Unit 5 of the Kudankulam nuclear ower plant (NPP) constructed in India under the Russian WWER-1000 reactor-type NPP design saw the first component of the nuclear reactor core melt localisation device (CMLD, core catcher), an essential part of the prevention system ensuring the safety of beyond-design-basis accidents, installed in the design position.
The core catcher installed on supports under the reactor vessel is made as a globe-bottom container that weighs more than 156 metric tonnes. The total weight of the entire device exceeds 800 metric tonnes. Apart from a casing, the main CMLD components include: cartridge units filled with special non-metallic materials, maintenance platform, cantilever truss and bottom plate.