The construction work on sea water intake channel has started for the 500 MW prototype fast breeder reactor project. The sea water taken in will be desalted and used to cool the reactor condenser.

The indigenously designed faster breeder reactor has been built Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (Bhavini) in Kalpakkam, near Chennai.

The half-kilometre submarine tunnel is expected to be ready in 30 months by Gammon India Limited, says Prabhat Kumar, project director.

According to him the progress of the Rs34.92 billion project is has been peoceeding satisfactorily.

"Orders for all the civil construction work and instrumentation have been placed. Orders have been placed for 80 per cent of the electrical products and 60 per cent mechanical products have been placed," Kumar adds.

Meanwhile the lowering of the reactor safety vessel into the reactor vault supposed to happen in November has been delayed.

According to Kumar, the vessel will have to be lifted by a big crane to be assembled at the project site.

Two smaller cranes are needed to assemble the bigger one that would life the vessel.

"Getting ready the second small crane is facing some delay for want of some components. The work is in progress and the lowering of the reactor safety vessel into the reactor vault is expected to happen later in the month," he remarks.

Fabricated by Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) at the project site, the 165-ton safety vessel measures 13.4 metres in diameter and 13.4 metres high with a dish bottom, making it the first reactor safety vessel in India to be fabricated at the project site.