Page 44 - NIS English 01-15 December, 2025

NATION | Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Plants Safe

Against All Disasters

One of the key concerns flagged for atomic and nuclear plants is their safety.
In India, these plants and their surroundings are protected and secured, which
follows a very high benchmark and standard. Even high magnitude earthquakes
of 8.6 to 9.0 on the Richter scale cannot damage the country’s nuclear plants.
While tapping nuclear energy for peaceful use, special safeguards have been
taken to ensure the safety and security of the people living in its surroundings.

ndia’s nuclear energy capacity currently stands at Nuclear power plants
8,780 MW from 24 reactors, while efforts are un-
derway to achieve a capacity of 13,600 MW. Of this, generated approximately 56,581
I2,000 MW has been installed with the cooperation million units of electricity in
of Russia, and 320 MW with the United States. Nuclear
energy accounts for 3% of the country’s total electric- the financial year 2024-25.
ity generation. The Indian government is pursuing
a Nuclear Energy Mission to augment the nuclear
energy generation in the country while regularly ness to withstand earthquakes, floods, and other
evaluating and maintaining strict safety and security major natural disasters. The assessment concluded
protocols. Recently, in a reply given by the Minister of that the safety systems in place at India’s nuclear
State for the Department of Atomic Energy, in Parlia- power plants are robust enough to remain unaffected
ment, it was stated that a re-assessment of safety is even in the event of an earthquake measuring up to
undertaken following any major incident relevant to 9.0 on the Richter scale. However, safety assessments
nuclear safety anywhere in the world are conducted regularly in accordance with guide-
Following the devastating earthquakes in Russia lines. It was also affirmed that every nuclear power
and Japan, including the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi plant located in coastal areas is designed with stan-
nuclear accident, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board dard technical parameters to withstand earthquakes,
undertook a comprehensive evaluation of Indian tsunamis, storm surges, and floods. Furthermore,
power plants to assess their capacity and prepared- personnel are trained to respond to such situations.

42 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || December 1-15, 2025