Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant's Unit-4 delayed again—now set for December 2027
The launch of Kudankulam's Unit-4, a major nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu, has been pushed back from August to December 2027.
One of the main reasons is that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has disrupted the supply of key construction materials, particularly rock products, throwing off the schedule set by India's Nuclear Power Corporation (NPCIL).
Financial issues with contractors and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have also contributed to the delays.
What's causing the holdup?
Rock material supplies have slowed down because quarry operations in Russia were halted due to the ongoing war.
Add in contractor money troubles and lingering effects from COVID-19, and delays started piling up.
Where things stand now—and what's next
Kudankulam already has two working reactors; Units 3 and 4 have been under construction since 2017.
Despite these setbacks, NPCIL remains focused on completing the project.
Another big reactor is almost ready at Kalpakkam
Meanwhile, over at Kalpakkam near Chennai, a new type of reactor—the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor—is nearly done after years in the making.
With fuel loading underway since October, it's now just steps away from going live.