Chennai, Dec 13: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday urged the Centre to recommence production in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Unit-I, currently under maintenance. She also sought coordinated action from neighbouring states to counter Maoists.
The power plant began commercial operations on December 31 last year. It was shut down for maintenance in June this year. “The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is yet to clearly indicate when the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Unit-I will recommence production,” said Jayalalithaa in her speech, read out by Tamil Nadu finance minister O Panneerselvam, at the 26th Southern Zonal Council (SZC) meet, chaired by Union home minister Rajnath Singh at Vijayawada on Saturday.
“We request that the NPCIL be instructed to recommence production early to meet the Tamil Nadu grid demand,” she said. Tamil Nadu was allotted 563 MW out of the 1000 MW produced by Unit-I of the Kudankulam power plant.
The chief minister said that, “Kudankulam Unit-II is undergoing final stages of commissioning activities. We request the Centre to expedite commercial operation in Unit-II, so that another 563 MW of power can be added to the Tamil Nadu grid at the earliest.”
