India’s first 1000 MW atomic power plant built with Russian collaboration at Koodankulam is just two steps away from going critical, a top official said on Friday. “We are on a very smooth path now. We have completed fuel loading and the nuclear regulator is carrying out a review,” Shiv Abhilash Bhardwaj, director (technical), Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), said. He was talking to reporters here on the sidelines of the India Energy Forum meet. Mr Bhardwaj said after the review by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), the NPCIL will be granted permission to close the reactor pressure vessel. Loading of 163 bundles of enriched uranium fuel into the reactor began on September 19 and was completed on October 2. “We have two more steps to attain first criticality. First the reactor will be closed after clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board which will be followed by pressure tests,” Mr Bhardwaj said. He said pressure and temperature inside the reactor would be increased artificially in a gradual manner to rule out any discrepancies. “Once it is okay, we are ready to go critical,” Bhardwaj said adding that utmost care is taken at every step as it is for the first time a 1000 MW reactor built with foreign collaboration is being commissioned in the country.