The preliminary evaluation by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) of the planned nuclear emergency exercise held on Wednesday at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) complex at Pelindaba, west of Pretoria, is favorable. However, there still has to be an in-depth analysis of the exercise.

"The exercise was successful," said NNR manager: nuclear technology and waste projects Thiagan Pather. "From what I've seen, Necsa seems to have activated its emergency structures and procedures and managed the situations well."

The exercise also involved the Madibeng local authority, based in the town of Brits in the North West province. The local authority activated its emergency centre (with representatives from a number of municipal departments, including the fire department, as well as the provincial traffic police).

"Madibeng was also quite good, but there were some glitches and there is room for improvement," Pather added.

The exercise was concluded in the early afternoon.

The holding of the exercise, to test nuclear emergency procedures at the country's various nuclear facilities, is one of the responsibilities of the NNR, under the National Nuclear Regulator Act, No 47 of 1999.

Responding to a nuclear emergency requires coordinated action by the nuclear licensee (in this case, Necsa) and the relevant local and provincial authorities and emergency services. Consequently, coordinated emergency plans must be drawn up, funded and tested. The NNR must ensure that these plans are effective.

The scenario for the exercise is that an explosion has occurred in Necsa's Safari-1 reactor building, inflicting mechanical damage on spent fuel elements in the reactor core and in the spent fuel pool. The reactor, which is cooled by water, springs a leak and loses cooling. Radiation is then released into the atmosphere and spread westward by the wind. (This is an exercise, not an actual emergency). The responses of Necsa and the other relevant authorities are being tested and will be evaluated.

The NNR stated that this scenario is not very likely to happen in reality. The exercise includes simulated casualties (both injuries and radiation exposure), the physical evacuation of personnel, the testing of transport and communication and other procedures.