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The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is located in:
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Answer: Option D — Tamil Nadu
Detailed Solution
The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) is located at Kudankulam, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, on the coast of the Gulf of Mannar, about 25 km north-east of Kanyakumari.
About the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant:
- It is the largest nuclear power station in India.
- It is being built and operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) with technical cooperation from Russia (Rosatom).
The agreement for the plant was signed in 1988 by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The project was delayed after the break-up of the Soviet Union, and construction began in 2002.
It uses Russian-designed VVER-1000 reactors, which are Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) using enriched uranium and light (ordinary) water.
Units 1 and 2, each of 1,000 MW, are in operation. Unit 1 was connected to the power grid in 2013, and Unit 2 in 2016.
Units 3, 4, 5 and 6, each of 1,000 MW, are under construction. When all six units are complete, its total capacity will be 6,000 MW.
It is the first Indian nuclear power plant to use light water reactors of this size.
It has advanced safety features, including a "passive heat removal system" and a "core catcher" to hold molten fuel in a severe accident.
Protests:
After the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan (2011), there were large protests by local people, especially at the village of Idinthakarai, led by the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE). The protesters feared for their safety and livelihoods.
In 2013, the Supreme Court allowed the plant to begin operation, with directions on safety.
Other nuclear facilities in Tamil Nadu:
Madras Atomic Power Station, Kalpakkam: India's first fully indigenous nuclear power station.
The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam: part of the second stage of India's nuclear programme. Its core loading began in 2024.
India-Russia cooperation:
Russia is India's main partner for nuclear power plants. It also helps build the Rooppur plant in Bangladesh.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kerala does not have a nuclear power plant.
- ✗Andhra Pradesh has a proposed plant at Kovvada.
- ✗Karnataka has the Kaiga Generating Station.
Quick tip
Remember: Kudankulam = Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu (largest nuclear plant in India; Russian VVER-1000; agreement 1988; Unit 1 in 2013); Kalpakkam = MAPS and PFBR; Tarapur = first plant (1969).
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Minerals & Energy Resources — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Minerals & Energy Resources, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's mineral resources (iron ore, manganese, bauxite, copper, mica and others) and energy resources (coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear power and renewable energy), with their main producing regions, mines, oil fields and power plants. Questions often ask where a mineral is found, which state is the leading producer, or where an important power plant or oil field is located. For example, Jharia is known for coal, Digboi in Assam is the oldest oil field in India, and Tarapur in Maharashtra is the site of India's first nuclear power plant. Practise the minerals and energy resources questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.