NPCIL to revisit safety aspects at all atomic power plants

Public sector Nuclear Power Corporation has said it would revisit safety standards at all atomic power plants in the country in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Tsunami-struck Japan.

"We will sincerely revisit (all the nuclear power plants) whether there was any need for augmentation..", NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director S K Jain told reporters at Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam, about 60 kms from here yesterday.

Noting that Indian reactors have "successfully" withstood the strongest Bhuj earthquake and Tsunami, he said they would not compromise on safety and definitely make a revisit.

"Our reactors have successfully withstood the worst Bhuj earthquake and Tsunami but that does not mean we can be complacent. We will definitely revisit, we will augment it and show it all to our country men", he said.

He said India has got 85 monitoring stations to examine the radiation levels in the atmosphere.

"If there is any increase in the radiation levels, within seconds it is known to our crisis management group and emergency centre which are located in 85 places across the country", he said.

He pointed out that after the Tsunami in 2004, the diesel generator level at Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station was increased by two metres.

"Earlier the height of the diesel generator was 10.68 metres.. But after the Tsunami, it has been heightened to 12.68 metres...", he said.

Besides, he said they had also set up a wall across the Kalpakkam Atomic Power station at a cost of Rs 30 crore designed scientifically to prevent the reactors getting affected by such natural disasters.

Jain said the nuclear reactors at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant were designed in such a way that the reactor would remain the same and shutdown automatically even if the entire crew members were out.

"The new reactors we are setting up at Kudankulam.... though the cost has increased three or four times....Even if the entire crew was out, the reactor will remain the same", he said.