ML052140185

RIC 2005 Presentation - H1 - David Lochbaum - Power Uprates

ML052140185
Person / Time
Site:	Quad Cities
Issue date:	03/08/2005
From:	Lochbaum D Union of Concerned Scientists
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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Download: ML052140185 (6)

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RIC 2005 Session T-H1 Power Uprates Power Uprates Amidst Chaos David Lochbaum Nuclear Safety Engineer Union of Concerned Scientists March 8, 2005

Nuclear Safety Trends NRC and industry often cite improving safety trends over past two decades, like:

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Foundation for Nuclear Safety Trends Improving safety trends are a byproduct of prescriptive regulatory process and plethora of measures like worst-case calculations, ample margins for uncertainties, single-failure criterion, maximum credible accident design basis, etc.

Slide 3

Challenge to Nuclear Safety Trends Extended power uprate is just one of many concurrent regulatory changes. Others:

o Reduced testing/inspection scopes &

frequencies o Longer limiting condition of operation (LCO) durations o Best-estimate calculations Slide 4

Concern Power uprates are but one of many concurrent initiatives that reduce safety margins.

Justification for each initiative is based on improving trends achieved using a regulatory process that is being sacked wholesale.

Quad Citiess shaky experience demonstrates that we simply do not know enough to undertake so many concurrent margin reducing initiatives - so why are we doing it?

Slide 5

Reversal of Nuclear Safety Trends?

NRC and industry often cite improving safety trends over past two decades, like:

Slide 6