Environmental Gamma Radiation Monitoring Around Nuclear Power Stations in India, an Indian Scenario

Abstract

There are 17 operating nuclear power reactors in India at 6 sites with an installed capacity of approximately 4120 MWe of electricity. Apart from two reactors in Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), which use enriched uranium and are based on boiling water reactor (BWR) technology, all the other reactors at various power stations use natural uranium as fuel, are moderated and cooled by heavy water and are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR). Environs of all the power stations in India are monitored for gamma radiation on regular basis using Thermoluminescent Dosimeters (TLDs). The gamma radiation levels thus measured are regularly compared with the pre-operational levels. The data generated for all the stations during the past years was subjected to various analyses like comparison of the annual levels with those during the pre operational levels, distribution studies, regressions with the possible contributors etc. This paper discusses the environmental gamma radiation levels based on the analyses of all data generated for all the power stations during the years up to 2005. Comparisons of the annual radiation levels with those during the pre operational data indicates that none of the stations show any increase in the environmental gamma radiation levels.