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Chennai: In a significant step to accelerate the commissioning of new reactors at Kudankulam, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has approved allocation of 50 megawatt (MW) of allocated power from Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) to support start-up and commissioning activities for Units 3 and 4.
According to the Southern Regional Power Committee (SRPC), the revised allocation came into effect from midnight of October 19, 2025 and will remain valid till further notice.
The approval has come in response to a request from Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), which is executing twin 1,000 MW light water reactors (LWRs) at the Kudankulam site in Tirunelveli district.
As per Union Power Ministry’s order dated September 2, 2024, NPCIL has been permitted to draw up to 50 MW of power from Units 1 and 2 for start-up purposes in compliance with the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC) Regulations, 2023.
The arrangement requires Units 3 and 4 to be registered as beneficiaries of Unit 1, with the Southern Regional Load Despatch Center (SRLDC) managing the scheduling and accounting of evacuations. NPCIL informed SRPC that the commissioning work is in steady progress, 63 MVA Common Station Auxiliary Transformer (CSAT) is already operational to provide auxiliary power at the site.
Officials said initial power draw will be kept to a minimum during the stabilization phase before gradually increasing as testing and system checks intensify.
The Ministry of Power has directed NPCIL to explore alternative power arrangements through the Tamil Nadu transmission network to meet any additional start-up requirements exceeding 50 MW or during any possible outage in Unit 1.
NPCIL estimates the maximum start-up demand to increase to 60 MW in December 2025 and 65 MW by January 2026. As of August 2025, the overall construction progress of Units 3 and 4 has reached 78 percent.
Unit 3 has completed major milestones, including concreting of the inner and outer containment domes and welding of the main coolant pipeline, while Unit 4 has completed construction of its nuclear steam supply system.
At present, Units 1 and 2 together supply 1,125 MW of power to Tamil Nadu. The state has sought full allocation of 2,000 MW to be produced by Units 3 and 4, although the Center has said the decision will be taken at a later stage.
–IANS