Kakrapar lives up to built-in anti-quake tech

Despite the western grid coming under pressure because some of the grid transmission sections failed, the turbines did not trip. Explained Dr Chaturvedi: “The turbines are designed to trip if the frequency crossed a factor of 51.5. As it happened, the frequency came close enough to tripping level, to about 51.2 and there was no need for any emergency measures. Even if the turbines had tripped, nothing would have happened to the reactor, the reactor would have continued to be in operation.”

When asked what would have happened had the contanment domes cracked under the quake, Chaturvedi answered: “There is abundant redundancy in the reactor safety technology with regard to quake. Had the quake registered 0.1 g, the control rods would have automatically `tripped’.” The reaction, as a result, would have been chemically `poisoned’ by boron swallowing the fissioned neutrons and halting the criticality and the reactors would have automatically shut down.

Kakrapara is one of the more advanced pressurised heavy water reactors, the first unit beginning commercial operation on May 6, 1993, and the second unit on Sept 1, 1995. When Chaturvedi was asked whether the same technology was also available for Tarapur’s boiling water reactors since they are the oldest of the reactors, Chaturvedi said that the construction incorporated the then available anti-quake construction elements, and also that the reactor vessels were improved versions compared to what they were originally.

It needs to be said here that both Surat district and Mumbai are in Zone 3, which means quakes up to 6 points on the Richter scale are possible.

Speaking to The Indian Express, DAE secretary Dr Kakodkar joked, quoting a peer, “If an earthquake strikes and if you are in the vicinity of an atomic power plant, run towards the safety it offers,” and added, “Jokes apart, I have clear information that the functioning of Kakrapar was not affected in the least.”