DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
NOTE FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES
INDEX
|
Sl. No. |
Subject |
Page No. |
|
1.
|
Bio – data of Shri Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha |
1-2 |
|
2.
|
Bio – data of Shri Ram Jethmalani |
3-4 |
|
3.
|
Part I – Executive Summary |
5-6 |
|
4.
|
Part II – Anticipated Questions & Answers |
7-12 |
|
5.
|
Part III – Detailed Note for Supplementaries |
13-18 |
|
6.
|
Similar questions asked by other members in previous sessions with answer (Rajya Sabha) |
19-21 |
|
7.
|
Similar questions asked by other members in previous sessions with answer (Lok Sabha) |
22 |
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.466 FOR ANSWER ON 06.08.2009 BY S/SHRI
RAJ MOHINDER SINGH MAJITHA AND RAM JETHMALANI REGARDING LAND FOR NUCLEAR POWER
PROJECT
PART I
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Question
The thrust of the question is whether the Government has finalized sites for setting up of nuclear power projects in co-operation with American Companies. The question also seeks to ascertain the estimates of the land required for the projects at each place. Agricultural land, out of the total land marked for the project is also required to be ascertained.
The
international co-operation agreements with
The
Government of India has constituted a Site Selection Committee (SSC) in the
year 2005 to recommend a panel of coastal sites for setting up
a nuclear parks of about six reactors at each site. The SSC requested the
State Governments for identification and recommendations of suitable sites,
along the coast, for setting up such power reactors. In response, the Governments of Andhra
Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa and
The
Government had in the year 2005, approved in-principle sites at Kudankulam and Jaitapur in
The site at Kudankulam has potential for setting up
additional two units (KK- 5&6).
Similarly, the site at Jaitapur has also
additional potential for setting up more reactors.
The proposal under the consideration
of the Government seeks in-principle approval for setting up reactors at three
sites, namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and
The sites at Chhaya
Mithi Virdi, Gujarat, Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh and Haripur in
The discussions with the State Governments and the recommendations of the SSC have been on the basis of exclusion zone radius of 1.5 km. The proposal to reduce the exclusion radius to 1 km based on the current design standards of the contemporary reactors worldwide and consistent with the global practices is under consideration. Based on the exclusion radius of 1 km the land requirement for six reactors at each site is about 500 hectares.
While it is planned to start work on a set of two reactors in the first instance followed by commencement of work on another set of two reactors after a period of three to five years when the work on first set of reactors will taper off, the land required for all the reactors at a particular site is proposed to be acquired in the first instance itself. Thus there would be no additional land required for future expansion of the projects.
The setting up of nuclear power stations at coastal locations requires foreshore facilities for intake channels etc. and therefore has to be as close to the sea as possible, consistent with Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) regulations. The land marked at each of the sites is on the basis of exclusion radius of 1.5 km and the agricultural land out of the total land varied from site to site. With the proposed reduction of exclusion radius from 1.5 km to 1 km, the land requirement has come down by about 40%. The plot area tentatively based on reduced exclusion radius will need to be relocated within the area already identified at each of the sites in consultation with the State Government so as to minimize the agricultural land.
********
GOVERNMENT OF
DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.466 FOR ANSWER ON 06.08.2009 BY S/SHRI
RAJ MOHINDER SINGH MAJITHA AND RAM JETHMALANI REGARDING LAND FOR NUCLEAR POWER
PROJECT
PART – II
ANTICIPATED
QUESTIONS & THEIR ANSWERS
How many nuclear power plants are planned
to be set up based on foreign cooperation?
About 40,000 MWe nuclear power capacity comprising of Light Water Reactors (LWRs) of diverse technologies, each of 1000 MWe and above, are planned to be set up based on foreign cooperation. These are planned to be set up as nuclear power parks, each of about 6000 to 10,000 MWe, consisting of six to eight LWRs at coastal sites. The exact number of reactors to be set up will depend on the capacities of the reactors set up.
What are the LWR technologies under
consideration?
There
are four major state of the art large LWR designs (termed Generation III Plus)
under consideration. These are EPRs of AREVA, France, VVERs
of Atomstroyexport (ASE), Russian Federation, ABWRs of GE Hitachi Nuclear (GEH), USA and AP1000 of
Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) USA.
