Russia and India are close to signing a contract on the construction of the third and fourth power units at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, Indian atomic industry officials said Wednesday.

The first two units should be completed before the end of the current year.

According to SK Jain, chairman and managing director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), the contracts could be signed in April or May for the units to be completed and "joined to the grid" by 2017.

Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Chairman Srikumar Banerjee said the same type of reactors would be used at all units, which "is a big advantage, because for regular maintenance you need the same crew: When reactors are different you cannot use the same people."

The cost of the reactors is $1,600 per kilowatt.

Jain said India had "an overall plan up until 2050" and in this context Russian participation was seen as "important."

Russian company Atomstroyexport has been building two reactors for the plant since 2002 under a 1988 Indian-USSR deal.

MUMBAI, March 10 (RIA Novosti)