Page 45 - NIS English 01-15 December, 2025
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Nuclear Energy | NATION
A Robust Framework
for Nuclear Emergency
Management We are moving forward with a
In India, the design of nuclear power plants (NPPs)
integrates comprehensive safety concepts, features, resolve to increase the country’s
and systems, while strict compliance with established nuclear power capacity more than
operational procedures greatly minimizes the
likelihood of serious accidents. A robust framework 10-fold by 2047. We achieved the
for managing nuclear emergencies is in place. 50% clean energy target in 2025,
Comprehensive measures have been established
to ensure the safety of communities residing near five years ahead of the 2030 target.
nuclear power plants, supported by well-defined
emergency response systems that include the - Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
following:
n Nuclear power plant location selection,
construction, and operation are all carried out in The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board conducted 86
accordance with stringent regulatory and safety inspections of operational plants over the past two
requirements set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory years. These inspections found no deficiencies in
Board. radioactive waste management or emergency pre-
n To minimize the potential impact on public areas paredness plans.
due to radioactive emissions in the event of an
emergency, a containment zone is identified PRIVATE SECTOR TO PARTNER IN
around the NPP plant. This is to ensure immediate NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION
precautionary and prompt protective action. The Nuclear Energy Mission targets generating 100
n Districts or states that host nuclear power plants gigawatts of nuclear energy by 2047. Private sector
have district and state-level disaster management participation has also been permitted in this sector.
plans, which are developed in coordination with Also, the Department of Atomic Energy has formed
the National Disaster Management Authority. a working group to consider aspects of nuclear
n Each nuclear facility has a 1.5-kilometer no-go power plant construction, ownership, operation,
zone, a 5-kilometer deactivation zone, and a nuclear safety and security, and waste management.
16-kilometer emergency planning zone around it. Arrangements have been made to retain foreign part-
ners in the nuclear energy sector in accordance with
the government’s existing FDI policy.
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS TO HELP
ACHIEVE NET ZERO
Over the past five years, 2,100 megawatts of nuclear
energy capacity have been connected to the grid.
During this period, approximately 241 billion units of
clean electricity have been generated from nuclear
power plants. This has reduced emissions equiva-
lent to more than 20.7 crore tons of carbon dioxide
(CO2) into the environment. In the long term, nuclear
energy will increase the availability of clean electricity,
which will not only ensure the country’s energy secu-
rity but will also help in achieving the goal of net zero
by 2070. n
December 1-15, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 43
