NPCIL installed the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) inside the reactor building of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Unit 5 around 15–16 June 2026, announced on 16 June 2026.
Key facts
- RPV details: The Reactor Pressure Vessel weighs ~320 tonnes and houses the reactor core where fission occurs.
- Construction phase: RPV installation marks commencement of Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) equipment erection in Unit 5.
- Installation method: Executed using specialised heavy‑lift cranes under prescribed safety and quality protocols.
- Regulatory clearance: Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted clearance in May 2026 for major equipment installation at Units 5 and 6.
- International partnership: Project execution coordinated between NPCIL and Russia’s Atomstroyexport (ASE).
Project scale & timelines
- Unit capacity: Kudankulam Unit 5 — 1,000 MWe.
- Expected commissioning: Unit 5 forecast to begin operations by end‑2026.
- Site capacity: Six units at Kudankulam will total 6,000 MWe on completion.
Operational performance to date
- Existing generation: Units 1 and 2 have together generated about 130 billion units as of May 2026.
- Emission savings: That generation has avoided approximately 112 million tonnes of CO2‑equivalent emissions.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- NPCIL: Implementing agency for India’s civilian nuclear power plants (state‑owned enterprise).
- AERB role: AERB clearance is mandatory before major equipment erection and commissioning activities.
- NSSS scope: NSSS erection typically includes RPV, reactor internals and associated primary circuit equipment.