What is the status of nuclear cooperation
with the
Consequent to the
conclusion of the intergovernmental agreement (123 Agreement) with the
What are the criteria for siting
of a nuclear power plant?
The
guidelines for siting of nuclear power plants in the
country are issued by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Sound
foundation conditions, availability of large water body for meeting the cooling
water requirements, low population density, magnitude of land acquisition and
rehabilitation of the affected population, power evacuation, available
infrastructure, land use pattern, distance from sensitive installations,
archaeological monuments, large population centres
and international borders are some of the considerations for first order
evaluation.
What is the area required for setting up a
nuclear power plant?
The requirement of land for setting up a
nuclear power station includes land needed for locating the plant and auxiliary
buildings and establishment of an exclusion zone of 1.5 km (at present) around
the plant where no habitation is permitted. The establishment of exclusion zone
is a regulatory requirement. The total area required for setting up four-unit
station at inland site typically is about 1100 Ha, while at a costal locations,
it is lesser, at about 750 hectares. The actual area required depends on the
surface features of the site like water bodies, hills etc.
Why are coastal sites preferred for setting
up large size nuclear power plants?
Coastal
sites are preferred for setting up large capacity reactors on account of availability of abundant sea
water for condenser cooling and ease of transportation of heavy, over
dimensional equipment by sea in case of nuclear power reactors set up based on
international cooperation. In land sites are considered for small & medium
sized reactors.
Does
Two VVERs of 1000
MWe each are being set up at Kudankulam in Taminadu
in technical cooperation with
What will be the source of fuel for the
reactors based on international cooperation ? What
will be the annual requirement of fuel?
The nuclear reactors based on international cooperation will be
Light Water Reactors (LWRs) ,fuelled by low enriched fuel (4-5%). Necessary
guarantees for lifetime fuel supplies will be incorporated in the commercial
agreements/contracts. The annual requirement of low enriched uranium fuel will
be about 35 tons per 1000 MWe capacity.
What will the investment cost of reactors
based on international cooperation and the tariff of electricity generated from
them?
The
investment cost of setting up such reactors in
Are there any proposals to permit private/
foreign participation in nuclear power sector?
Currently, Nuclear Power
Stations can be set up only by Government or a Government company in accordance
with the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act. NPCIL & BHAVINI are the two
Government companies authorised to set up nuclear power stations. The private
sector participation is possible through a Joint Venture, in which NPCIL is a
majority partner. In addition, private sector has major participation in supply
of equipment & services.
Involvement of private sector
in setting up nuclear power plants would need an amendment of the Atomic Energy
Act. All aspects of setting up such
projects will be comprehensively considered by the Government before according
them approval.
How are the LWR projects proposed to be
funded?
In the XI Plan,
work is proposed to be started on 10 imported LWRs. The projects are proposed
to be funded by a mix of debt & equity, at a ratio of about 70:30. The equity requirements of these projects are
proposed to be met from the reserves and surpluses of Nuclear Power Corporation
of India Limited, while the debt is proposed to be sourced from external credit
and market borrowings. For projects beyond the XI Plan, if needed, NPCIL will
explore other options of raising equity.
How is safety ensured in
setting up and operating nuclear power plants?
Utmost attention is given to nuclear safety in Indian nuclear power plants. Principle of “SAFETY FIRST- PRODUCTION LATER” is adopted in all activities. The overriding importance to safety encompasses the entire gamut of activities associated with nuclear power plants (NPPs), that is, siting, design, construction, commissioning, and operation. In all these activities, a major effort is devoted to ensuring safety of operating personnel, public as well as the environment.
A systematic approach using well-defined principles is followed in the design of the nuclear power plants to provide the required safety features adopting principles of defence-in-depth, diversity and redundancy. Nuclear Power Plants are constructed in accordance with the design intent, and with required quality of workmanship to very strict quality standards. The manufacture of components and equipment as well as the erection, testing and commissioning activities are performed under stringent Quality Assurance Programmes. The operations are performed using well laid out procedures by thoroughly well qualified and trained staff. The operators are trained using simulators and periodically re-trained for sharpening their reflexes and skills.
