13.07.2016
On 10 of July, 2016 the Kudankulam NPP Unit 2 under construction in India having technical assistance of ASE Group of Companies achieved minimum controllable power level (MCL).
After completion of all necessary activities the controlled chain reaction began and the control systems detected the appearance of the first neutrons.
According to Vice-president for Projects in South Asia of ASE Group of Companies, Mr. Andrey Lebedev: “This is the final phase of the first criticality of the Unit. Then Unit No.2 will be connected into grid of India that is planned up to the end of July 2016. The first Unit of Kudankulam NPP is in operation on the design power level of 1 thousand MW and provides power supply for the people living in the South of India.”
Forreference
The beginning of the first criticality of Unit No.2 took place in 11 of May, 2016 when the first fuel assembly (FA) was installed into the reactor after the performance of all the preparatory works. All in all 163 FAs were loaded into the reactor. All the activities were performed together with Russian and Indian experts in the mode of automatic operations and in a strict compliance with the schedule and observance of safety standards. Permission on loading has been received from Supervisory body of India(AЕRB) following the detailed review of all Safety Reports prepared earlier. On 19 of May, 2016 the loading of fresh fuel into the reactor of the second Unit of Kudankulam NPP was successfully completed. Works were fully performed in automatic mode during less than 7 days in advance of 4 days via planned by the schedule. Then the IAEA Inspectors performed the fuel loading control and after that the works related to reactor sealing were performed. AERB Supervisory body of India issued the permission to achieve MCL by 28.06.2016.
Forreference:
Atomenergorpekt JSC design with WWER-1000 MW Units which fully meet the requirements of current regulatory & technical documents of the Russian Federation, IAEA and which is certified against requirements of the club of European operating companies (EUR) is a basis for Kudankulam NPP construction.
Kudankulam NPP is under construction in Tamil Nadu state of India within the framework of Russian and Indian Agreement dated 20 of November, 1988 and Addenda hereof dated 21 of June, 1998.
General Designer is Atomenergorpekt JSC. Technical assistance is performed by Atomstroyexport JSC (enters ASE Group of Companies). The Owner is a Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
For reference:
ASE Group of Companies was established within the framework of founding the engineering division of Rosatom State Corporation by merging the leading companies in the industry: NIAEP JSC, ASE JSC, Atomenergorpekt JSC and Atomproekt JSC.
ASE Company is one of the leaders in global nuclear engineering business and accounts for more than 30% of the global NPP construction market.
Company’s representative and operation offices act on the territory of 15 countries, almost 80% of its stock of orders is overseas projects. Besides, the company implements projects of construction of facilities for RW and SNF treatment, heat and power engineering facilities and provides a comprehensive range of EPC, EPC(m) and PMC services for any complex engineering facilities. ASE Company is a developer and it is actively integrating innovative project management system for complex engineering facilities construction - Multi-D, which allows managing such parameters as time, quality, budget more efficiently. The company is headed by Valery I. Limarenko, Doctor of Economics.
Company websites: www.niaep.ru; www.atomstroyexport.ru; www.aep.ru; www.atomproekt.com
