Kudankulam is a 2,000 MW nuclear power station in Tamil Nadu, India. It is operated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 4.5 million homes (estimated). It ranks #111 of 2,225 India power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2014, it is around 12 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, nuclear supplies about 2.6% of India's electricity; the national grid averages 670 gCO₂/kWh (26.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1026848.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000500108; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 2,000 MW, Kudankulam is around the median nuclear plant in India (1,840 MW). Technically it is described as pressurized water reactor. Nuclear plants split uranium to raise steam with no direct CO₂; they run as steady baseload with very high capacity factors and the longest operating lifetimes of any thermal plant.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of India nuclear capacity
- 4.5% of 44,940 MW across 17 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 7 of 13 dated nuclear plants in India are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest nuclear plants in India
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).
Local climate & thermal context
This nuclear plant uses heat from nuclear fission to raise steam for a turbine-generator. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 8.2°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in an extreme marine/tropical environment (estimated ISO 9223 class CX — Extreme), with marine salt corrosion the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #8 largest nuclear power plant of 17 in India by capacity.
India has 17 nuclear power plants in this dataset, together about 44,940 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Nagercoli Wind Farm · Wind · 37.6 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Karur Textile Park Wind Farm · Wind · 6 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Sattankulam power station · Coal · 2,000 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Munanjipatti · Solar · 12.4 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Athiyakurichi power station · Coal · 2,640 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Udangudi Super Critical Thermal Power Project · Coal · 3,960 MW · Tamil Nadu
Location
Coordinates 8.1689, 77.7126 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Kudankulam?
Kudankulam is a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu, India, commissioned in 2014.
Who operates Kudankulam?
Kudankulam is operated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).