Trial runs completed, production at Kudankulam to soon start

NEW DELHI: Production at the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant is expected to start within 15-20 days as the trials runs have been completed, Union Minister V Narayanasamy today said.

"We will start production at the plant within 15-20 days as we have completed the trial run. The power production will slowly start. The second unit will start by March or April as around 95 per cent of the work is over," the Minister of state for Personnel and Public Grievances said on sidelines of a Nuclear Energy Conclave.

Terming Kudankulam as a "challenge", Narayanasamy said NGOs and groups involved in the agitation against the plant were funded by foreign agencies and the home ministry has suspended the companies involved in it.

He said NGOs involved in the agitation were funded by foreign agencies. "I do not know if they spent the money or not but I openly said that I got the bank accounts and where the money came.

"Even now, certain groups, ...people who retired from the department of nuclear energy and some outside people with the aid and support of foreign agency have been trying to scuttle our nuclear energy programme," the minister said.

"The home ministry has suspended the banking operations of about six companies and an enquiry has been started against them. But those people were getting foreign money for the purpose of charitable work and were actively involved in anti-nuclear power activities," he said.

He said misleading people is very easy and public outreach is very important as far as nuclear energy programme is concerned.