Adequate technology and experience are available with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for transporting spent fuel from one location to another by rail and road in a safe manner without any public hazard.
This was stated in a note when a batch of petitions relating to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) came up before a Division Bench of Justices P. Jyothimani and M. Duraisamy for further hearing on Thursday.
The note, filed through NPCIL counsel Krishna Srinivasan, stated that at Kudankulam, spent fuel from the reactors would be stored in the spent fuel pool designed for the storage of spent fuel assembly.
The pool capacity had been designed for storing spent fuel assemblies for eight years and unloading of the total reactor core at any moment of the nuclear power plant operation.
As practised in the other nuclear power plants, after eight years of storage, the spent fuel would be stored in ‘Away From Reactor’ (AFR) facility. This may be constructed either at the KKNPP or at some other sites which would be decided at the appropriate time.
The DAE and NPCIL had adequate experience and expertise in the field.
“Also, adequate technology and years of experience are available with DAE and NPCIL for transporting spent fuel from one location to another location through both railways and roadways in a safe manner without any public hazard. This is done as per the stipulations of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.”
The Bench directed counsel to file the note in the form of an affidavit.
As per the earlier direction, Tirunelveli district Collector R. Selvaraj and Chief Engineer, PWD, Gopalakrishnan, appeared before the court and filed affidavits.
