Siting of nuclear power stations in India

In India, a National Committee appointed by the Government has evolved certain guidelines on the principal criteria for evaluation of sites in relation to Indian conditions, taking into account the available experience in the country on the construction and operation (as appropriate) of the initial stations (at Tarapur, Ranapratapsagar and Kalpakkam) as well as experience abroad. The philosophy pursued with regard to the safety of the environment from radioactive pollution arising from the release of wastes from the station is one of containment of wastes rather than of dilution and disposal, which would enable utilization of the environment without undue restriction. Applying the criteria thus evolved, the National Committee has examined a number of sites both coastal and inland and generally situated in areas far away from coalfields, keeping in mind the design requirements of Candu-type stations, and has identified some of them as suitable on techno-economic grounds. These sites, spread over a large part of the country, will remain suitable so long as the facilities and the environmental conditions now obtaining there are preserved. It may be some years before all the selected sites are utilized. If the site conditions change in the meantime, fresh evaluation would be necessary. The paper describes some of the principal criteria and guidelines evolved and the present effort for selection of sites for future stations, together with the problems faced and the experience gained. (author)