Chennai, Nov 8 (IANS): Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RInfra) has emerged the lowest bidder for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract tendered by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for two 1,000 MW power plants at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, said sources.

According to the sources, the bids for balance of plant (BOP) and common services were opened on Tuesday and RInfra's bid was pegged around Rs 1,000 crore. The project is to be commissioned in 56 months.

The order is for design, engineering, procurement, manufacturer, supply, erection/construction, testing, commissioning handing over and performance guarantee of common serves systems, structures and components for the upcoming third and fourth nuclear power plants at Kudankulam.

India's atomic power plant operator NPCIL has two 1,000 MW plants at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) built with Russian equipment.

The new tender is for two more units to be set up in Kudankulam which is in Tirunelveli district, around 650 km from here.

However, a RInfra spokesperson declined comment on the development.

Speaking to IANS earlier, S.V.Jinna, Site Director, KNPP, said some of the equipment for the upcoming third and fourth units at Kudankulam has arrived from Russia.

He said construction work is going on for the third and fourth units.

NPCIL officials were not available for comment on the latest development.