ML20053D540

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Site Criteria for Nuclear Reactors
ML20053D540
Person / Time
Issue date: 12/13/1960
From:
Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards
To:
Shared Package
ML20053D507 List:
References
FRN-45FR50350, RULE-PR-100, RULE-PR-50, RULE-PR-51 AEC-R-2-23, NUDOCS 8206070047
Download: ML20053D540 (5)
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OPPICIAL USE ONIX ADTISORY COMMITI'EE ON REACER SAFEGUARDS UNITED STATES A%MIC ENERGY COPMISSION WASHING %N 25, D. c.

December 13, 1960 i

SITE CRITERIA POR NUCLEAR REACTORS i

'Ihe following site criteria are applicable only to reactors of a type and design on which experience has been developed.

For reactors which are novel in design, unproven as prototypes, or which do not have adequate theoretical and experimental or pilot plant experience, these criteria will need to be modified in thes direction of specifying isolated sites -- the degree of isolation required depending upon the lack of certainty as to the safe behavior of the reactor.

It is a prerequisite, of course, that the reactor be carefully and ocupetently designed, con-structed and operated, and inspected during all these stages in a tr.anner to assure preservation of the intended protection of the public.

General Concepts 0

1. The location must b 2 such that everyone off-site has a reasonable chance of escaping serious.njury if an unlikely but still credible accident should occur.
2. The exposure of many persons in terms of man-rems should not be such as to cause significant somatic or genetic effects should a credible accident occur.

The somatic effects presently recognized are: the occurrence of leukemia and life shortening.

In order to be significant, the effect must be statistically great enough to be recognizable among the variations which occur without assignable cause.

3. Even if the most serious accident possible (not norcally considered credible) should occur, the numbers of people killed should not be catastrophic.
4. A site which has characteristics not clearly conforming to the foregoing criteria can only be considered if it is possible to show that there is an advantage to society in locating the reactor at this site rather than in a more isolated area.

This is a matter of degree, and no site is acceptable for a non-military reactor which imposes a foreseen risk of serious injury to anyone off-site.

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i Specific Criteria

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1. The. appl.icant must sh.ow that his particular reacter at i

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AIVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS h'

UNITED STATES A7CXIC ENERGY COMMISSION

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WASHINGTON 25, D. C.

December 13, 1960

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SITE CRITERIA POR NUCLEAR REACTORS Sk, The following site criteria are applicable only to reactors k

of a type and design on which emerience has been developed.

For reactors which are novel in design, unproven as prototypes, or which do not have adequate theoretical and emerimental or pilot plant egerience, these criteria will need to be modified in the f

f direction of specifying isolated sites -- the degree of f

isolation required depending upon the lack of certainty as to 2

the safe behavior of the reactor.

It is a prerequisite, of course, h

that the reactor be carefully and competently designed, con-3 structed and operated, and inspected durin5 all these stages in 9

a manner to assure presenation of the intended protection of the public.

General Concepts

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1. Tha location must be such that everyone off-site has a reasonable chance of escaping serious injury if an unlikely but b*

still credible accident should occur.-

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2. The egosure of many persons in terms of man-rems should 9

not be such as to cause significant somatic or genetic effects h

should a credible accident occur.

The socatic effects presently

+d recognized are: the occurrence of leuke=ia and life shortening, b

In order to be significant, the effect must be statistically

$g great enough to be recognizable among the variations which occur without assignable cause,

3. Even if the most serious accident possible (not nomally 5

considered credible) should occur, the numbers of people killed h3 should not be catastrophic.

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4. A site which has characteristics not clearly confoming FI to the foregoing criteria can only be considered if it is possible t

to show that there is an advantage to so:1ety in locating the h5 reactor at this site rather than in a more isolated area.

This di is a matter of degree, and no site is acceptable for a non-if military reactor which imposes a foreseen risk of serious injury to anyone off-site.

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SITE CRITERIA POR NUCTE.AR REACTORS l

2e following site criteria are applicable only to reactors' of a type and design on which experience has been developed.

