Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Attained Criticality

                On 10 July 2016, the second reactor of Kandankulam Nuclear Power Project attained criticality. On commencing the First Approach to Criticality on 8 July 2016 by withdrawing the control rods from the reactor, boron dilution started a few hours later to allow neutron concentration

to go up, which eventually led to the criticality of the reactor. The KKNPP had submitted its reports to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and received the nod for criticality after the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change experts inspected the second unit. They submitted their report to Supreme Court. At present, India operates 21 reactors that can generate 5780 MW of electricity besides giving the country its atomic weapons.

What is Criticality?

·         Criticality is a nuclear term that refers to the balance of neutrons in the system.

·         When the neutron population remains constant, this means there is a perfect balance between production rate and loss rate. Therefore, the nuclear system is said to be critical.

·         The criticality of a system can be calculated by comparing the rate at which neutrons are produced to the rate at which they are lost through absorption and leakage out of the reactor core.