AERB Clears Kudankulam Units 5 and 6 Equipment Erection
Why in the news
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gave a go-ahead for installing major equipment at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Units 5 and 6. This pushes the project nearer to becoming operational.
Key facts
- Approval covers Erection of Major Equipment, such as Reactor Pressure Vessels and Steam Generators, at KKNPP Units 5 and 6.
- AERB is the independent statutory regulator for safe use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation in India.
- It was formally set up in 1983 under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
- The board reports to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), headed by the Secretary of the DAE.
How the regulator evolved
| Period | Development |
|---|---|
| 1969-1972 | Early safety committees watched the first stations at Tarapur and Rajasthan |
| 1979-1981 | Karkhanawala and Meckoni Committees urged a dedicated statutory safety body |
| 1983 | AERB established under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 |
Core functions
- Licensing and consents: a plant moves to the next phase only with consent. Stages are site clearance (seismic and environmental checks), First Pour of Concrete (start of construction), equipment erection, then fuel loading and commissioning.
- Standard setting: frames Safety Codes and Guides for design and operation, and assists in rule-making under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- SARCOP (Safety Review Committee for Operating Plants) keeps watch on running plants.
- Enforcement: can suspend or cancel licences and order immediate shutdown of any facility, from a hospital X-ray unit to a power plant.
Concerns
- Since AERB answers to the AEC, led by the DAE Secretary, there is a long-running demand for full autonomy to avoid conflict of interest.
- A Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill was proposed for this purpose.
Exam angle
- Parent Act: Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
- Reactor Pressure Vessel: a steel container for fuel and coolant, a Category-1 safety component built for a 40-60 year plant life.
- Related term: SARCOP.