Rajeev Chandrasekhar's official website - Member of Parliament

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2484

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25TH AUGUST 2011

SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF KAIGA NUCLEAR PLANT

2484 SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to sate:-

(a)    Whether government has undertaken any study on safety of nuclear plants in India;

(b)   If so, the details thereof;

(c)    The safety assessment of the Kaiga plant in Karnataka; and

(d)   The measure that have been put in place by government to ensure safety of this plant?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE

PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

(SHRI V NARAYANASAMY)

(a) Yes, sir

(b) Soon after the Fukushima (Japan) incident, the government directed a comprehensive review of safety of all the nuclear power reactors in the country. In line with this directive, Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) constituted four task forces for each of the technology in operation and two task forces for the types of reactors under construction. These task forces have revisited the safety aspects of all the nuclear power plants and found that Indian nuclear power reactors are safe and have sufficient margins and features in the design to withstand extreme natural events. The reports of the task forces have been submitted and made public. The atomic energy regulatory board (AERB) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) have also constituted committees whose reports are expected in the near future.

(c) & (d) The Kaiga generating station in Karnataka was found to be safe and having sufficient margins and features in the design to withstand extreme natural events. However, to further enhance its safety, recommendations have been made which are being implement after due process of approval. These, inter – ala, are:

  • Automatic reactor shutdown initiator, sensing seismic activity
  • Augmentation of cooling water inventories and provisions for additional hook up    arrangements through external sources and provision of mobile diesel driven pump sets.
  • Increasing the duration of the passive power sources/ battery operated devices for monitoring important parameters for a longer duration, and
  • Revision of emergency operating procedures (EOPs) and structured training programs to train plant personnel on modified EOPs

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