Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has released
its Annual Report for the year 2011-2012, which brings out the safety
status of the nuclear and radiation facilities regulated by it. The
Report highlights the outcome of the post Fukushima-Comprehensive safety
review that was carried out to verify the existing safety margins of
Indian Nuclear Power Plants and Projects (NPPs) against the extreme
external hazards, including special focused inspections. The safety
review recognized the inherent strengths of design, operating practices
and regulations followed in India, which have resulted in robust systems
capable of withstanding challenges arising from external events.
To further augment the existing safety features of NPPs, safety
enhancements as recommended by AERB-High Level Committee, have been
accepted by AERB for time-bound implementation. These measures include
among others, enhancing the reliability of cooling through external hook
up points, training and mock-up exercises of operating personnel,
strengthening backup power supply, strengthening provision for
monitoring of critical parameter under prolonged loss of power,
enhancing Severe Accident Management programme, creation of an emergency
response facility capable of withstanding severe flood, cyclone &
earthquake, etc. AERB will be rigorously monitoring the implementation
of all the requirements.
The Annual Report also focuses on the safety status of Nuclear Power
Plants (NPPs), Fuel Cycle Facilities (FCFs) and Radiation Facilities
monitored by AERB. The safety statistics of NPPs and FCFs for 2011-12
brings out the following salient information.
• No event in the operating nuclear power plants has been categorized as
an ‘accident’ as per International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale
(INES).
• The radiation doses of occupational workers of nuclear facilities were
well within the annual dose limit, with an exception of 3 cases of over
exposure at KAPS-1&2. These doses are too small to cause any
detectable impact on the health of the workers.
• The liquid and gaseous wastes discharged to the environment from the
operating units were only a small fraction of the prescribed Technical
Specification limits.
• The estimated radiation dose to members of the public near the
operating plants is much less than the annual limit of 1mSv as
prescribed by AERB, the maximum being less than 4% for old plant sites
and less than 0.2% for new plant sites.
• Over the years, with constant efforts from AERB and dedicated
commitment from utilities, the industrial safety performance of DAE
units has improved appreciably.
AERB adopted several measures for strengthening its regulatory control
over radiation facilities, which include computerization of inventory of
legacy sources, initiation of steps to implement state of the art
e-licensing of radiation applications, establishing regional regulatory
centres, conducting awareness programmes, increasing the number of
inspections in the radiation facilities etc.
AERB continued its process of development of regulatory documents and issued seven new documents.
In the field of International Co-operation, as a Contracting Party to
the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS), India is participating and
contributing in the review meetings of CNS. AERB presented the national
report of India during the 5th review meeting of the contracting
parties of CNS at Vienna. AERB also became a full member of
Multi-national Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP) through which
participating regulatory bodies of various countries evolve common
approaches for harmonization of regulatory and safety practices.
Apart from the mandated activities, AERB was keenly involved in carrying
out safety related studies and various safety promotional activities,
which have been elaborated in the annual report.
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