AERB approves restart of Unit 2 of Tarapur Atomic Power Station

• Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) approved the restart and continued operation of Unit 2 of Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) in Maharashtra’s Palghar district following the successful completion of a major refurbishment work undertaken by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

• Located at Tarapur near Boisar, TAPS holds the distinction of being Asia’s first commercial nuclear power plant. 

• Its Units 1 and 2, which are India’s first nuclear power reactors based on the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) design, have been in commercial operation since 1969.

• The refurbishment involved the complete replacement of reactor coolant recirculation piping with advanced, corrosion-resistant forged stainless steel piping and fittings. 

• Key safety upgrades included the commissioning of a Reactor Containment Filtered Venting System (CFVS) and an Alternate Cooling Water System (ACWS).

• During the planned outage, engineers conducted rigorous inspections of critical components, including reactor pressure vessel welds, to assess aging and residual life.

• These evaluations confirmed that the reactor remains fit for safe operation under normal maintenance and surveillance programmes.

• The AERB reviewed the multi-tiered safety assessments and refurbishment results, following which the Board agreed to permit the restart of the unit and authorized its operation for a further period of 10 years.

• Earlier, TAPS Unit 1 underwent a similar refurbishment and reviews, after which the Board permitted its restart in the end of December 2025.

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)

• The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act. 

• The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. 

• Its headquarters is situated in Mumbai.

• The mission of the AERB is to ensure the use of ionising radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to the health of people and the environment.

• The Board comprises six members of which two are whole time members including the chairman. The other whole-time member is the executive director of the AERB Secretariat who is an ex-officio member of the Board. • The other four members are eminent experts from various disciplines relevant to the mandate of the board. 

• Regional Regulatory Centres (RRCs) of AERB set up at Kolkata, Chennai and New Delhi carry out regular surveillance of the radiation facilities in eastern, southern and northern zones respectively.

• AERB has a Safety Research Institute (SRI) located at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, which carries out research in safety related topics.