Narora Atomic plant can withstand quakes: NPCIL

With Japan's deadly quake raising questions over safety of nuclear reactors worldwide, the state-run nuclear operator today allayed any fears with regard to Narora Atomic Power Station located in seismic zone IV in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr.

"The design of the plant itself takes care of seismicity. It can withstand earthquakes measuring in the excess of seven on the Richter scale," Sudhindra Thakur, Executive Director and Fellow, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited told PTI.

He said the Narora site falls in the Zone IV which is low seismic zone.

Thakur noted that IIT-Roorkee had suggested additional safety measures for the Narora plant which was the only plant in India to be located in seismic zone IV. The other plants fall in seismic zones II and III which have even less probability of occurrence of a strong earthquake.

Thakur pointed out that even in Japan, the damage to the nuclear plants was due to the tsunami that was generated after the powerful earthquake.

"The nuclear plants in Japan had shut down immediately after the earthquake. It is the subsequent tsunami that caused the damage," Thakur said.

Another nuclear scientist closely associated with the operation of the Narora plant said the region was not prone to earthquakes.

The plant had withstood the the 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Uttarkashi, he said.

In Japan, the nuclear plants are located in Seismic Zones VII, VIII and IX.