SAFETY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED AT KUDANKULAM NPP

After the completion, the Kudankulam NPP will become not only the largest nuclear power plant in India, but also the largest clean energy production facility in the entire region as well, writes ALEXANDER NAKHABOV

- ALEXANDER NAKHABOV

March 2021 marks a decade since the unfortunate accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Being the latest major accident at the nuclear power plant, it however was not accompanied by any human casualty. Nevertheless it did lead to a significant release of radioactive substances into the environment while also forcing a number of countries to revise and rework their policy in the field of nuclear energy.

The previous 10 years have witnessed the largest shutdown of operating nuclear power plants in Japan, followed by a very slow return to full-fledged operation after clearance of safety procedures and passing of all necessary stress tests. But at the same time in neighboring China, 37 new nuclear power units were put into operation propelling China to fly up to the third place (after the USA and France) in the world, ranking both in the number and installed capacity of NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) units, ahead of Japan!

The first nuclear power plant was put into operation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while the first nuclear power plant based on Russian design is currently under construction in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the development of the largest nuclear power plant in India, the Kudankulam NPP, has also advanced significantly.