ISLAMABAD - Ministry of Science and Technology has asked the government for allocation of Rs 297 million to ensure safety of nuclear power plants in the country.
To further strengthen Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) design assessment and analysis for ensuring safety of nuclear plants in the country, the Ministry of Science and Technology has requested the allocation of funds.
According the working paper of the project available with The Nation, the project is an essential ingredient of PNRA capacity building programme, for which it requires qualified manpower, their training, specialised hardware/software systems, office equipment and transport.
It further said that majority of the nuclear plants operating in the world are Gen-II type and the nominal design life of these plants is being extended beyond 40 years.
Gen-III plants are expected to last more than 60 years and its life is exceeding engineers employment lives, product lives and some cases vendor lives.
The continuity of long term support, particularly to the non-vendor country appears increasingly difficult which necessitates indigenous development in Pakistan in terms of increasing knowledge base in safety assessment analysis and new technologies.
Safety starts with the understanding of plant design and the understanding and assessment of design requires a long term strategic commitment.
Although safe operation of plant is the responsibility of the operating organisation, however, review and approval of Safety Analysis Report (ASR) by regulatory bodies is an essential element worldwide.
In this context as a regulator PNRA plans to enhance the Design Assessment and Analysis capability building programme for assuring the plant safety over its design life, the working paper said.
PNRA as a regulator is responsible to ensure safe aspects of nuclear facilities and for the protection of workers, general public and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation. It is also responsible for the licencing of nuclear power plants including approval of design modifications, periodic safety reviews, extension beyond design life etc.
It is essential for nuclear power programme to follow guideline given in Internationa Atomic Energy Agency-International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (IAEA INSAG-19).
Under the project manpower of 43 persons will be hired which include 12 engineers/ scientists (SPS-9/10), 25 engineers/scientists (SPS-8/9), 2 junior assistants, two general attendants, and three drivers. For the hiring of 13 officials will be funded by PNRA and for the rest of 31 people the planning commission is requested to provide Rs 127 million.
The rest of the funds were asked for the purchase of vehicles, desktop computers, laptops, printers, multimedia, software and photocopiers.
A summary in this regard was moved during the last Central Development Working Party (CDWP) but was withdrawn by its sponsor and will now be submitted during the next meeting of the CDWP, official source said.