Report on accident of May 14, 2004 at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in India

An accident in which six workers received burn injuries, three of them severely, occurred on 14 May 2014 at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) which is under the last phase of commissioning in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, South India. The Press Information Bureau of the Government of India states that the reactor was on a maintenance shut down and that the workers were repairing a valve at the time of the accident at 12.10 on 14 May, 2014. According to the Southern Regional Load Distribution Centre (SRLDC), the reactor was on a forced shut down since 14.36 on 12 May due to tripping of the main feed-water pump. At the time of the accident, the reactor was critical, and hence no maintenance activity is possible. The incident on 14 May could have been in fact an accident in the feed-water pipeline. It is an irony of history that this accident began on 9 May 2014, a day after the Supreme Court of India “dismissed the petition to stall the commissioning of the plant, expressing satisfaction at the government’s steps towards safety measures

full report at

REPORT OF THE 14 MAY 2014 ACCIDENT AT THE KUDANKULAM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

by VT Padmanabhan,* R. Ramesh, V Pugazhendi, Raminder Kaur, Joseph Makolil
15 June 2014