The French nuclear safety regulatory authority (ASN) has said there is no need to change the design of the evolutionary pressurised reactors (EPRs) to be installed at the Jaitapur project in Maharashtra. AREVA India chairman and managing director Arthur de Montalembert, in an interview with Sanjay Jog, says this only confirms the company’s engineering capability and emphasis on safety. Edited excerpts:
What are your views on ASN’s report on the safety of French nuclear power plants?
We welcome the ASN report. It has confirmed the fact that the EPRs, being constructed in Finland, France and China, have the capability to withstand severe circumstances. It is a testimony to AREVA’s engineering capability and emphasis it puts on safety. As you may be aware, the EPR is a Generation III+ reactor that incorporates a number of redundant active, as well as passive safety features. The EPR is the successor of the highly successful Konvoi and N4 plants. The two have seen more than a hundred years of safe and efficient operations. The primary difference between previous reactors and the EPR is not only does the EPR make an accident unlikely, extensive accident mitigation features are also incorporated in the design.
How can EPRs withstand severe accidents?
The EPR takes into account, in a deterministic manner, the risk of severe accidents from the design stage, reflecting that the safety of the plant is of paramount importance. Therefore, its various operational features are designed keeping safety in mind. The EPR is among the first designs to feature a ‘core catcher’, which essentially captures the entire nuclear material in the unlikely scenario of a complete meltdown. There are several power back-ups and cooling systems, which provide over 400 per cent redundancy in case of the loss of grid power to the plant. Each of the power generators can help keep the EPR cool. Several protected water tanks and cooling systems, capable of handling extreme situations, are also present.
Does the EPR design for the 9,900 Mw Jaitapur project in Maharashtra need any modification?
As you are aware, AREVA is the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC)’s equipment supplier. NPC provides the technical specifications and plant requirements, under the supervision of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India’s nuclear regulator. From a safety perspective, as of now, we believe there is no need for any significant change in the existing design and plant layout. However, from a functionality and/or ease of construction perspective, changes may take place. We believe we have provided the most robust design and safe system, a fact ASN has confirmed. At this point, we believe we have designed and proposed the most safe, efficient and robust EPR that suits NPC’s requirements. Our discussions have been ongoing and encouraging.
Would there be any escalation in costs, given the addition of safety applications in EPRs after Fukushima accident?
After the ASN report, we believe no ‘out of the ordinary’ changes are required in the EPR, from a safety perspective. So, we think there should not be any significant impact on investment costs. Of course, all project partners are trying to reduce costs and optimise these, owing to greater localisation.
With how many Indian manufacturers has AREVA tied up to achieve localisation?
Localisation is a continuing process. There would be a large number of suppliers/vendors who would eventually be involved when the EPR project is implemented in India. At the moment, we are already working with L&T to manufacture components for some of our utility customers in North America. We have also held discussions on possible future projects with Bharat Forge. These are only a few examples. AREVA is also active in India in the field of solar and biomass renewable energy. Here, localisation is also a condition for budgets and project delivery on time.