New Delhi, June 16 -- The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has achieved a major construction milestone at Unit-5 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu with the successful installation of the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) inside the reactor building.

The development comes after the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted clearance for major equipment erection, allowing installation of key nuclear island equipment to begin. The milestone marks an important transition in the construction of the unit.

According to a statement by NPCIL, the Reactor Pressure Vessel, which weighs around 320 tonnes, is considered the heart of a nuclear power plant, as it houses the reactor core where nuclear fissi...