Work on unpopular Indian nuclear plant to proceed

Despite a spate of protests that halted its construction, the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant has received the green light to continue.

Work on building the mammoth Koodankulam plant will begin after the state cabinet of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu gave its approval for the project. The plant will house two Russian-made 1,000 megawatt nuclear reactors.

When completed, the reactors will become the largest nuclear power generation complex in India producing a cumulative 2 GW of electric power. The reactors are being constructed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and Atomstroyexport, a Russian nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said that accordance with the cabinet decision, immediate steps will be taken to begin commissioning the plant. He asked political parties and protesters not to disrupt the project, which will diminish the state's severe power shortages.

Work on the project was stopped last September after mass protests by villagers and activists over safety concerns. Other protests have also disrupted plans to build a nuclear power plant in the western state of Maharashtra.