The specific safety features of the Indian Nuclear Power Reactors are:
a) In design of nuclear power plants, safety principles of redundancy, diversity and fail-safe design features are followed. Physical separation between redundant safety systems and diversity of equipment of critical safety systems ensure that common mode failures due to fire etc. do not occur.
b) The defence-in-depth approach in design ensures that there are multiple barriers (fuel matrix, fuel clad, primary pressure pipe, primary containment and secondary containment) to be crossed before radioactivity can escape to environment.
c) There is a multi-tier system of review by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) during all the stages.
d) For nuclear power plant operation, operating personnel for specific positions are licensed by AERB and then only allowed to perform the task.
e) An exclusion zone of 1.6 km radius around the reactors is established where the land is acquired and fenced. No resident public habitation is permitted. In addition a sterilised zone of 5 km. radius surrounds the plant where only normal growth of existing population is allowed.
f) Emergency preparedness, as a matter of abundant caution, is ensured by well laid down plans and procedures and regular rehearsals by the plant and state authorities.
How is the environment
around the nuclear power plant monitored to ensure that radioactivity is within
permissible limits?
Each atomic power plant has an Environmental Survey Laboratory (ESL) which is independent of the atomic power plant/ Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) management and reports directly to Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). These Laboratories are set up before pant construction so as to generate base line data. ESLs undertake continuous surveillance of the environment by analysing the environmental matrices like air, water and foodstuff like cereals, milk, vegetables, fish etc, for their radioactivity contents. The radiation dose to the members of the public is computed from these measurements and is found to be only a fraction of the permissible dose limits prescribed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
Epidemiological surveys have been conducted at all operating nuclear power plants by Tata Memorial Centre with active participation of local medical colleges. These surveys have concluded that there is no radiation induced effect on the health of people around the plant due to operation of nuclear power plants.
*********
GOVERNMENT
OF INDIA
DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.466 FOR ANSWER ON 06.08.2009 BY S/SHRI
RAJ MOHINDER SINGH MAJITHA AND RAM JETHMALANI REGARDING LAND FOR NUCLEAR POWER
PROJECT
PART III
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The following
figure shows the present locations of nuclear power plants in
Nuclear Power Stations in Operation
The present total nuclear power capacity in the country is 4120 MWe with 17 reactors. The details of nuclear power stations in operation are given in the Table below:
Unit-Location |
Reactor Type |
Capacity (MWe) |
Date of Commercial Operation |
|
TAPS-1 Tarapur, |
BWR |
160 |
|
|
TAPS-2 Tarapur, |
BWR |
160 |
|
|
RAPS-1 Rawatbhata, Rajasthan * |
PHWR |
100 |
|
|
RAPS-2 Rawatbhata, Rajasthan |
PHWR |
200 |
|
|
MAPS-1 Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
MAPS-2 Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
NAPS-1 Narora, Uttar Pradesh |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
NAPS-2 Narora, Uttar Pradesh |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
KAPS-1 Kakrapar,
|
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
KAPS-2 Kakrapar,
|
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
KAIGA-2, Kaiga, Karnataka |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
RAPS-3 Rawatbhata, Rajasthan |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
KAIGA-1Kaiga, Karnataka |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
RAPS-4 Rawatbhata, Rajasthan |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
TAPS-4 Tarapur, |
PHWR |
540 |
|
|
TAPS-3 Tarapur, |
PHWR |
540 |
|
|
KAIGA-3 Kaiga, Karnataka |
PHWR |
220 |
|
|
Total |
|
4120 |
|
BWR: Boiling Water Reactor (LWR) PHWR: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor
* Owned by
DAE and operated by NPCIL
Reactors under
Construction
There
are six reactors under construction; three of them are PHWRs of 220 MWe, two
LWRs of 1000 MWe introduced as an additionality being
executed in technical cooperation with
Scheme |
Location |
Capacity (MWe) |
Expected date of Completion |
|
Kaiga Atomic Power Project Unit 4 |
Kaiga, Karnataka |
220 PHWR |
2010 |
|
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Units -1&2 |
Kudankulam, Tamilnadu |
2X1000 MWe LWRs |
2010 |
|
Rajasthan Atomic Power Project Units-5&6 |
Rawatbhata, Rajasthan |
2X220 PHWRs |
2009 |
|
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) |
Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu |
1X500 (FBR) |
2011 |
The work on RAPP 5&6 & Kaiga 4 PHWRs is completed and awaiting fuel supply.
