# Presentation: 270970

## R. Brad Harvey, CCM

Senior Physical Scientist (Meteorologist)
Office of New Reactors
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

**Senior Physical Scientist (Meteorologist)**
**Office of New Reactors**
**U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission**

**DMCC Meeting, ****Reston, Virginia** **, ****May 5, 2008**

**Meteorological Monitoring and Modeling for New Power Plants**

## Presentation Topics

**NRC Mission Statement**
**Commercial Nuclear Power Plant Needs for Onsite Meteorological Data**
- Preoperational (licensing) needs
- Operational needs
**Guidance for Onsite Meteorological Monitoring Programs at Commercial Nuclear Power Plants**
- Regulatory Guide 1.23

## NRC Mission Statement

**Regulate the Nation's *****Civilian Use***** of Byproduct, Source, and Special Nuclear Materials**
- Ensure adequate protection of public health & safety
- Promote the common defense and security
- Protect the environment
**Regulatory Mission Covers 3 Main Areas**
- Reactors
- Materials
- Waste

**Notes:**
Reactors - Commercial reactors for generating electric power and research and test reactors used for research, testing, and training 
Materials - Uses of nuclear materials in medical, industrial, and academic settings and facilities that produce nuclear fuel 
Waste - Transportation, storage, and disposal of nuclear materials and waste, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities from service 

## New Reactor Applications

**To Date**
- 9 combined license (COL) applications received
- 14 units
**Within the Next 1-2 Years**
- 11 additional COL applications expected
- 16 units

**Notes:**
Bellefonte Nuclear Site Units 3 and 4  TVA's Bellefonte site near Scottsboro in Jackson County, Alabama
Calvert Cliffs Unit 3  Unistar's Calvert Cliffs site near Lusby in Calvert County, Maryland
Grand Gulf Unit 3  EOI's Grand Gulf site, near Port Gibson in Claiborne County, Mississippi
North Anna Unit 3  Dominion's North Anna sites near Richmond in Louisa County, Virginia
Shearon Harris Units 2 and 3  PE's Harris sites near New Hill in Wake County, North Carolina
South Texas Project Units 3 and 4  STPNOC's South Texas Project sites near Bay City in Matagorda County, Texas
Virgil C. Summer Units 2 and 3  SCE&G's sites near Fairfield County, South Carolina
Vogtle Units 3 and 4  Burke County, 26 Miles SE of Augusta, Georgia
William States Lee III Units 1 and 2  Duke's Lee site near Charlotte in Cherokee County, South Carolina

## Preoperational Data Needs

**DBA *****Radiological***** Releases to the EAB & LPZ**
-    [10 CFR 52.79(a)(1)(vi)]
- Regulatory Guide 1.145, Rev 1 (11/1982)
- Atmospheric Dispersion Models for Potential Accident Consequence Assessments at Nuclear Power Plants
- NUREG/CR-2858 (11/1982)
- PAVAN: An Atmospheric Dispersion Program for Evaluating Design-Basis Accidental Releases of Radioactive Materials from Nuclear Power Stations

**Notes:**
Exclusion area means that area surrounding the reactor, in which the reactor licensee has the authority to determine all activities including exclusion or removal of personnel and property from the area. 
Low population zone means the area immediately surrounding the exclusion area which contains residents, the total number and density of which are such that there is a reasonable probability that appropriate protective measures (such as evacuation or sheltering) could be taken in their behalf in the event of a serious accident. 

10 CFR 52.79(a)(1)(vi)  The applicant shall perform an evaluation and analysis of the postulated fission product release, using the expected demonstrable containment leak rate and any fission product cleanup systems intended to mitigate the consequences of the accidents, together with applicable site characteristics, including site meteorology, to evaluate the offsite radiological consequences.
(A) An individual located at any point on the boundary of the exclusion area for any 2-hour period following the onset of the postulated fission product release, would not receive a radiation dose in excess of 25 rem total effective dose equivalent (TEDE).
(B) An individual located at any point on the outer boundary of the low population zone, who is exposed to the radioactive cloud resulting from the postulated fission product release (during the entire period of its passage) would not receive a radiation dose in excess of 25 rem TEDE.

