Chennai, Aug 10 (IANS): The third 1,000 MW nuclear power plant coming up in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu reached another milestone with the installation of reactor pressure vessel dry shielding, said Russia's integrated nuclear power company, Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation.

Rosatom said Indian contractor Larsen & Toubro, under technical support of Russian experts, completed the works on installation into position of the reactor pressure vessel dry shielding.

Dry shielding is a cylindrical shield in metal cladding filled with serpentine concrete and located around the reactor pressure vessel. This structure serves for the neutron flux attenuation, and facilitates prevention of overheating of the reinforced concrete reactor pit structure.

The equipment was manufactured at Tiazhmash JSC in Syzran town.

The cylindrical shield filled with serpentine concrete weighs 140 tons.

According to Rosatom works on dry shielding preparation for installation are completed in time as scheduled.

The Russian company said installation of the reactor pressure vessel dry shielding is an essential process operation in the construction of a nuclear power plant.

After its completion, the installation of the reactor support truss and other assembly operations were performed, which were followed by the installation of the reactor pressure vessel into position.

India's atomic power company, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is building four more plants of 1,000 MW each in Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district - Units 3,4,5 and 6.

The first two units of similar power generation capacity has been functional for sometime now.