Russia offers better fuel option for Kudankulam Nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu

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.