## Preoperational Data Needs

**DBA *****Radiological***** Releases to the CR **
-    [GDC 19 to Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50]
- Regulatory Guide 1.194 (06/2003)
- Atmospheric Relative Concentrations for Control Room Radiological Habitability Assessments at Nuclear Power Plants
- NUREG/CR-6331, Revision 1 (05/1997)
- Atmospheric Relative Concentrations in Building Wakes (ARCON96)

**Notes:**
Criterion 19--Control room.   A control room shall be provided from which actions can be taken to operate the nuclear power unit safely under normal conditions and to maintain it in a safe condition under accident conditions, including loss-of-coolant accidents. Adequate radiation protection shall be provided to permit access and occupancy of the control room under accident conditions without personnel receiving radiation exposures in excess of 5 rem whole body, or its equivalent to any part of the body, for the duration of the accident. 

## Preoperational Data Needs

**DBA *****Hazardous*****  Releases to the CR**
**   **[GDC 19 to Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50]
- Regulatory Guide 1.78, Rev. 1 (12/2001)
- Evaluating the Habitability of a Nuclear Power Plant Control Room During a Postulated Hazardous Chemical Release
- NUREG/CR-6210, Supplement 1 (10/1998)
- Computer Codes for Evaluation of Control Room Habitability (HABIT V1.1)

## Severe Accident Radiological Releases
   [Commission Policy Statements 1985, 1986]
NUREG-1555 (07/2007)
Section 7.2, Severe Accidents
NUREG/CR-6613 (05/1998)
Code Manual for MACCS2: Volume 1, User’s Guide

-    [Commission Policy Statements 1985, 1986]
- NUREG-1555 (07/2007)
- Section 7.2, Severe Accidents
- NUREG/CR-6613 (05/1998)
- Code Manual for MACCS2: Volume 1, User’s Guide

**Preoperational Data Needs**

**Notes:**
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). 1985. “Policy Statement of Severe Reactor Accidents Regarding Future Designs and Existing Plants.” 50 FR 32138.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). 1986. “Safety Goals for the Operations of Nuclear Power Plants: Policy Statement; Replication”. 51 FR 30028.
Dose consequence analysis for severe accidents, including socioeconomic impacts. The Commission has determined that the evaluation of events or accident sequences that lead to releases shall include, but not be limited to, those events or sequences that can reasonably be expected to occur. It has also stated that the environmental consequences of releases whose probability of occurrence has been estimated shall be discussed in probability terms. The consequences of the accidents that can reasonably be expected to occur are  expressed in terms of potential exposure to individuals; the consequences of severe accidents referred to as probabilistic accidents in the policy statements (NRC 1985, 1986) are characterized in terms of exposure to population groups.
Requires meteorological data for a 1-year period that represents current conditions

## Preoperational Data Needs

**Routine *****Radiological***** Releases **
-    [Subpart D to 10 CFR 20]
-    [II.B, II.C and II.D of Appendix I of 10 CFR 50]
- Regulatory Guide 1.111, Rev. 1 (07/1977)
- Methods for Estimating Atmospheric Transport and Dispersion of Gaseous Effluents in Routine Releases from Light-Water-Cooled Reactors
- NUREG/CR-2919 (09/1982)
- XOQDOQ Computer Program for the Meteorological Evaluation of Routine Effluent Releases at Nuclear Power Stations

