(ETV Bharat Kota)
New Delhi, Security arrangements at nuclear power plants across India, including the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, are regularly reviewed by the concerned authorities, an InfraIntel correspondent has learnt.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that periodic security assessments are carried out internally and by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. Other government agencies also inspect and assess security arrangements at nuclear facilities.
The information was shared in a written reply to a question raised by Congress MP Manickam Tagore B, who had sought details about vulnerability assessments and independent security audits of nuclear plants.
The minister said that continuous monitoring and surveillance systems are in place to identify cyber threats and respond to them in a timely manner. Nuclear facilities have also introduced access-control systems, regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, incident-response mechanisms and capacity-building programmes.
The government’s response assumes significance as it comes within a month of reports about a suspected data breach involving electronic records linked to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
In July, the ransomware group World Leaks reportedly claimed to have accessed more than 19,000 files created between 2016 and mid-2025. The files were reported to include engineering drawings related to control, cooling and ventilation systems, details of vendors and equipment suppliers, records of meetings and other operational documents.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, which operates the Kudankulam plant, had responded to the reports by stating that the material allegedly available in the public domain was not related to any nuclear safety or nuclear security system.
While the government has underlined that regular security checks and cyber-monitoring mechanisms are in place, the reported incident has once again drawn attention to the need for strong protection of digital information connected with India’s critical nuclear infrastructure.