The first 1000MW unit of the Kudankulam nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu move a major step closer to its commissioning on Thursday after the Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (AERB) gave clearance for the "first approach to criticality (FAC)" for unit.

Attaining criticality means that the unit will start generating power in a day or two. The unit will reportedly be erratic to begin with and settle down within 15-20 day.

It will start transmitting power to the grid when the reactor will reach half of its capacity.

The Kudankulam nuclear power project has suffered numerous technical hitches as well as harsh opposition from the side of anti-nuclear activists.

However announcing the recent development, the AERB assured that it had given the clearance to after making sure that the plant complied with all the instructions of the Supreme Court about safety.

Speaking on the topic, AERB chief S. S. Bajaj said, "We were satisfied that the safety and other parameters had been complied with. Only after several tests, we gave the clearance."

Out of the 1000MW of power to be produced by the first unit of the nuclear plant, Tamil Nadu will get the biggest share - 450MW. Karnataka will get 221MW, while Kerala and Pudicherry are expected to get 133MW and 33MW, respectively. The remaining power has not been alloted to any state yet.