The first unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) generated its rated capacity of 1,000 MW Saturday afternoon, said a senior official.

“The unit touched 1,000 MW at 1320 hours today (Saturday). There was no tension as we have been operating the unit at 950 MW in the morning,” R.S.Sundar, KNPP site director said.

He said the unit will be operated at 1,000 MW for a couple of days following which further tests – technically called dynamic tests – would be conducted and the reports would be submitted to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

The KNPP unit is the country’s first 1,000 MW power unit.

The unit has to get permission from the Southern Grid to carry out the dynamic tests as the power levels would be reduced during the testing period, Sundar said.

He said the AERB gave its sanction to go up to the reactor’s maximum capacity May 20.

India’s atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is setting up two Russian made 1,000 MW atomic power plants at an outlay of over Rs.17,000 crore.

The first unit has started operations and has been connected to the grid after the apex court gave its nod for the plant last year subject to fulfilment of 15 conditions by various agencies like NPCIL, AERB, ministry of environment and forests (MOEF), Tamil Nadu government and others.

According to Sundar, preparations are on for carrying out the hydro-test, which is a crucial test before fuelling the reactor, at the second unit next week.