Russia offers advanced fuel for Kudankulam nuclear power plant: Centre

New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) Russia has offered a more advanced fuel option for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh told Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question, 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. They are performing satisfactorily, he said.

The minister said there would be no additional environmental impact with the change in fuel.

He said the use of TVS-2M fuel assemblies in KKNPP reactors will allow 18-month operating cycles as against 12-month operating cycles with UTVS Fuel Assemblies presently in use in Unit-II.

The minister said Russia had offered a more advanced fuel viz. TVS-2M type in place of UTVS type fuel for use in reactors at Unit I and II 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-I and II.