AERB Approves Major Equipment Erection At Kudankulam Units Five And Six

06 May 2026 CW Team

AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) has issued permission for major equipment erection at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) Units five and six. The permission allows the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to undertake installation of major plant equipment including the reactor pressure vessel, steam generators and coolant pumps. The decision follows regulatory assessment and clears a significant construction milestone.

The permission was granted after a satisfactory multi-tier safety review of the units' design against the safety requirements specified by AERB and after assessment of civil construction progress under the earlier permission issued in April two thousand and twenty one for First Pour of Concrete (FPC). The review examined the conformity of design features and construction progress with the regulator's Safety Code on Design of Light Water Reactor-based nuclear power plants. The regulator conveyed that the units incorporate many advanced safety features as per the safety code.

The KKNPP site, located in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, comprises six units of Pressurised Water Reactors of VVER design established in technical collaboration with Russia. Installation of major equipment will enable continuation of erection activities that are essential to commissioning sequences and mechanical completion of the units. NPCIL will proceed with lifting and placement operations as per approved procedures and regulatory oversight.

The permission represents a regulatory step that aligns design review, construction assessment and safety compliance before heavy mechanical works begin, and it underscores the role of independent oversight in nuclear project development. Progress at KKNPP Units five and six will be subject to further statutory clearances as the work advances towards testing and eventual commercial operation. The development will be monitored by the regulator and implementing agency to ensure adherence to approved standards.

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