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The regulator is also planning to levy a licence
fee as well as charge for other services to be
financially self-sufficient.
"Every nuclear power plant in India has
to renew its operational licence once in five
years. With the accident in Fukushima reactors
in Japan, additional safety measures have been
suggested. The NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation
of India Ltd) has to give us the road map for
implementing the same," S.S. Bajaj, chairman
of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), told
IANS in an interview.
As a result, two of NPCIL's power stations -
Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) and the first
two units at Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS)
- are being issued limited period licence to operate
since Dec 31, 2010, and March 31, 2011, when their
licence came up for renewal.
"The AERB does not give operational licence
for the full life of the reactor. Every five years,
we have to give integrated data on the reactors.
We have given the data for TAPS 1 and 2. At TAPS,
we have implemented the recommended short-term
safety measures and the long term which involves
civil construction activities will take some more
time," S.A. Bharadwaj, director (Technical)
at NPCIL, told IANS.
Krishnamurthy said the post-Fukushima safety
measures could be divided into short- and long-term
measures.
"We are in the process of acquiring seismic
trips, diesel gensets and others. The short- term
measures will be completed over the next eight
months. Long-term measures include setting up
new equipments and beefing up the physical security
of mobile assets like diesel gensets, building
of additional water and diesel storage facilities,"
Krishnamurthy remarked.
"In 18 months, the recommended short- and
long-term safety measures would be completed at
all our units," Bharadwaj said.
Speaking about the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project
(KNPP) where hot run (trial run with dummy fuel)
of the reactor was completed and the project has
come to a standstill due to people's protests,
Bajaj said: "They now have to submit the
test results. Based on that, we will authorise
removal of dummy fuel."
According to Bajaj, the AERB is also mulling
to levy licence fee and charge for its other services
so as to be financially self-sufficient as it
is on the verge of being converted into an autonomous
regulator.
"We have to evolve a formula on which licence
fees are charged. This will be done after getting
the feedback from stakeholders. Perhaps in one
year's time we will be able to levy our fees,"
Bajaj said.
He said the AERB's annual budget is around Rs.25-30
crore and its revenue is almost nil.
"We have around 230 employees and plans
are there to increase the numbers as more atomic
power stations are coming up," Bajaj said.
The regulator does not see any issue in having
mega nuclear parks housing multiple units, provided
sufficient safety measures are installed.
Queried about drafting safety codes for different
kinds of nuclear power reactors (pressurised heavy
water reactors, light water reactors, and fast
reactors) that are being set up in India, Bajaj
said: "At the highest level, the safety codes
are similar. When we come down, we apply our codes
and, where it is not possible, use international
standards."
On the fresh challenges to be faced on becoming
an autonomous regulator under the proposed Nuclear
Safety Regulatory Authority Act, Bajaj said: "Even
now, the AERB is independent with none of its
decisions questioned. Further, its budget too
was not questioned."
(IANS)
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