking about the security arrangements to protect the nuclear power plant from cyber threats, the Union minister said that authorization, authentication and access control mechanisms, strict configuration control and surveillance mechanisms have been put in place to protect the plant.