Kakrapar nuclear plant is safe, asserts NPCIL

Kokrapar nuclear plant, operated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has gone though various safety inspection of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). There have been some concerns about the safety of nuclear reactors in India, after the Japan's incident, but Indian nuclear reactors have stood the test of time, informed NPCIL, the public sector undertaking.

NPCIL currently operates 20 nuclear power reactors with an installed capacity of 4,780 MW. Of these reactors, two are BWRs (2X160 MW) at TAPS1&2 and others are Pressusrised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs). The safety of these BWR plants was reanalyzed few years ago and reviewed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

The company cited the example of the severe earthquakes of Gujarat in Bhuj on January 26, 2001 when the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station continued to operate safely, supplying much needed power to the region. Similarly, during the tsunami event in Tamil Nadu in 2004, Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) was safely shutdown without any radiological consequences.

The plant was restarted in a matter of days after regulatory review. The KKNPP under construction also remained unaffected by the tsunami as the higher level chosen in design for locating the plant. The authorities are going to review the event of Japan and if any all necessary steps will be taken, said NPCIL.

NPCIL has a well established operating experience review programme in which international events are reviewed for their applicability in the Indian context and corrective measures are taken. With regard to the above event, the company is in the process of gathering information and will take corrective measures.