Following reports in the media on Monday, officials of the Kakrapar atomic power station (KAPS) confirmed on Monday that four contract workers were exposed to nuclear radiation in the plant on May 30, 2011 due to human error of the control room staff. However, they said that the radiation was of a very minor level and that it had no effect on the health of the workers.
KAPS is situated at 75 km from Surat and about 12 km from Vyara which is the main city of Tapi district. It produces 440 MW from two units of 220 MW each which went critical in 1993 and 1995. Two more units of 700 MW each are being built and the work will be completed by 2015.
“Yes, the incident happened due to human error but the workers were not affected as the dose and quantity was very small,” said P K Dutta, station director of KAPS. “All four were examined in our hospital to check for any radiation affect on their bodies. But, it was found that the radiation they were exposed to was only up to 90,000 million rays or 90 mSv (milli Sieverts). They were sent home as they within our radiation limits,” he added.
Source : The Times of India