The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has approved a draw of up to 50 MW from the unallocated power of Unit 1 of KKNPP in Tamil Nadu to support the commissioning activities of twin reactors Units 3 and 4.

Effective from midnight on 19 October 2025, the Southern Regional Power Committee (SRPC) authorised this allocation after a detailed request by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), which is executing the 1,000 MW Light Water Reactor (LWR) units at the site. The initial draw will remain capped at 50 MW during the stabilisation phase and will be gradually scaled up as testing and system checks intensify.

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NPCIL has reported that, as of August 2025, the construction progress for Units 3 and 4 stands at approximately 78 per cent. Some major milestones are already complete: Unit 3 has seen the inner and outer containment domes concreted and the main coolant pipeline welded, while Unit 4 has finished the erection of its Nuclear Steam Supply System. The peak start-up demand is projected to rise to 60 MW in December 2025 and to 65 MW by January 2026, according to NPCIL’s filing.

The move represents a procedural step to ensure auxiliary power and grid readiness ahead of full commercial operations of the new units. The CEA has also instructed NPCIL to explore alternate power arrangements via the Tamil Nadu transmission network to cover any outages or excess start-up load beyond the 50 MW allocation. Currently, Units 1 and 2 together supply approximately 1,125 MW to the southern grid. The full 2,000 MW expected from Units 3 and 4 will significantly enhance regional power availability once commissioned.

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