Leakage in the primary heat transport system of unit one of Kakrapar atomic power station in Gujarat has forced the authorities to shut down the unit as emergency measure.
The leakage occurred on Wednesday morning but officials maintained that "no nuclear radiation has occurred due to the leakage."
"Consequent to a small leak in primary heat transport (PHT) system, the reactor was shut down as intended as per design provisions," a statement issued by the site director of the plant Lalit Kumar Jain stated, adding, "All safety systems are working as intended. The radioactivity/radiation levels in the plant premises and outside are normal."
"Unit 1 of the Kakrapar atomic power station, which was operating at its rated power, had to be shut down at about 9 am today."
Following the leakage, the plant administration informed the nodal agency for nuclear sector Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
"A team of experts from BARC and another from Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) are on the way to the plant," said Surat Collector Rajendra Kumar.
"Everything within the plant is under control, no radioactive leakage, nobody has been exposed to the leakage and experts are supervising the plant."
Located in south Gujarat, the atomic power plant consists of two units of pressurised heavy water reactors of 220 MW each.
The first reactor was commissioned in September 1992 and it started commercial production in May 1993 while the second unit was commissioned in January 1995 and began commercial production in September 1995.
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