Facts on Cooling Water Usage at KKNPP

Kudankulam Nuclear Plant

The water requirement for cooling at nuclear power plants in India, or for that matter anywhere in the world, is nothing unusual. In fact, all power-producing technologies require water for cooling purposes, and so it is at nuclear power plants, including at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP).

• Cooling water in not used in a nuclear process and it is not radioactive.
• The cooling water is used for condensing the steam – just like in any other power-producing technology, like thermal power plants that use fossil fuels like coal, oil or natural gas.
• The cooling water released is not hot, but only slightly warm, typically 5°C warmer than the ambient temperature of the water body (this is well within safe permissible limits).
• Thermo-ecological studies indicate no adverse effect on fish or any other aquatic life. Thus marine environment faces no hazard from this cooling water release.
• It is noteworthy that motorboats, submarines, ships, etc. also use seawater for cooling their engines.
• Abundant catch of healthy fish clearly indicates that fish thrives as normally in these seawaters as anywhere else.