For I

reactors which are novel in design, unproven as prototypes, or

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which (so not have adequato theoretical and experimental or pilot plant, experience, these criteria will need to be modified in the direction of specifying isolated sites -- the degree of inolt.cion required depending upon the lack of certainty as to the cafe behavior of the reactor.

It is a prerequisite, of course, that the reactor be careN11y and competently designed, con-a structed and operated,. and inspected during all these stages in a manner to assure preservation of the intended protection of the public.

General Concepts F 1. The location must be such that everyone off-site has a r

reasonable chance of escaping serious injury if an unlikely but still credible accident should occur.-

2. The exposure of many persons in terus of man-rems should not be such as to causo significant somatic or genetic effects should a credible accident' occur. The somatic effects presently recognized are: the occurrence of leukemia and life shortening.

In order to be significant, the effect must be statistically great enough to be recognicable among the varintions which occur without assign!ble cause.

3. Even if the most serious accident possible (not nomally considared credible) should occur, the numbers of people killed should not be catastrophic.

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4. A site which has characteristics not clearly confoming to the foregoing criteria can only be considered if it is possible to chow that there is an advantage to society in locating the reactor at this site rather than in a more isolated area.

This de a entter of degree, and no site is acceptable for a non-

' military reactor which imposes a foreseen risk of serious injury to anyone off-site.

Specific Criteria _

1. The applicant must show that his particular reacter at the chosen site does not violate the general criteria.
2. We demonstration must be based upon the actual barriers provided to contain the radioactive material, upon the means l

of spi'eading the radioactive material (meteorology, hydrology, etc. }

cnd upon the actual distribution of population surrouxxiing the I

site.

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3. There must be three or more independent physical barriers unless it can ba shown that the particular reactor cannot break through a lesser number.

For example, if there were a reactor type with no stored energy, an " incredible" possibility for a nuclear excursion, and either such a low specific power or such a reliable cooling system that the less of coolant accident need not be considered, one or two

.arriers might be considered acceptable.

4. The analysis of the applicant presenting the kir.d of accidents which can happen, the. provisions against such accidents, and the estimate of dosage to persons off-site based upon actual meteorology, hydrology and population distribution will be 4

compared to a generalized source term for release of radioactive material.

This will be an arbitrary re3 ease of a certain fraction of the fission products in the reactor into the outermost building or container.

The maximum arbitrary value will be used unless the applicant can show good reason to use O

a lesser quantity.

The results to the persons off-site shall not be worse than those set forth in the general criteria.

5. There shall be an area surrounding the reactor, known as the exclusion area, which.1111 be under the control of the applicant and in which no one will reside.

Credit can be taken for special geographical characteristics such as a seaside location, the bank of a wide river, the bank of a lake, etc., in reducing the size of the exclusion area if the actual location warrants.

Location underground would also be considered as a means of reducing the oze.lusion area.

Nuncrical Values The Advisory Co=mittee on Reactor Safeguards believes strongly that there has not yet been a sufficient critical review of the data available to set such numbers as part of a fornal regulaticn.

The ACRS reco= mended a study of the data applicable to the safety problems and the derivation of criteria for all parts of the reactor systems in a letter dated November 16, 1959.

As far as the Committee is aware, there has been no such study.

Data and numbers applicable to site criteria were l

suggested as a part of the proposed study.

Such a study would permit numbers to be used in defining criteria for site I

selection.

The following nu=erical values are given as examples

  • l to aid in understanding the problem even though their validity is open to question until the study la made.
1. Under the extreme conditions of a serious reactor accident, it should be reasonably possible for persons off-site to take protective steps, such as evacuation and retirement to l

shelters, within a period of two hours so that within the two hours they will not receive more than a 25 rem whole body gamma dose or the inhalation of radioactive material which will give a dose of 300 rem to the thyroid, or 25 rem to the bones or lung.

2. The integrated man-rem dose for all people off-site receiving a radiation dose above i rem whole body, gr equivalent thyroid, bone or lung dose, chall not exceed 4 x 100 man-rems.

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3. The reactor should be located sufficiently distant from cities (metropolitan areas) of above 10,000 to 25,000 population so that no inhabitant receives more than 300 rems in the extremely improbable accident defire d by a complete failure cf all confinement barriers and a source strength equal to most of the fission product inventory.

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