Russia Delivers First Fuel Consignment for Kudankulam's Third Reactor Amid Putin Visit

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Russia's state-run nuclear corporation, Rosatom, has delivered the first shipment of nuclear fuel for the third reactor at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu. This development coincides with President Vladimir Putin's visit to India for the annual bilateral summit. The fuel assemblies were manufactured by the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant and transported to India by a cargo flight operated by Rosatom's Nuclear Fuel Division. As part of a 2024 contract, Rosatom plans to supply the entire reactor core and some reserve fuel through seven flights from Russia. The Kudankulam plant, which will have six VVER-1000 reactors with a total capacity of 6,000 MW, is a significant project for India's nuclear energy sector. The first two reactors at the plant were connected to the power grid in 2013 and 2016 and provide electricity to the southern region. Russian and Indian engineers have worked together to increase the efficiency of the reactors through the introduction of advanced nuclear fuel and extended fuel cycles. Since 2022, the Kudankulam plant has been supplied with nuclear fuel of the TVS-2M model, which provides more reliable and cost-effective reactor operation. This has enabled the fuel cycle of the reactors to be extended from 12 to 18 months, resulting in increased electricity generation and reduced downtime. The second phase of the Kudankulam plant will become the first to use VVER-1000 reactors with an 18-month fuel cycle, marking a significant achievement in the collaboration between Rosatom and Indian partners. Rosatom's delivery of nuclear fuel and engineering services is expected to increase the efficiency of the reactors and support India's nuclear energy goals.