NRC Invites Public Comment on Advanced Reactor Design Policy

The policy revision aims to provide expectations and guidance on security and preparedness-related issues so designers can address them early in the development of advanced reactors.

Issuance of the policy, last updated in 1994, is intended to encourage the earliest possible interactions between the NRC and reactor vendors, potential applicants, the public and other government agencies.

The commission believes designers should consider several reactor characteristics, including:

• Highly reliable, less complex safe shutdown systems, particularly ones with inherent or passive safety features.
• Simplified safety systems that allow more straightforward engineering analysis, operate with fewer operator actions and increase operator comprehension of reactor conditions.
• Concurrent resolution of safety and security requirements, resulting in an overall security system that requires fewer human actions.
• Features that prevent a simultaneous breach of containment and loss of core cooling from an aircraft impact, or that inherently delay any radiological release.
• Features that maintain spent fuel pool integrity following an aircraft impact.

The draft policy appeared in the May 9 Federal Register, and interested parties should submit their comments by July 9, 2008. The NRC will consider comments received after that date where practical.

The draft policy is available electronically at http://www.regulations.gov and on the NRC web site by entering ML081070069 .

Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).