India & the US, the nuclear issue

PTI FEATURE
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VOL. NO XXII(13)-2006 April 1, 2006
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NUCLEAR
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PF-51/2006
INDIA & THE US, THE NUCLEAR ISSUE
By K.S.Parthasarathy

The US-India dialogue for the recently initiated nuclear deal began in July 1994 with the visit of an American delegation led by former Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary and a former Commissioner of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), E. Gail de Planque. They held discussions with Indian officials on civilian nuclear power safety The officials of the two countries decided to open a nuclear safety dialogue between the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and NRC.

The dialogue started in September 1994. It was informal; the US officials emphasized the fact that they could base the interaction only on material from public sources; US laws forbid any formal interaction between US officials and those of any country which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The regulators discussed safety-related topics such as development of symptom-based emergency procedures, technical exchanges on design issues, fire safety in nuclear power plants, materials aging, and in-service inspections.

In October 1994, Chairman, AERB Dr.A.Gopalkrishnan along with a team of engineers visited NRC and various nuclear facilities in the US. He established excellent rapport with the officials of NRC at different levels. In February 1995, Dr.Ivan Selin, Chairman, NRC visited New Delhi and Mumbai.

While addressing a gathering of distinguished scientists and nuclear technologists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Dr Selin touched a raw nerve. While airing his views on the independence of AERB, he implied that AERB in its current form is not independent. To be truly independent, a country’s regulatory agency should report to another country’s government! Dr Chidambaram, the then Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission reacted with disarming alacrity.

The topic was controversial. Admittedly, many in India believed that AERB’s relationship with the Department of Atomic Energy was too close for comfort. But nobody could deny that AERB had emerged as a technically strong and effective agency. Some felt that in matters of regulation, evolution is better than revolution. Others felt that the evolution in this case is too slow! NRC itself has its own image problems. Some call it the lap dog of the US Department of Energy!

In March 1998, Dr.P.Rama Rao, the then Chairman, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board visited the Peach Bottom Nuclear Power Plant. During the same month, Vice Chairman, AERB, Shri S. V. Kumar joined Dr Rao and visited NRC headquarters. They held discussions with NRC officials on developing and implementing the three NRC-AERB nuclear safety projects.

Basically they are exchanges in (1) back-fits and design modifications to existing nuclear power plants (2) historical information on previous fire hazards and the use of good fire protection engineering practices to develop operational improvements and to enhance fire safety; and (3) symptom-based emergency procedures.

The visit of Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman of the NRC in April 1998 was one of the most memorable events. She addressed “Fire Safety 1998”, a conference on fire-safety related topics at Trombay on April 15, 1998. She remembered her visit to the Gandhi Memorial in New Delhi and acknowledged how the US civil rights movement—and in particular, the convictions and principles of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.—benefited from the wisdom and example of non violence as a force for positive political and social change, as embodied in the life of Mahatma Gandhi..

She summarized the history of fire protection in nuclear power plants, the associated regulatory frame work and the NRC deliberations for possible improvement “…nuclear safety issues in one country can have a direct impact on how similar issues are viewed and treated in the nuclear power industry around the globe”, she asserted.

NRC-AERB interactions stopped abruptly in May 1998 when India conducted the nuclear tests. The dialogue restarted in February 2003 when Mr. Richard A. Meserve, Chairman, US NRC accompanied by a 15 member team visited AERB on invitation from Dr.S.P.Sukhtame, Chairman, AERB.

On February 26, 2003 Dr. Meserve, delivered a lecture titled “Advancing nuclear safety through international cooperation” at BARC; he described the key attributes to regulatory effectiveness and how NRC faces the challenges and achieves these attributes.

Shri S.K Sharma, the then Vice Chairman, AERB accompanied by a team of six Indian specialists visited USNRC from September 8 to 17, 2003. A team of NRC specialists led by Mr.Ashok Thadani, Director, Nuclear Regulatory Research Department visited AERB during Februry 23-25, 2004. A six-person delegation led by Shri S.K.Chande visited NRC from August 30 to September 3, 2004.

There were six meetings between the experts from the two countries. During the fifth meeting held during February 7-11, 2005 a five member NRC delegation led by Commissioner Jeffrey S. Merrifield visited AERB. The seventh meeting started on March 27, this year and will conclude on April 4.

NRC oversees the regulation of 103 nuclear power reactors. They have established procedures for licensing renewal and certification of new reactor designs; arrived at updates on fire risks. They have rich experience on areas of nuclear safety.

AERB faces similar challenges and issues. Currently, AERB’s regulatory responsibility extends to boiling water reactors, pressurized heavy water reactors of old and new designs, water moderated water cooled reactors (VVERs at Koodankulam), prototype fast breeder reactors and advanced heavy water reactors. AERB has been monitoring the implementation of safety up-gradation of reactors built to earlier standards. Several power reactors are in the construction phase in India.

Specialists on both sides could exchange nuclear safety-related information. Their visits and the range and depth of their discussions cemented the ties further.

Dr.K.S.Parthasarathy is formerly Secretary of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board