India and Russia
have signed an agreement for cooperation in safety regulation
concerning nuclear power plant. The agreement was signed in Bombay
yesterday between the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India
and the Federal Nuclear and Radiation Safety Authority of Russia.
The two Regulatory Agencies have agreed to share information and
experiences in ensuring the safety of nuclear power plant personnel
and the public, as well as protection of the environment against
any possible, harmful effects of radiation.
The accord follows
the understanding reached between erstwhile USSR and India in
1988 and supplement to the inter-governmental agreement signed
in 1998 for the setting up of two nuclear power reactors of 1000
MW each at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu with Russian collaboration.
The mutual exchange
of information and experience will cover regulatory documents
used in the design and subsequent phases of nuclear power projects,
methodology adopted to validate computer codes and comparison
of results against international verification programmes and requirements
for qualifications as well as training and licensing of power
plant personnel. Method of acceptance of design and its analysis
with regard to seismic stability and environmental qualification,
methodology of selection of materials of critical components and
regulatory positions on other matters relating to nuclear power
plant safety, are some of the other issues on which the two Regulatory
Authorities will deal with.
This agreement comes
into force with immediate effect and is valid till the Kudankulam
Nuclear Power Plant becomes fully operational.
