The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, said Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom has offered a more advanced fuel option to Kudankulam Nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the first lot of TVS-2M fuel assemblies has been received in May-June 2022 from Russian Federation and loaded in Unit-1 and they are performing satisfactorily.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, use of the more advanced TVS-2M fuel assemblies in KKNPP reactors will allow 18-month operating cycles as against 12-month operating cycle with UTVS Fuel Assemblies presently in use in Unit-2.

The Minister said Russia had offered a more advanced fuel TVS-2M type in place of UTVS type fuel for use in reactors at Unit 1&2 at Kudankulam. He said after detailed deliberations by experts, considering the better operational performance with TVS-2M type fuel assemblies, it was decided to use TVS-2M fuel in place of UTVS fuel assemblies in Kudankulam Units-1&2.