Capacity Buildup
With the progressive completion of the projects under construction, the installed nuclear power capacity will reach 7280 MWe by 2011.
Future Plans
The Integrated Energy Policy of the
country envisages reaching a nuclear power capacity of 63,000 MWe by the year
2032. Large-scale expansion of the nuclear power, based both on indigenous
reactors and reactors based on international cooperation, is planned.
International
Cooperation Initiatives & Setting up of LWRs
The
Government had taken initiatives on international cooperation in nuclear
energy. The fruition of those efforts have led to ending of
|
S.No. |
Date |
Event |
Place |
|
1 |
|
Joint Statement by |
|
|
2 |
|
Suomoto statement by the PM in Parliament on
civil nuclear cooperation with |
|
|
3 |
|
Agreement between |
|
|
4 |
|
US Legislation on Nuclear Cooperation with |
|
|
5 |
|
Text of 123 Agreement released |
|
|
6 |
|
Draft text of |
IAEA, |
|
7 |
|
IAEA Board adopts |
IAEA, |
|
8 |
|
NSG grants waiver to |
IAEA, |
|
9 |
|
|
|
|
10 |
|
123 Agreement
signed between |
|
|
11 |
|
|
|
|
12 |
|
Agreement signed between DAE and AREVA for supply of 300 tons of fuel |
|
|
13 |
|
NPCIL & KAZATOMPROM sign MoU for cooperation in nuclear industry |
|
|
14 |
|
NPCIL & AREVA sign agreement for setting up EPRs at
Jaitapur in |
|
|
15 |
|
Agreement to be signed between DAE & Russian firm for supply of 2000 tons of fuel pellets |
|
|
16 |
|
NPCIL & NTPC sign MoU to incorporate a Joint Venture for setting nuclear power plants |
|
|
17 |
|
NPCIL & GEH,
USA sign an MoU for setting up ABWRs in India |
|
|
18 |
|
NPCIL & WEC,
USA sign MoU for setting up AP1000 reactors in India |
|
US LWR technologies
There
state of the art large LWR designs (termed Generation III Plus) of the USA are
1350 MWe ABWRs of GE Hitachi Nuclear (GEH), USA and
1100 MWe AP1000 of Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) USA. Four ABWRs are in operation in
Nuclear Power Parks
The nuclear power plants based on international co-operation are planned to be set up as nuclear power parks, each of about 8000 to 10,000 MWe, consisting of six to eight LWRs. The work is planned to be taken up on set of two reactors in the first instance, followed by another set at the same site when the work on first set of reactors begins to taper off. The land for all the reactors planned at the site is acquired in the beginning, and therefore there is no land acquisition involved for expansion at a later stage.
Land Requirements for Nuclear Power Parks
Land is required for setting up the plant buildings and for establishing an exclusion zone, (presently 1.5 km) around the reactors where no habitation is permitted, in line with the regulatory requirements. The following sketch shows a typical profile of the land to be acquired for a six unit station at a coastal site:
It can be seen that the area required is primarily dictated by the extent of the exclusion zone. The proposal to reduce the exclusion zone radius to 1 km based on the current design standards of the contemporary reactors worldwide and consistent with the global practices is under consideration. This would reduce the land requirement substantially, depending on the number of reactors to be set up at the site.
As also can be seen from the figure, the exact land requirement would depend on the profile of the coastline and surface features in the exclusion area (water bodies, hills etc.). An approximate estimate of the land requirement in square km with exclusion zone radius ‘r’ of 1.6 km, 1.5 km and 1km are indicated in the table:
|
No of Reactors |
Land Requirement (sq. km) |
||
|
r =1.6 km |
r = 1.5 km |
r = 1.0 km |
|
|
4 |
7.510 |
6.830 |
3.920 |
|
6 |
8.782 |
8.043 |
4.825 |
|
8 |
10.042 |
9.243 |
5.725 |
|
10 |
11.290 |
10.430 |
6.720 |
******