Challenges of Atomic Energy Regulation in Indian Context

AbstractOver the years, India has mastered all the stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, which include mining, processing & fabrication of nuclear fuel; design, construction, and operation of nuclear power reactors and research reactors; reprocessing of spent fuel and management of radioactive wastes. Ionising radiation is also used widely in medical, industrial and research areas. Since its inception, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was enforcing radiological safety in the country through in -house or ad-hoc committees, till a dedicated regulatory body (AERB) was set up 25 years ago. Today India is operating 19 nuclear power plants with different vintages (2 BWRs and 17 PHWRS) and another 8 (1 PFBR, 5 PHWRs and 2 PWRs) are in various stages of construction. Recently there are new evolutionary reactors (AHWRs) for which design has been completed and are on the threshold for consideration for construction. To match the rapid growth in the need for power India is also about to take up construction of large evolutionary PWRs of foreign design. This variety in the Indian nuclear power programme has come up due to a systematic evaluation and optimisation of the resources and technology available within the country. Added to this is the growing use of radiation in non -power applications. As the safety supervision of this huge programme is the responsibility of AERB, it faces various challenges, like,•Strategies for regulating wide variety of nuclear and radiation facilities with wide dispersal;•Meeting present day expectations with regard to nuclear and radiation safety and nuclear security;•The safety and security of large number of radioactive sources spread over such a vast country and of the associated import/export guidance;•Ensuring safety of old plants by periodic reviews and by prescribing adequate safety upgradation and ageing mana gement programme;•Adaptation of the regulatory system and of regulations to new and foreign design nuclear technologies and applications;•Developing competence in wide variety of technologies and different reactor designs;•Developing adequate human resource ready for safety supervision of this huge nuclear and radiation programme;•Approach to regulatory research related to new technologies.Apart from the above mentioned issues regulatory challenges may arise from policies to make all energy se ctors competitive. With growing competition, it is becoming increasingly important to reconcile commercial interests with safety requirements. For AERB, the first challenge will be to ensure that economic pressures do not erode nuclear safety. To maintain highest level of safety culture, AERB will also need to adapt to an increasingly market -oriented environment and new working relationships with utilities. Although it is a difficult task, the Board has also evolved systematically over the years and now has an efficient structure, which is capable of facing the current challenges