[ RadSafe ] 42 Workers Exposed to Radiation from Tritium at Indian Nuclear Plant

[Rahim Ghanooni]

Wed, Jul 25 2012 5:31 AM


An Indian nuclear plant has reported 42 workers were exposed to radiation
recently in two incidents. While all have returned to work, two received
doses roughly equal to India's yearly regulatory limit.

On June 23, 38 workers at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station were exposed
to radiation from tritium during maintenance of a coolant channel, a plant
manager told AFP Tuesday. That incident saw the two workers reach their
annual dose limit.

Then on Thursday, four workers repairing a pipe seal were also exposed to
radiation from tritium. Their resulting doses were reported to be between
10 and 25 percent of the yearly limit.

According to reporting by the Press Trust of India, the annual dose limit
for nuclear workers in India is 30 millisieverts, not including background
and medical exposure. It is 50 millisieverts in the United States.

Civilian nuclear plants in India are operated by the Nuclear Power
Corporation of India. It owns six reactors at the Rajasthan plant, ranging
from 90 to 202 megawatts, net, according to the World Nuclear Association.
All are Candu heavy water reactors or were built from indigenous designs
based on Candu technology.