Kudankulam Unit-5 reactor vessel installed, adding 1,000 MW of low-carbon nuclear power to India's grid

India's nuclear power expansion passed a key construction milestone with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at Kudankulam Unit-5 in Tamil Nadu. The 320-tonne vessel, considered the heart of the plant, was lifted into place using specialized heavy-lift cranes after receiving clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. The 1,000 MW reactor will supply round-the-clock low-carbon electricity to India's grid, complementing solar and wind power. NPCIL reports that Units 1 and 2 at Kudankulam have already generated around 130 billion units of electricity and avoided an estimated 112 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions. Once all six planned reactors are operational, the site will reach 6,000 MW of installed nuclear capacity. The project involves coordination between NPCIL and Russia's Atomstroyexport. Nuclear power is increasingly central to India's strategy for meeting rising electricity demand while reducing carbon emissions. Unlike intermittent renewables, nuclear provides continuous baseload power, helping displace coal and strengthen energy security. This milestone supports India's goal of expanding non-fossil fuel capacity and its net-zero ambitions by 2070.