Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP)
GS: GS PAPER III — Energy Security & Infrastructure
India’s largest nuclear power station under Indo-Russian collaboration, with Generation III+ safety systems and a 2026 data breach incident.
Key Points
- Located in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, on the Gulf of Mannar coast
- Operated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) under DAE
- Developed under Indo-Russia inter-governmental agreement (1988) with Rosatom cooperation
- Uses VVER-1000 Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) with enriched uranium fuel
- On completion: 6 × 1000 MW = 6,000 MW capacity (India’s largest nuclear park)
- Units 1 & 2 operational; Units 3–6 under construction
- Generation III+ passive safety systems, double containment, core catcher, IAEA-compliant
- Regulated by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)
- 2026: Contractor-related data breach exposed; reactor/safety systems uncompromised; CERT-In investigating
Exam Significance
- Enhances India’s energy security and reduces fossil fuel dependence
- Supports low-carbon electricity generation and climate commitments
- Strengthens Indo-Russian strategic partnership in nuclear technology
- Demonstrates India’s capability in advanced power generation infrastructure
Prelims MCQ
With reference to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, consider the following statements: 1. It is located in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. 2. It uses VVER-type Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) developed with Russian assistance. 3. It uses natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator. 4. It is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (b)
Statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect — VVER reactors use enriched uranium as fuel and ordinary (light) water as both coolant and moderator, not natural uranium and heavy water.
