Vigil up at country’s nuclear power plants

Following the crisis in Japan, the government has stepped up vigil at all nuclear power plants in the country. The atomic energy regulatory board (AERB) said on Tuesday it would carry out a comprehensive reassessment of safety and emergency measures at all such plants.

Of the 19 operational reactors in the country, only two — Tarapur units 1 and 2 — are boiling water reactors similar to the ones in Fukushima, Japan.

AERB said all reactors in the country were designed to withstand effects of earthquakes and tsunamis of specific magnitudes based on conservative criteria.

It said there were sufficient emergency-preparedness plans which are periodically rehearsed.

The AERB move follows prime minister Manmohan Singh’s directive for a fresh safety audit of all nuclear plants in the country.

AERB had earlier carried out a detailed safety assessment of all old plants, including Tarapur. Based on the assessment, several safety upgrades, such as provision of additional diesel generators for emergency power, were made.

The review team found that emergency preparedness plans were in place for all nuclear power plants in the country.