Japan-like nuclear mishap 'most unlikely' in India, says NSA

Japan-like nuclear mishaps are "most unlikely" in India, National Security Advisor Shivshanker Menon said here on Wednesday.

Menon, however, said the situation in that country was evolving and the Atomic Energy Commission and its departments were undertaking a detailed review.

He said the Atomic Energy Commission and its other agencies "tell us that our designs are different and we also store our spent fuel differently....The fire (in Japan) was a hydrogen fire in the area where the spent fuel is stored...They (AEC) tell us is that this is most unlikely," Menon said when asked about the safety of nuclear installations in the country and whether they can withstand natural calamities such as tsunamis.

Menon said atomic agencies were undertaking a detailed review of the design, the procedures and all the safety features. “As they learn more about what is happening in Japan, they will continue to review and then they will come back with suggestions for improvement, if necessary,” he said.