By The Sampadak Express
The Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant in Maharashtra is set to undergo comprehensive risk assessment mapping to address potential threats from floods, storm surges, and tsunamis. In a move to bolster safety and preparedness, the plant will also be equipped with a specialized early warning system for these natural marine disasters.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Mumbai. This agreement aims to enhance the safety protocols at the Tarapur site by developing customized early warning services and conducting risk assessments related to storm surges and tsunamis.
Notably, Tarapur is the first nuclear power plant in India to be mapped for such marine risks by INCOIS. As part of the project, INCOIS will create multi-hazard early warning services tailored to the plant’s specific needs, factoring in long-term risks like sea-level rise and the plant’s 50-year operational lifespan.
Over the next 12 to 18 months, ocean researchers will gather critical data on storm surges, rainfall, cyclones, and earthquakes from the two subduction zones impacting the area. They will use this data to develop a high-resolution model that can predict potential marine disasters. The research will include hazard curve analysis and wave run-up calculations, contributing to a detailed risk assessment of the plant’s vulnerability.
Additionally, ocean observation systems will be set up near Tarapur to improve hazard warnings and refine the early warning system, ensuring timely and accurate alerts.
The Tarapur plant, operated by NPCIL under the Department of Atomic Energy, has been in operation since 1969, with two Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors and two Boiling Water Reactors. Nuclear reactors, typically located near large water bodies for cooling purposes, face heightened risks from coastal natural disasters, including tsunamis and storm surges, especially after the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011.
India’s coastal areas, including those along the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, are vulnerable to seismic activity from subduction zones in the Makran and Sumatran regions, making the risk of tsunamis a concern.
As part of India’s broader efforts to strengthen its blue economy and enhance maritime safety, NPCIL and INCOIS are taking proactive steps to ensure nuclear facilities like Tarapur are better prepared for potential marine disasters.
