ATOMIC ENERGY REGULATORY BOARD The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act. The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. The mission of the Board is to ensure that the use of ionizing radiation in India does not cause undue risk to health of people and the environment. Currently, the Board consists of Chairman, an ex-ofcio member, four part- time Members and a Secretary. AERB has a Chairman, an Executive Director and nine divisions. The heads and directors of divisions constitute the Executive Committee which meets periodically with Executive Director, AERB to take decisions on important policy matters related to the management of the Secretariat of the Board. In addition, Safety Research Institute (SRI) was set up at Kalpakkam, to carry out and promote safety related research in areas of relevance to regulatory functions. AERB has a mechanism to check its effectiveness and quality assurance in its activities and a process by which it improves its systems through its own experience feedback and international regulatory practices. The administrative and regulatory mechanisms in place ensure multi-tier review of all safety matters by experts in the relevant elds available nationwide. These experts come from reputed academic institutions, R&D organizations, industries and Governmental Agencies. AERB carries out its functions through highly qualied work force and specialist committees under the guidance of the Board. Apex level committees include Safety Review Committee for Operating Plants (SARCOP), the Safety Review Committee for Applications of Radiation (SARCAR), Advisory Committees for Project Safety Review (ACPSRs), Advisory Committee on Radiological Safety (ACRS), Advisory Committee on Industrial and Fire Safety (ACIFS), Advisory Committee on Occupational Health (ACOH), Advisory Committee on Security ( ACS) and Advisory Committee on Nuclear Safety (ACNS). The ACPSRs recommend to AERB issuance of authorizations at different stages of projects of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), after reviewing the submissions made by the project authorities, based on the recommendations of the associated Project Design Safety Committees. The SARCOP carries out safety surveillance and enforces safety stipulations in the operating units of the DAE under the purview of AERB. SARCAR recommends measures to enforce radiation safety in medical, industrial and research institutions, which use radiation and radioactive sources. AERB receives advice on development of safety codes and guides and on generic nuclear, radiation and industrial issues from Advisory Committees namely, ACNS, ACRS, ACIFS and ACSD-FCF. ACOH advises AERB on occupational health safety matters. AERB enforces the following Rules issued under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962: Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004. Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987. Atomic Energy (Factories) Rules, 1996. Atomic Energy (Working of the Mines, Minerals and Handling of Prescribed Substance) Rules, 1984. The mission of the Board is to ensure that the use of ionizing radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to health of people and environment GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ANNUAL REPORT 2015-16 ATOMIC ENERGY REGULATORY BOARD NIYAMAK BHAVAN, ANUSHAKTI NAGAR MUMBAI-400 094 Website : www.aerb.gov.in FUNCTIONS OF THE ATOMIC ENERGY REGULATORY BOARD · Develop safety policies in nuclear, radiation and industrial safety areas for facilities under its purview. · Develop Safety Codes, Guides and Standards for siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of different types of nuclear and radiation facilities. · Grant consents for siting, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning, after an appropriate safety review and assessment, for establishment of nuclear and radiation facilities. · Ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements prescribed by AERB during all stages of consenting through a system of review and assessment, regulatory inspection and enforcement. · Prescribe the acceptance limits of radiation exposure to occupational workers and members of the public and acceptable limits of environmental releases of radioactive substances. · Review the emergency preparedness plans for nuclear and radiation facilities and during transport of large radioactive sources, irradiated fuel and ssile material. · Review the training program, qualications and licensing policies for personnel of nuclear and radiation facilities and prescribe the syllabi for training of personnel in safety aspects at all levels. · Take such steps as necessary to keep the public informed on major issues of radiological safety signicance. · Maintain liaison with statutory bodies in the country as well as abroad