India begins works at Kudankulam nuke plant's unit III

India has started construction of the third unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant with assistance of Russian company ASE.

ASE Joint Stock Engineering Company is one of the global leaders in nuclear power engineering and holds 30 percent share in the international nuclear power plant construction market.

Pouring concrete into the foundation slab of the reactor compartment of the Kudankulam NPP Unit III marked the beginning of the construction at the plant site in Tamil Nadu on June 29, the company said in a statement.

"This moment marks the starting points of the NPP power units' construction period that is defined in the contractual obligations," said Andrey Lebedev, vice-president for nuclear projects in South Asia of the Russian company.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) has partnered with the Russian firm to build the nuclear plant, the single largest nuclear power station in the country.

“We intend to continue sharing our best practices with India in this important industry, facilitating the energy security of this friendly country,” said Valery Limarenko, president of ASE.  

“The construction of Kudankulam NPP with our assistance is a flagship project.”

On June 19, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board granted permissions to the NPCIL for pouring of the first concrete for the plant's third and fourth unit.

The project is likely to be completed in a little over six years. The total cost of Unit 3 and Unit 4 -- each with a capacity to produce 1,000 megawatt -- is 39,894 crore rupee, reported NDTV. 

At least 12 power units in India under Russian design might be constructed before 2020, according to the statement.