Former Kerala CM Achuthanandan opposes plan for two new units at Kudankulam plant

Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran CPM leader VS Achuthanandan on Saturday expressed concern over the plans to set up two more reactors at Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district and said the move was condemnable. [caption id=“attachment_3538653” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Kudankulam nuclear power plant. AP[/caption] The former Kerala Chief Minister said in a statement in Thiruvananthapuram that the existing units at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) had triggered safety concerns. India and Russia had last month signed an agreement for setting up of two more units of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli. The CPM had taken a stand from the beginning that work on the nuclear power plant had to be started only after addressing concerns of the people, but it was not considered, he said. “We have not received an answer so far to the question where residues of the nuclear plant were being processed,” he said. It was in these circumstances that the Centre had signed an agreement with Russia for setting up fifth and sixth reactors at the plant, he pointed out. India also should withdraw from the agreement, he said. KNPP, a Indo-Russian joint venture, is operating two units of 1000 MW each presently.