Spill at Kudankulam nuclear power plant hurts six workers, no radiation leak

CHENNAI: Six workers were injured when hot water spilled from a valve at Kudankulam nuclear power plant in southern state of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, a plant official said, adding there was no leak of radiation.

The injured were carrying out maintenance work in the turbine building when the incident took place. After being given first aid on the spot, they were taken to hospital, said R.S. Sundar, the plant's site director.

India started pumping electricity from the Russian-built power plant for the first time last October after long delays.

The plant has faced local opposition for a quarter of a century and witnessed violent protests in 2012 by villagers who said it was a threat to their safety.

Hundreds of millions of people still live without power and factories suffer frequent blackouts - an embarrassment to the country's aspirations as an emerging economic powerhouse.