Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited to fast-track Kovvada nuclear plant

RANASTHALAM (SRIKAKULAM): With the decks having been cleared for the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is now planning to conduct a public hearing on the proposed 10,000 MW nuclear power plant at Kovvada Matsyalesam in Ranasthalam mandal in either July or August.

Public hearing was delayed fearing outcry from locals after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan last year. But after the successful completion of Kudankulam plant and the first reactor likely to be commissioned in three months, the NPCIL authorities are gearing up to fast-track the works on Kovvada N-plant. Sources said the public hearing would be held in July-end or August first week.

Chief engineer of the plant G Venkata Ramesh told TOI that data on geographical parameters for designing the reactors is being collected. Data on humidity, temperature, tidal waves position, wind speed, rain gauge and other aspects would be taken into consideration for designing of the reactors, he said.

He said the construction of the plant would be completed within four and a half years along with the commissioning of two reactors in the first phase. "Works on the remaining four reactors would be taken up later," he said. Each reactor's capacity is likely to be around 1300-1500 MW.

He said the authorities were preparing a blueprint for the rehabilitation and resettlement. People of Peda Kovvada, Chinna Kovvada, Tekkali and Ramachandrapuram would be evacuated for the proposed power plant. Initially, people of more than 30 villages in Ranasthalam mandal had opposed the plant but now some of them were given their nod for the plant if the government offers them a better R&R package.Sources said that the land acquisition process would begin in six months and ground-levelling works by the end of this year.