VZCZCXRO0559
PP RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHHM RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHNEH RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHSK RUEHTM
DE RUEHNE #3079/01 3430729
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080729Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4576
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP COLLECTIVE
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 3954
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 3194
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 3017
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT GEORGE G MEADE MD
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/NGIC INTEL OPS CHARLOTTESVILLE VA
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1695
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7307

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