regarding safety matters. · Promote research and development efforts in the areas of safety. · Review the nuclear and industrial safety aspects in nuclear facilities under its purview. · Review the safety related nuclear security aspects in nuclear facilities under its purview. · Notifying to the public, the 'nuclear incident', occurring in the nuclear installations in India, as mandated by the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. Contents Page Nos. HIGHLIGHTS OF AERB ACTIVITIES AT A GLANCE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD ORGANISATION CHART OF AERB CHAPTER 1 SUMMARY 1-9 CHAPTER 2 SAFETY SURVEILLANCE OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES 11-45 2.1 Safety Review Mechanism of Nuclear Facilities 12 2.2 Management System of AERB 12 2.3 Nuclear Facilities under construction 12 2.4 Operating Nuclear Power Plants and Research Reactors 22 2.5 Nuclear Fuel Cycle and other related Industrial Facilities 34 2.6 R&D Units and other Facilities 44 CHAPTER 3 SAFETY SURVEILLANCE OF RADIATION FACILITIES 47-60 3.1 Introduction 47 3.2 Regulatory Methodology 50 3.3 Regulatory Inspections 54 3.4 Unusual Occurrences & Enforcement Actions Taken By AERB 55 CHAPTER 4 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY 61-67 4.1 Licenses Issued Under The Factories Act, 1948 / Atomic Energy 61 (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004 4.2 Regulatory Inspections & Safety Review 62 4.3 Occupational Injury Statistics 62 4.4 Fatal Accidents 67 CHAPTER 5 ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY & OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES 69-77 5.1 Environmental Safety 68 5.2 Occupational Exposures 74 CHAPTER 6 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 79-82 CHAPTER 7 SAFETY DOCUMENTS 83-87 7.1 New / Revised Safety Documents Published in the year 2015-16 83 7.2 Safety Documents Translated and Published in Hindi 85 7.3 Safety Documents under development 85 7.4 Review of IAEA Draft Documents 86 CHAPTER 8 SAFETY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH 89-107 8.1 Severe Accident (SA) Studies 89 8.2 Hydrogen Distribution and Containment Safety Studies 90 8.3 Thermal Hydraulics Safety Studies 91 (i) 8.4 Experimental Studies 92 8.5 International Collaborative Safety Analysis Exercises 93 8.6 Probabilistic Safety Analysis 94 8.7 Reactor Physics Studies 96 8.8 Fire Safety Studies 99 8.9 Structural and Seismic Analysis 99 8.10 Radiological Assessment and Environmental Safety Studies 101 8.11 Studies Pertaining To The Back End of the Fuel Cycle and Soil Remediation 103 8.12 AERB Funded Safety Research Programme 105 CHAPTER 9 PUBLIC INFORMATION 109-114 9.1 Press Releases 109 9.2 Communication and Consultation with Stakeholders 110 9.3 Public / Stakeholders Awareness Programs 110 9.4 Parliamentary Questions 113 9.5 Right To Information Act-2005 113 CHAPTER 10 INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION 115-119 10.1 Strengthening Nuclear Safety and Security 115 10.2 Bilateral Cooperation 116 10.3 Contribution in International Peer Review 117 10.4 Participation in the Annual CANDU Senior Regulators 117 Meeting (CSRM), Canada 10.5 Participation in IAEA & NEA activities 117 10.6 AERB's Activities as MDEP Member 119 CHAPTER 11 HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE 121-129 11.1 Manpower Augmentation 121 11.2 Implementation of Persons With Disabilities Act, 1995 and 121 Implementation / Welfare Of Reservation Policy For Scheduled Castes/Tribes/OBC 11.3 Training 121 11.4 AERB Colloquia / Lectures 122 11.5 Knowledge Management 123 11.6 Development of Information & Technology Infrastructure 123 11.7 Promotion of Excellence in Human Resources 123 11.8 Welfare Activities for AERB Employees 127 11.9 Retirements on Superannuation 129 CHAPTER 12 SAFETY PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES 131-133 12.1 DAE Safety and Occupational Health Professionals Meet 131 12.2 Theme Meeting on 'Radiological Consequences of Fukushima 132 Accident- An Update’ 12.3 Theme Meeting on 'New Dose Limits For Eye Lens - Measurement, 132 Monitoring and Regulation' 12.4 Theme Meeting on 'Quality Assurance during Design and Manufacturing 132 of Safety Critical Equipment of Nuclear Power Plant’ (ii) CHAPTER 13 OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IMPLEMENTATION 135-138 13.1 Publications in Hindi 135 13.2 Promotional Activities for Hindi implementation 135 13.3 Hindi Talks / Workshops 135 13.4 Hindi Competitions 136 CHAPTER 14 TECHNICAL INTERACTION WITH EXTERNAL AGENCIES 139-140 14.1 Interaction with other Agencies 139 14.2 Project Guidance 140 PUBLICATIONS 141-147 ANNEXURE (ABBREVIATIONS) 148-154 INES SCALE 155 (iii) INDEX TO TABLES Table No. Title Page No. 2.1 Status of various Nuclear Power Projects under review by AERB 14 2.2 Status of various under construction