Siting is the process of analysing various factors that determine the safety of operation of a nuclear power plant in a particular location based of a set of requirements (criteria). These criteria include exclusionary criteria, avoidance criteria and suitability criteria. Exclusionary criteria are factors that preclude construction of a nuclear power plant and include earthquakes, geology, wildlife, lack of a heat sink. Avoidance criteria are less stringest factors and include presence of pipelines, population, flooding and unsuitable foundations. Areas that satisfy these two criteria are then subjected to suitability criteria to measure the ease of construction of a nuclear power plant which include terrain, accessibility, presence of load centres.
This process is carried out in phases, where Phase 1 involves regional analysis and selection of potential sites, Phase 2 involves comparison of the candidate sites to come up with the proposed site.
The agency has completed Phase 1 of the process and has identified the potential sites. It is currently conducting a screening exercise for the potential sites identified to come up with candidates sites.
The best candidate sites will then be subjected to a weighted analysis, and the best two will be designated as Proposed Site and Alternate site.