KAIGE NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT HALF CAPACITY BUT HIGH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 003079 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB A/S SULLIVAN, SMANN STATE FOR EEB/ESC DHENGEL, PSECOR, DHENRY DEPT OF ENERGY FOR U/S BUD ALBRIGHT, DSCHWARTZ DEPT OF ENERGY FOR SJOHNSON, RBOUDREAU, MGILLESPIE DEPT OF ENERGY IP FOR TCUTLER, CGILLESPIE STATE PASS TO NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG TRGY EFIN EINV PREL BEXP SENV KGHG PARM KNNP IN SUBJECT: KAIGE NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT HALF CAPACITY BUT HIGH AVAILABILITY, ECO AND COMMUNITY FRIENDLY REF: A NEW DELHI 02975 B NEW DELHI 03007 NEW DELHI 00003079 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: (SBU) On 21 November U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Chairman (NRC) Chairman Klein and delegation, accompanied by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) Director of Operations Mr. G. Nageswara Rao, toured the Kaiga Generating Station located in North Karnataka State. Kaiga supplies power to the southern grid, though a shortage of fuel forces the station to operate its three 220MWe Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) at about 60 percent capacity, according to Site Director Mr. V. V. Sanathkumar. Several senior members of the plant staff expressed hope that more fuel would be available now that the Indo-U.S. Nuclear deal was signed. Construction on a fourth 220 MWe PHWR is nearly complete and, pending delivery of fuel and control room equipment, is scheduled to come online in early to mid 2009. Land has been allocated to build two additional 220 MWe PHWRs at an unspecified point in the future. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) The tour took the delegation through the control rooms for all four reactors, the turbines for reactor three, the core area for reactor four, the headquarters building, and the staff housing areas. All areas visited were clean and well maintained, and the buildings clearly labeled. Security at the site appeared to be relatively robust. In addition to its location in a remote area and physical barriers including fences, mountains and a lake, SCIOFF observed alert and armed security guards on the only road approaching the plant, at the entrance to the plant and at the entrance to each pair of reactors. ¶3. (SBU) Responding to Chairman Klein's description of resident inspectors in U.S. plants, Mr. Sanathkumar indicated that the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) does not have the same program, but instead conducts routine inspections every six months and special inspections in the case of any event. ¶4. (SBU) Staff wore badges clearly identifying them as NPCIL employees. General Manger for Human Resources R. R. Thorat indicated that locals were hired for positions including secretaries, drivers and technicians, but the engineers were from NPCIL's headquarters in Mumbai. (NOTE: SCIOFF observed in conversations with engineering staff that they tend to stay at one site, and not rotate between NPCIL's plants. One said he intended to finish his career, retire and buy a house nearby. He mentioned that in addition to enjoying the natural beauty of the area, access to lifetime healthcare at the NPCIL clinic also played a role in his decision. END NOTE.) Women comprise about five percent of Kaiga's staff, and they work primarily in the HR and Public Affairs sections; none are engineers. All plant employees participate in monthly on-site training to update their skills, and the plant has its own control room simulator. Mr. Nageswara Rao said that Kaiga, like other NPCIL power plants, operates on a six team concept: four teams working eight-hour shifts, one team in training, and one team on leave. ¶5. (SBU) Senior Manager for Public Relations Mr. Jumal Singh indicated that two percent of profit from the plant is given back to the community in the form of roads, books, computers, and schools (NOTE: SCIOFF observed two such buildings at a distance on the well-paved road leading to the plant. END NOTE.) In addition, each year the plant sponsors 20 local students for 10 +2 education. Mr. NEW DELHI 00003079 002.2 OF 002 Nageswara Rao estimated that each NPCIL plant spends about four million rupees (approx $85,000 USD) for local development. ¶6. (SBU) Kaiga is not an officially designated wildlife sanctuary area. However, Mr. Singh emphasized that plant personnel took conservation of local plants and animals very seriously. The reactor facilities take up only 120 of the 712 hectares owned by the plant, the remainder is made up primarily of heavily forested, uninhabited areas. Several Kaiga staff told SCIOFF they had seen tigers, jaguars, leopards, snakes, deer and other wildlife near the plant. Operation Superintendent Mr. K. K. Bajaj said that Kaiga and NPCIL allow researchers to study plant and animal species in the area, though he was not aware of any official tracking programs. ¶7. (SBU) The NRC delegation cleared this cable. MULFORD