Tapi: One of the units at the Kakrapar atomic power station in Gujarat was shut down Friday morning following a leak in the primary heat transport system.
Officials said there was no need to panic as radiation levels in the plant premises were normal and that all workers were safe.
They said the leakage of heavy water that is used in cooling off the nuclear reactor core was detected around 9 am and it was fixed in some time and the temporary emergency was lifted shortly afterwards.
"The reactor( Unit 1) was shut down as intended as per the design provisions. All safety systems are working as intended," a statement by KAPS site director L K Jain said.
The power station in the southern Tapi district comprises two 220 MW pressurised water reactors with heavy water as moderator. KAPS-1 went critical in September 1992 and KAPS-2 went critical in January 1995.
Tapi district officials swung into action and sought details from plant officials after learning about the leakage.The incident took place on a day when Japan marks the fifth anniversary of Fukushima nuclear disaster caused by a monster tsunami.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) said that a team of additional experts is being deputed for independent assessment of the situation at the affected plant.
"An expert from AERB is already at the KAPS site and a team of additional experts are being deputed for independent assessment of the situation at the plant. We have also asked
(NPCIL) to keep the unit shut till the incident is fully investigated and corrective actions are taken," the AERB said in a statement.
Following the event, a plant emergency was declared, which signifies a heightened state of alert for the plant personnel and management, the board said.
With PTI Inputs.
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