KUDANKULAM: MODI, JAYA, PUTIN INAUGURATE PLANT

KUDANKULAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday jointly dedicated to the nation the 1,000 MW Nuclear Power Plant-I here. Speaking through video conferencing, Modi said Kudankulum 1, an Indo-Russian project, was an important addition to the continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy in India.

KUDANKULAM/NEW DELHI: The first unit of the Kudankulam nuclear plant was on Wednesday dedicated to the nation jointly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin with both the leaders calling it a fine example of special and privileged Indo-Russian strategic partnership.

Stressing that the 1,000 MW unit in Tamil Nadu was an important addition to India’s continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy, Modi said that at Kudankulum alone, five more units of similar capacity each, were being planned.

Participating from Moscow via video-conferencing, Putin said the unit has been built using most advanced Russian technology incorporating highest safety standards while Modi asserted that India was determined to pursue an ambitious agenda of nuclear power generation.

“In dedicating Kudankulum 1, we mark another historic step in India-Russia relations. Its successful completion is not just another fine example of the strength of our special and privileged strategic partnership. It is also a celebration of our abiding friendship,” Modi said in a brief address from New Delhi.

The PM said the Kudankulam unit signals joint effort by the two countries to build “pathways of partnership for green growth”.

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, who also participated through video conference, said she had always extended support to the implementation of the Kudankulam project while at the same time laying focus on allaying the fears of the local people by convincing them about its safety.