Even as Russia is fighting a war against Ukraine, the former's integrated nuclear energy player Rosatom continues to manufacture the components needed for the 1,000 MW plant that is being built in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
According to Rosatom, its machine building division Petrozavodskmash has started manufacturing guide vanes for the housings of reactor coolant pump sets (RCPS) intended for the fifth unit at Kudankulam.
India's atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has two 1,000 MW plants (Units 1 and 2) at Kudankulam, while four more (Units 3, 4, 5 and 6) are under construction.
All the six units are built with Russian technology and equipment supplied by Rosatom.
According to Rosatom, the first guide vane has already passed the fitting-up and welding operations.
As related to other three guide vanes, the fit-up quality was inspected, and Petrozavodskmash workers have set about welding operations.
The guide vane refers to the RCPS internals and consists of upper and lower disks, between which 13 guide blades are to be welded.
The guide vane is to be mounted in the pump housing rigidly and is intended for setting centrifugal direction of coolant flow inside the pump.
The RCPS housing is the first safety class item. The reactor plant equipment of one power unit includes four RCP sets.
Be that as it may, NPCIL officials are wondering about the impact of Russia-Ukraine conflict on the delivery of atomic power plant components from Russia's Rosatom for four plants under construction.
The NPCIL has to arrange ships for bringing the reactor components from Russia to India.
Following the Russian military operation in Ukraine, the US, the UK and other Western countries have imposed economic sanctions on Russia.
Speaking to IANS, a senior NPCIL official, preferring anonymity, had said the shipping sector is affected because of the conflict.
The official also said Rosatom will inform about the items that can be lifted from Russia and ships will be arranged accordingly.