Book Description
There is a growing interest in defining numerical safety goals for nuclear power plants as exemplified by an ACRS recommendation. This paper proposes a lower frequency limit of approximately 10−4/reactor-year for design basis events. Below this frequency, down, to a small frequency such as 10−5/reactor-year, safety margin can be provided by, say, site emergency plans. Accident sequences below 10−5 should not impact public safety, but it is prudent that safety research programs examine sequences with significant consequences. Once tentatively agreed upon, quantitative safety goals together with associated implementation tools would be factored into regulatory and design processes.
