Kakrapar Nuclear Power Plant Shut Down After Major Leak, All Workers Safe

 

An emergency has been declared within the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat's Surat district after a major heavy water leak in a nuclear reactor on Friday March 11,2016


No worker has been exposed to radiation.The workers were allowed to go home after they had been counted and accounted for as officials checked to ensure that no radioactivity was reported outside the plant.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), told  "The reactor has shut down safely and no radiation has leaked out and  no worker was stationed in the affected area.''

Officials said the safety checks and systems kicked in as intended for emergencies.

The nuclear reactor is slowly cooling down and is in a "safe stage" confirmed Dr Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

The heavy water leak affected the reactor's cooling system. If emergency cooling systems do not kick in after this sort of glitch, the temperature can rise so much that the core of the reactor can melt down completely.

Heavy water, formed with a hydrogen isotope, is used in Indian reactors as a preferred cooling agent.

Note

Kakrapar Atomic Power Station is a nuclear power station,  consisting of two 220 MW pressurized water reactors with heavy water as moderator (PHWR).

KAPS-1 went critical on 3 September 1992 and began commercial electricity production a few months later on 6 May 1993.

KAPS-2 went critical on 8 January 1995 and began commercial production on 1 September 1995.