**Notes:**
§ 20.1301 Dose limits for individual members of the public.
(a) Each licensee shall conduct operations so that —
(1) The total effective dose equivalent to individual members of the public from the licensed operation does not exceed 0.1 rem (1 mSv) in a year
§ 20.1302 Compliance with dose limits for individual members of the public.
(b) A licensee shall show compliance with the annual dose limit in § 20.1301 by—
(2) Demonstrating that--
(i) The annual average concentrations of radioactive material released in gaseous and liquid effluents at the boundary of the unrestricted area do not exceed the values specified in table 2 of appendix B to part 20
---------------
Appendix I to Part 50--Numerical Guides for Design Objectives and Limiting Conditions for Operation to Meet the Criterion "As Low as is Reasonably Achievable" for Radioactive Material in Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor Effluents 
II.B estimated annual external dose from gaseous effluents to any individual in unrestricted areas below 5 millirems to the total body or 15 millirems to the skin
II.C  radioactive iodine and radioactive material in particulate form for any individual in an unrestricted area from all pathways of exposure below 15 millirems to any organ
II.D  include in the radwaste system all items of reasonably demonstrated technology that, when added to the system sequentially and in order of diminishing cost-benefit return, can for a favorable cost-benefit ratio effect reductions in dose to the population reasonably expected to be within 50 miles of the reactor. ($1000 per total body man-rem and $1000 per man-thyroid-rem )

## Preoperational Data Needs

**Non-radiological Environmental Effects (e.g., cooling towers plumes and drift)**
**   **[10 CFR 51.72]
- NUREG-1555 (10/1999)
- Section 5.3.3.1, Heat Dissipation To The Atmosphere
- SACTI Computer Code (04/1984)
- User's Manual: Cooling-Tower-Plume Prediction Code, EPRI CS-3403-CCM, April 1984.

**Notes:**
§ 51.71 Draft environmental impact statement--contents.

## Operational Data Needs

**Routine Radiological Releases**
-    [10 CFR 50.36a(a)(2)]
- Regulatory Guide 1.111, Rev. 1 (07/1977)
- Methods for Estimating Atmospheric Transport and Dispersion of Gaseous Effluents in Routine Releases from Light-Water-Cooled Reactors
- NUREG/CR-2919 (09/1982)
- XOQDOQ Computer Program for the Meteorological Evaluation of Routine Effluent Releases at Nuclear Power Stations

**Notes:**
§ 50.36a Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors.
(a) To keep releases of radioactive materials to unrestricted areas during normal conditions, including expected occurrences, as low as is reasonably achievable, each licensee of a nuclear power reactor and each applicant for adesign certification or a manufacturing license will include technical specifications that, in addition to requiring compliance with applicable provisions of § 20.1301 of this chapter, require that:
(2) Each holder of an operating license, and each holder of a combined license after the Commission has made the finding under § 52.103(g) of this chapter, shall submit a report to the Commission annually that specifies the quantity of each of the principal radionuclides released to unrestricted areas in liquid and in gaseous effluents during the previous 12 months, including any other information as may be required by the Commission to estimate maximum potential annual radiation doses to the public resulting from effluent releases. 

## Operational Data Needs

**Accidental Radiological Releases**
**   **[10 CFR 50.47(b)(9)]
-    [Section IV.E.2 of Appendix E to 10 CFR 50]
- NUREG-0800 (03/2007)
- Section 13.3, Emergency Planning
- NUREG-1887 (08/2007)
- RASCAL 3.0.5: Description of Models and Methods

**Notes:**
§ 50.47 Emergency plans. 
(b) The onsite and, except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, offsite emergency response plans for nuclear power reactors must meet the following standards: 
(9) Adequate methods, systems, and equipment for assessing and monitoring actual or potential offsite consequences of a radiological emergency condition are in use. 

