Abstract
The Industry Degraded Core Rulemaking (IDCOR) Program has established a technical foundation for resolving the severe accident issues associated with the operation of light water reactor (LWR) nuclear power plants. The technical program began in early 1981 and was completed by 1984. IDCOR cam to three primary technical conclusions and one major policy conclusion.
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First, the probabilities of severe nuclear accidents occurring are extremely low.
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Second, the fission product source terms--quantities and types of radioactive material released in the event of severe accidents--are likely to be much less than had been calculated in previous studies.
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Third, the risks and consequence’s to the public of severe nuclear accidents are significantly below those predicted by previous studies and are much smaller than the risk levels incorporated in the NRC interim safety goals.
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From a policy standpoint, IDCOR concluded that major design or operational changes in reactors are not warranted.
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To maintain an industry presence with the NRC to close open technical issues and assure appropriate industry input into the NRC decision processes.
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To deomonstrate generic applicability of IDCOR results and support the development of an integrated approach for individual plant examinations.
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To use IDCOR results and other information to improve the source terms used in regulatory nuclear plants and to improve emergency planning.
The IDCOR program was extended through 1985 with the following new directions:
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To maintain an industry presence with the NRC to close open technical issues and assure appropriate industry input into the NRC decision processes.
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To deomonstrate generic applicability of IDCOR results and support the development of an integrated approach for individual plant examinations.
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To use IDCOR results and other information to improve the source terms used in regulatory nuclear plants and to improve emergency planning.
this presentation provides the status of the IDCOR efforts on all three fronts.
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References
Buhl, A. R., “IDCOR: The Decision Pathway for Resolution of Severe Accident Issues,” Paper presented at the American Nuclear Society Conference on Government and Self Regulation of Nuclear Power Plants, Williamsburg, Virginia, October 20, 1982.
Buhl, A. R. and M. H. Fontana, “IDCOR–The Technical Foundation and Process for Severe Accident Decisions,” Paper presented at the AIF Conference on Emergency Policies, Programs, and Issues in Reactor Licensing and Safety, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 18–21, 1983.
Buhl, A. R., M. H. Fontana, and H. A. Mitchell, “IDCOR–Supporting the Technical Foundation and the Decision Process for Source Term Reduction,” Paper presented at the ANS Executive Conference on Ramifications of the Source Term, Charleston, South Carolina, March 10–13, 1985.
Buhl, A. R., J. C. Carter, M. H. Fontana, and H. A. Mitchell, “The IDCOR Program, Severe Accident Issues, Individual Plant Examiniation, and Source Term Developments,” Paper presented at the Atomic Industrial Forum Conference on New Directions in Licensing, Dallas, Texas, May 19–22, 1985.
Fontana, M. H. and A. R. Buhl, “Improving Our Understanding of Nuclear Power Plant Response to Severe Accidents: Summary of IDCOR Results,” Paper presented at the Fifth International Meeting on Thermal Nuclear Reactor Safety, Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany, September 11, 1984.
Fontana, M. H., “The Industry Degraded Core Rulemaking Program: IDCOR - An Overview,” Paper presented at the American Nuclear Society International Meeting on LWR Safety Assessment, Cambridge, Massachusetts, August 28 - September 1, 1983.
Advance Notice of Rulemaking: 45 FR 65474, October 2, 1980, Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Severe Accident Policy Statement: 50 FR 32138, August 8, 1985, Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Sears, C. F., “IDCOR Source Term Issues,” Paper presented at the ANS Topical Meeting on Fission Product Behavior and Source Term Research, Snowbird, Utah, July 15–19, 1984.
Fontana, M. H., Asselin, S. V., Buhl, A. R., Dougherty, E. M., Fuller, E. L., Fuller, J., Mitchell, H. A., Moore, R. D., Satterfield, R. M., Standifer, P., and Stroupe, E.P., IDCOR Program Plan, Technology for Energy Corporation, November 1981. Available from AIF.
Fontana, M. H., Buhl, A. R., Fuller, E. L., Mitchel, H. A., Asselin, S. V., Stroupe, E. P., Carter, J. C. Meyer, K. A. Satterfield, R., and Fritts, G. A., IDCOR Technical Summary Report - Nuclear Power Plant Response to Severe Accidents, Technology for Energy Corporation, November 1984. Available from AIF.
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© 1987 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Buhl, A.R., Carter, J.C., Fontana, M.H., Henry, R.E., Mitchell, H.A. (1987). The IDCOR Program—Severe Accident Issues, Individual Plant Examinations and Source Term Developments. In: Lave, L.B. (eds) Risk Assessment and Management. Advances in Risk Analysis, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-6443-7_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-6443-7_23
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