Man-made Disaster

Nuclear Power Accidents

P.NAGARJUNA REDDY
 Radiation

• It is any form of energy propagated as rays, waves or energetic particles that

travel through the air or a material medium
• It is the energy emitted by unstable atoms, of radioactive materials, until
they become stable
• Average person receives 360millirems of radiation each year(300 from
natural sources and 60 from man-made activities)
• Radiation cannot be detected by the senses
 Features

• Radiation exposure may be due to release of radioactive material from the

plant into the environment
• Characterized by a plume( cloud like) formation
• Area affected is determined by amount released from plant, wind direction,
speed and weather conditions like rain, snow etc.( Rain and winds drive the
radio active material to ground causing increased deposition of
radionuclides)
 Operational nuclear power plants in India
Power station Operator State Type Units Total capacity
(MW)
Kaiga NPCIL Karnataka PHWR 220 x 4 880
Kakrapar NPCIL Gujarat PHWR 220 x 2 440
Kudankulam NPCIL Tamil Nadu VVER-1000 1000 x 2 2,000
Madras NPCIL Tamil Nadu PHWR 220 x 2 440
(Kalpakkam)
Narora NPCIL Uttar Pradesh PHWR 220 x 2 440
100 x 1
Rajasthan NPCIL Rajasthan PHWR 200 x 1 1,180
220 x 4

Tarapur NPCIL Maharashtra BWR 160 x 2 1,400

PHWR 540 x 2
Total 6,780
 Nuclear power plants and reactors under
construction in India
Power Total Expected
station Operator State Type Units capacity Commercial
(MW) Operation
Kakrapar NPCIL Gujarat PHWR 700 x 2 1,400 2018
Unit 3 and 4
Kudankulam NPCIL Tamil Nadu VVER-1000 1000 x 2 2,000 2022-2023

Madras Bhavini Tamil Nadu PFBR 500 x 1 500 early 2018

(Kalpakkam)
Rajasthan Unit 7: unknown
Unit 7 and 8 NPCIL Rajasthan PHWR 700 x 2 1,400 Unit 8: unknown
Total 5,300
 Chernobyl disaster

Date 26 April 1986; 32 years ago

Time 01:23 (Moscow Time, UTC+3)
Location Pripyat, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Cause Inadvertent explosion of core during
emergency shutdown of reactor whilst
undergoing power failure test
Death(s) 31 (direct)
15 (estimated indirect deaths up to
2011)[1]
Loss $16 billion
Evacuate 1.8 lakh
d people
 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

Date 11 March 2011

Location Ōkuma, Fukushima Prefecture,

Japan

Outcome INES Level 7 (major accident)

Death(s) 1 confirmed radiation-related

cancer death (1600 unofficial)

Non-fatal injuries 16 with physical injuries due to

hydrogen explosions,2 workers
taken to hospital with
possible radiation burns
 Precautionary measures
• If there is an emergency and you are advised to remain at home
• Close and lock windows and doors and turn off air conditioning vents
• Go to the basement or underground area
• Stay inside until authorities direct
• Wash and peel vegetables and fruits before use

• If coming from outdoors

• Take shower and change clothing and shoes
• Put worn items outdoors in a plastic bag and seal it
Factors minimizing radiation exposure to
body

TIME DISTANCE SHIELDING

 Homework

• What is a nuclear disaster?

• What do you know about Bhopal gas tragedy?
• Have the nuclear disasters ever occurred in India?