Vidya students visit Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Vidya students are quite enthusiastic to fill the bridge between technical concepts and industry applied concepts  thereby  enhancing  the practical knowledge with real time problems and solutions.

As part of the Vocational Awareness Program conducted by IEEE Smart Village, a group of student volunteers that include Sakthi S (S6, ECE Dept), Jesto K J (S6, ECE Dept), Sanjo P Rejin (S6, ECE Dept) Kiran M (S6, ECE Dept), Rahul Jayaram (S6, ECE Dept) and Vijith P V (S6, ECE Dept) actively facilitated a workshop in Tirunelveli. Following their participation in the program,the group had the opportunity to embark on an insightful industrial visit to the Kudamkulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) on 23 May 2023 .

Upon arrival at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant,Mr Sathish (Head, Public Relations Department) warmly welcomed the group and guided them through the plant.Before entering the plant, the participants were shown the theoretical aspects of the plant and a science gallery highlighting the significance of nuclear energy. The staff members were warm, helpful, and eager to share their knowledge with the participants.

During the visit, the group had the opportunity to explore various areas of the power plant, including the fish protection system, reactor cooling system, turbine and generator, desalination plant, and control room training simulator.The staff provided detailed explanations, allowing the participants to understand the intricacies of each system. An inspiring interaction took place when the group had the privilege of briefly meeting the Station Director, Mr. Sawant.

The success of the industrial visit was made possible through the guidance and support of Dr Sudha Balagopalan (Dean -Academics) who provided the necessary instructions and contact details for the visit. Mr K A David (Former Distinguished Scientist & Director (Operation) BHAVINI, Dept of Atomic Energy’, Dr Sudha Balagopalan’s colleague and has worked at Tarapur Atomic Power Station in Maharashtra, played an instrumental role in facilitating the visit.Their expertise and connections gained through their work at BARC were invaluable in making the visit a reality.

The industrial visit to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant gave the student volunteers an immersive experience and a deeper understanding of nuclear power generation. Through interactions with experts,witnessing the plant’s operations, and learning about safety measures, the participants gained valuable insights into the significance of nuclear energy in meeting the region’s energy needs.