India, Russia sign pacts on future units of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Context: External Affairs Minister of India has announced that an important agreement related to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant has been made with Russia during his five-day official visit.

New Agreements Signed Between India and Russia

• Outcome: Agreements have been signed on nuclear power, medicines, pharmaceutical substances, and medical devices. 
• Economic Zone Negotiation: Both countries have agreed to begin negotiations by January-end on a free trade agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Zone. 

About Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

• Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is being built in Tamil Nadu with Russia’s technical assistance. The plant is expected to have an installed capacity of 6,000 MW of electricity. 
  • The construction began in March 2002 but was halted following protests by fishermen fearing nuclear disaster.

• Operational Status: Since February 2016, the first power unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant has been steadily operating at its design capacity of 1,000 MW.
• Design of Reactor: Water-water energetic reactor (WWER) is a water-cooled water-moderated energy reactor. 
• Completion: The plant is expected to fully operate in 2027.
• Operators: Russian state company and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited 

Learn more about Nuclear Power Plants In India 2023, here.

About India – Russia Nuclear Relations

• Support: After the 1974 Pokhran Test, the Soviet Union supported India despite the global nuclear isolation. 
• Material: USSR supplied heavy water for Canadian-built reactors and provided fuel for the BWRs at Tarapur, Maharashtra
• 2002 MoU: Nuclear cooperation began when a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on peaceful uses of nuclear energy was signed. 
  • The first power generation project under this —the 1000 MW PWRs at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu —was set up in October 2013. 
• Partnership: The joint construction of units 3 & 4 and units 5 & 6 at Kudankulam. 
• Future Prospect: Russia’s agreement to supply six more reactors to India solidifies the long-term prospects.
• Diversification: The recent delivery of germanium-68/gallium-68 (Ge-68/Ga-68) generators that play a vital role in nuclear medicine. 

Source: Indian Express