NPCIL seeks extension for the setting up of AFR facility in Tamil Nadu

NPCIL has sought an extension of five years from the Supreme Court to set up an “away from reactor” (AFR) facility in order to store the spent nuclear fuel from the operations of Units 1 and 2 of the 2,000 MW Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu. The court, in its judgement in May 2013, had given NPCIL five years to complete the project, with a deadline of May 2018. However, NPCIL has now approached the court seeking an extension for setting up the AFR facility on account of lack of experience in the long-term storage of high burn-up, Russian-type pressurised water reactor fuel.