Colombo: India on Wednesday dismissed as "totally baseless" Sri Lankan media reports on alleged radiation leaks at Kudankulam nuclear power station in Tamil Nadu.
"It is reiterated that these reports are totally baseless and that there has been no radiation leak at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant", an Indian High Commission statement said.
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (Unit-1) is currently in an advanced stage of commissioning, the statement said.
"Initial Fuel Loading" has been completed and various tests prior to "First Approach to Criticality" are under progress, it said.
Close monitoring of the testing procedures and their results is being undertaken by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), the statement said.
Further, an AERB Observers' Team is at the site to monitor various commissioning activities and report to the AERB on a daily basis.
Only after checking compliance with safety requirements does AERB permit taking up of the next commissioning stage, it said.
At this stage of commissioning, nuclear fission process has not yet begun and there is no generation of radiation or radioactive material, and therefore, there is no release or leakage of radioactive material, the statement clarified.
The statement stressed that in view of the closeness of Indo-Lanka relations such baseless and alarmist reporting be avoided.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, March 06, 2013, 21:20