Atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) Saturday commenced the pre-service inspection of the reactor pressure vessel of the first 1,000 MW reactor at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP), a senior official said.
“We started the pre-service inspection the reactor pressure vessel. The inspection would take around 10-12 days to get over. The inspection would form the baseline date for future inspections apart from providing necessary data on the status of the reactor pressure vessel,” KNPP site director R.S. Sundar told IANS over the phone.
He said the inspection is an automated one and the inspecting equipment is under the water in the pressure vessel.
According to Sundar, post inspection, the reports will be submitted to Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to get the permission for loading the fuel.
Queried about the status of other reports submitted to AERB, he said discussions are on with the regulator.
“Two rounds of meetings got over. We are providing necessary clarifications sought by the regulator,” Sundar added.
NPCIL is building two 1,000 MW reactors – supplied by Russia – in Kudankulam in Tirunelveli, around 650 km from Chennai.
——IANS