Chennai: Work on restarting the first atomic power unit's turbine at Kudankulam has commenced by using the components taken from the second unit's turbine, said sources.
"The first unit's turbine would be restarted by taking out the components from the second unit's turbine," a Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. official told IANS Tuesday, preferring anonymity.
"The replacement of damaged components in the first unit's turbine with similar components taken out from the second unit's turbine has begun. In all probability the first unit will be up and running this November end," a source told IANS.
However, KNPP officials were not available for comments despite several attempts by IANS.
India's atomic power plant operator NPCIL is setting up two 1,000 MW Russian reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, 650 km from here. The total outlay for the project is over Rs.17,000 crore.
On Sep 26, the first unit's turbine was found to have developed some problem and its running was stopped.
"The turbine of the first unit has developed some problem. It seems some component inside the turbine turned loose and damaged the turbine blades," a source preferring anonymity told IANS Oct 20.
"The unit has been shut down to inspect turbine and its associated components before putting it for commercial operation. Maintenance activities are in progress before the unit is expected to be back in service. Some components of turbine need replacement, for which action has been initiated," R.S.Sundar, site director, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, said in a statement Oct 20.
According to him, the first unit is expected to be back in service in six-to-eight weeks' time.
The KNPP is India's first pressurised water reactor belonging to the light water reactor category.
The first unit attained criticality July 2013, which is the beginning of the fission process. The unit has started power generation and has been connected to the southern grid.
The unit was expected to start commercial generation soon when the turbine problem cropped up.
"The damaged components of the first unit's turbine will be repaired at Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's (BHEL) unit at Hyderabad. The Russian experts have visited our unit at Hyderabad and found the facilities suitable for repairing the damaged components," a BHEL official told IANS, preferring anonymity.
