Lengthy dialogue on nuclear safety

I was Secretary of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board when nuclear safety dialogue started with the United States Nuclear regulatory Commission and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.What was started as an informal discussion developed into a full fledged nuclear safety dialogue between the two organisations.The article in the Deccan Herald describes the early developments.

Dr K.S.Parthasarathy




July 21, 2008

IN PERSPECTIVE

Lengthy dialogue on nuclear safety

By K S Parthasarathy



Indian and US nuclear regulatory bodies have a fruitful history of interaction.


The Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement is passing through a decisive phase. The India-US interaction began in July 1994 with the visit of an American delegation led by former Energy Secretary Hazel O’Leary E Gail de Planque to India. A Commissioner of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was a member of the team. The two countries agreed to start a nuclear safety dialogue between the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and NRC. The informal programme in 1994 developed into a platform for mutual exchange of information on core nuclear safety issues between the two regulatory agencies.

In October 1994, Chairman, AERB, Dr A Gopalakrishnan and a team of engineers visited NRC and various nuclear facilities. He established an excellent rapport with NRC officials. Subsequently Dr Ivan Selin, Chairman, NRC, visited New Delhi and Mumbai. Addressing the scientists at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Dr Selin touched a raw nerve when he conveyed his perception that AERB, in its current form, is not “independent”. To be truly independent, he said, a country’s regulatory agency should report to another country’s government! Dr R Chidambaram, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, reacted with disarming alacrity!






Many perceive AERB’s relationship with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) as too close for comfort. All regulatory bodies face a similar dilemma. NRC has its own image problems. Some call it the lap dog of the US Department of Energy!

Regulatory actions (I counted more than 50) of AERB against DAE installations will convince anyone that AERB is an effective agency. Such actions included reducing power levels of reactors, shutting down plants and directing important modifications. The installations complied with AERB directives; they spent considerable sums of money to do so. The AERB-NRC interaction continued under Dr P Rama Rao, Chairman, AERB, in 1998 and Dr Shirley Ann Jackson, NRC Chairperson.

The NRC-AERB interactions stopped abruptly in May 1998 when India conducted the nuclear tests. The dialogue restarted in February 2003 when Richard A Meserve, Chairman, USNRC, accompanied by a 15 member team visited AERB on an invitation from AERB chairman Dr S P Sukhtame. There was no looking back afterwards. From February 2003 to date AERB and NRC held nine discussion meetings. The latest was during February 25-28, 2008. Several teams of engineers from AERB, BARC, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) participated in the discussions. The NRC officials visited some Indian atomic power stations and research centres. Two officers from AERB are currently with USNRC to get exposure to the NRC regulatory process.

The AERB and NRC deliberate on virtually every important nuclear safety-related topic. These include re-analysis of the accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear power station, the regulatory requirements related to tsunami at nuclear plant sites, safety criteria for new reactor designs, seismic issues etc. In 2007, more advanced topics were included. The NRC regulates 104 nuclear power reactors. They established procedures for licence renewal and certification of new reactor designs and enhanced their capability to address every nuclear safety issue.

AERB faces similar challenges. Our reactors are ageing. AERB has been monitoring the implementation of safety upgradations of reactors built to earlier standards. The interaction complements India’s participation in the activities of the IAEA, the World Association of Nuclear Operators and the Candu Owners Group. During an informal get-together, Carlton Stoiber, a senior US official, drew a cartoon. The aquarium he drew on a paper towel contained an over-sized fish and a tiny fish. He wrote “NRC” on the big fish. Will the big fish swallow the smaller one? Someone queried. Certainly not, they are both regulators; same species will not harm each other! I assured every one.

(The writer is a former AERB Secretary.)