Work hit at KKNPP, only emergency crew at plant

TIRUNELVELI: “We are keen to go to villages to explain the safety features of Koodankulam plant,” said Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Site Director M Kasinath Balaji.Speaking to Express on Wednesday, Balaji said that except the emergency crew, the entire workforce of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant  did not enter the plant on Wednesday as well, because the police had not given clearance.He further informed that the hot run at reactor 1 had finished by September end.  “Our original target was to finish the maintenance work in October.“For this purpose we planned to load the real fuel in mid-September after getting clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, and then attain criticality in December,” Balaji said.It may be noted that the dummy fuel was still at the reactor.  Balaji noted that it was only after making a complete assessment of the plant can they know the status of loading the real fuel at the reactor.“We have to do the maintenance work before real fuel loading.  “But due to the protest, the contract workers have decreased as they were threatened by the protestors.  “Even now, those who stayed inside were threatened when they went outside the plant,” he noted, adding that on Wednesday, around 60 contract workers from Northern states have returned to their homes.“We want to go to the villages in and around Koodakulam and explain about the safety features of the plant.  “If they wish, they can be taken to the plant and taught about its safety aspects,” he added.