Exercise to measure the readiness of the Kalpakkam nuclear center in an emergency situation

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Kalpakkam Center, successfully conducted the on-site emergency drill Tuesday to validate the center and plant management’s readiness to deal with a remote emergency situation, the center said. The exercise took place despite the fact that such an event at a nuclear power plant is highly unlikely due to the philosophy of “deep defense” in the construction and operation of the facility, said M Balarama Murthy, station director of Madras Nuclear Power Plant (MAPS), who also said is the site emergency director. The exercise was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Kalpakkam Center’s Emergency Manual and demonstrated, among other things, the evacuation of all non-essential personnel from the premises and the sham decontamination of a contaminated vehicle on the premises. The exercise, which involved 5,000 site workers evacuated in two hours, was completed in three and a half hours. Senior officials including directors of the central units of Kalpakkam DAE and observers from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) observed the conduct of the exercise, which successfully met AERB’s emergency preparedness requirements at a nuclear facility. “It has also increased confidence in the DAE’s capabilities in dealing with events at nuclear facilities,” Balarama Murthy said in a statement here. The Kalpakkam Center has various units such as the Madras Nuclear Power Plant (operated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd), the Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research, the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (under construction by BHAVINI) and the Nuclear Recycle Board, the Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility (under construction) etc. The exercise was overseen by the Kalpakkam Emergency Committee led by Balarama Murthy. The exercise takes place annually.

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