Context: The Madras High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed in 2017 against the first pour of concrete for units 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) without complying with norms on restricting the population growth in the sterilized zone — the area within a 5km radius of the plant.
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Kudankulam Project
- Location – Kudankulam, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu.
Capacity
- 2000 Megawatt (2 GW) of current Installed capacity out of the total planned capacity of 6000 Megawatt (6 GW).
- It will be achieved through Six VVER-1000 Pressurised water reactors (PWR) reactors built in collaboration with Atomstroyexport, the Russian state company and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
- It is India’s largest Nuclear Power Plant (in terms of Installed capacity).
Background
- Indo-Russian Agreement -1988 – Initially planned to build two reactor units. The project got stuck due to dissolution of the USSR but revived under a new agreement between India and Russia in 1997.
- Construction works started in 2002 but the project suffered delays due to persistent protests by local inhabitants and activist groups over safety concerns.
- Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan (2011) fuelled the opposition thus construction works were suspended for several months.
- The construction was resumed after the Supreme Court of India rejected petitions to block the project and permitted the commissioning of both the units in May 2013.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
It is a Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. The Company was registered as a Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 in 1987.
Its objective is to operate atomic power plants and implement atomic power projects for the generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programmes of the Government of India under the Atomic Energy Act, of 1962.NPCIL is responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
It is a Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. The Company was registered as a Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 in 1987.Its objective is to operate atomic power plants and implement atomic power projects for the generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programmes of the Government of India under the Atomic Energy Act, of 1962.NPCIL is responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors.
