ZiO-Podolsk, the machine engineering arm of Russian nuclear group Rosatom's subsidiary Atomenergomash has started production of equipments for the third and fourth nuclear power units to be set up in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, it was announced on Tuesday.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Rosatom, Russia's state atomic energy corporation, said an initial meeting was held at the machine building plant of ZiO-Podolsk with representatives of India's Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and other organisations.

The meeting was held to check the plant manufacturing readiness for production and it was decided to launch the production of equipments, components and spare parts.

The manufacturing readiness was also determined for production of components and spare parts for separate collector and condensate collector.

ZiO-Podolsk will produce eight sets of separator super heaters and the same number of high-pressure pre-heaters for the new reactors at Kudankulam.

In 2003-2004, ZiO-Podolsk manufactured and sent the equipments for the first two 1,000 MW atomic power reactors at Kudankulam.

In addition to machine hall equipment, Atomenergomash supplies a range of key equipment for the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) like the steam generators, main circulating pump, pressure compensation valve and main circulation pipeline for the third and fourth units at Kudankulam.

Excavation works for Kudankulam units 3 and 4 are in progress. The first concrete for the new units will be poured in March 2017.

In December 2014, Moscow and New Delhi signed a document on strategic vision of serial construction of nuclear power units in India by using Russian technology.

The document outlines plans for the construction of more than 12 nuclear power units in India, at Kudankulam site as well, Rosatom added.