Presently, there are twenty two (22) Nuclear Power Plants in the country for generation of electricity.
There are four (4) research reactors working in India which are as follows:
- Dhruva: “100 MW Research Reactor” for R&D, Radio Isotope and Radio Pharmaceutical Production.
- Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR): for carrying out studies related to stage II nuclear power programme.
- Critical Facility: “100 W Research Reactor” for core physics experiments related to Advanced Heavy Water Reactors (AHWR) for stage III nuclear power programme.
- Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI): “Research Reactor” fuelled with Uranium-233 for core physics studies for the stage III nuclear power Programme.
There has not been any nuclear accident in Indian Nuclear Power Reactors, so far, impacting environment in public domain or loss of life.
There had been two instances of industrial accidents in the conventional working areas (non-nuclear) of the nuclear power plants or projects under construction resulting in two fatalities during the last three years.
There had been one conventional (non-nuclear) incident in the last three years wherein a leak from LPG cylinder resulted in explosion at an excavated area at an under construction site. No injury or loss of life occurred in this incident.
This was stated by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
BB/NK/JM/2244