Appendix E to Part 50--Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities 
IV. Content of Emergency Plans 
E. Emergency Facilities and Equipment 
2. Equipment for determining the magnitude of and for continuously assessing the impact of the release of radioactive materials to the environment 

## Regulatory Guide 1.23 History

**Feb 1972: Original Version**
**Sep 1980: 1****st**** Proposed Rev 1**
- Specified post-TMI emergency planning criteria
**Apr 1986: 2****nd**** Proposed Rev 1**
- Endorsed ANSI/ANS-2.5-1984
- Removed Proposed Rev 1 post-TMI E-Plan Criteria
**Oct 2006: 3****rd**** Proposed Rev 1 (DG-1164)**
**Mar 2007: Revision 1**

**Notes:**
Post-TIM emergency planning criteria
Viable backup system
Remote Interrogation
ANSI/ANS-2.5-1984
ANS standard withdrawn and inactive

DG-1164:
110 public comments received from 6 organizations/individuals
Regrouped into 68 combined comments
44 of the 68 combined comments resulted in changes to the final version of Revision 1

## Goals for Revising RG 1.23

**Update List of Applicable Regulations**
**Link Regulatory Guidance to Regulations **
**Update Monitoring Criteria**
- Incorporate ANS/ANSI-3.11-2005 guidance as appropriate
**Clarify Emergency Planning Guidance**

**Notes:**
Updated list of applicable regulations
GDC 19 (Control Room) to Appendix A (General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants) to 10 CFR Part 50 (Domestic Licensing Of Production And Utilization Facilities) 
Appendix E (Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities ) to CFR Part 50 (Domestic Licensing Of Production And Utilization Facilities)
Appendix I (Numerical Guides for Design Objectives and Limiting Conditions for Operation to Meet the Criterion "As Low as is Reasonably Achievable" for Radioactive Material in Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor Effluents) to CFR Part 50 (Domestic Licensing Of Production And Utilization Facilities)
10 CFR Part 51 (Environmental Protection Regulations For Domestic Licensing And Related Regulatory Functions)
Clarify Emergency Planning Guidance
NUREG-0654 versus NUREG-0737 versus Supplement 1 to NUREG-0737

## RG 1.23 Monitoring Criteria

**Wind Speed and Direction**
- 10 m, 60 m, > 85 meters
- Boom length 2x tower width
**Vertical Temperature Difference**
- 60-10 m, > 85-10 m
- Radiation shields
**Ambient Temperature**
- 10 m

## RG 1.23 Monitoring Criteria

**Precipitation**
- Ground level
- Utilize wind shields
- Utilize heaters (where appropriate)
**Atmospheric Moisture**
- Preoperational requirement for sites using evaporative cooling as normal heat sink
- Measurement height representative of water-vapor release

## RG 1.23 Monitoring Criteria

**Tower Siting Criteria**
- Same elevation as plant grade
- At least 10x the height away of any nearby obstruction if obstruction height exceeds 1⁄2 height of wind measurement
- Avoid heat and moisture sources

## RG 1.23 Monitoring Criteria

**Instrument Accuracy and Range**
- Similar to ANSI/ANS-3.11-2005 criteria
**Instrumentation Maintenance and Servicing Schedules **
- Daily channel checks (operational systems only)
- Semiannual system calibrations
- Goal: 90% data recovery

**Notes:**
Channel Check: The qualitative assessment, by observation, of channel behavior during operation. This determination should include, where possible, comparison of the channel indication and status to other indications or status derived from independent instrument channels measuring the same parameter.
System Calibration: The process of validating the output of an observing system against known reference observations or standards.

## RG 1.23 Monitoring Criteria

**Data Reduction and Compilation**
- Electronic digital data acquisition systems
- 5 second sampling rate
- 15-min average data (emergency response)
- Hourly average data (historic database)
- Joint Frequency Distribution
- Larger number of low wind speed classes

## RG 1.23 Monitoring Criteria

**Special Considerations for Complex Terrain**
- Pre-operational program
- EAB, LPZ, “special receptors” for routine release doses
- Operational program
- Plume exposure emergency planning zone

## RG 1.23 Monitoring Criteria

**Special Considerations for Emergency Planning**
- 15-min data display in emergency response facilities
- Format compatible for manual input to dose assessment models (where applicable)
- Appropriate data display for input to emergency action levels (e.g., hurricane force winds)
- Provisions for obtaining representative date from alternative sources when onsite data are not available

## Conclusion

- There are multiple regulatory needs for an onsite meteorological monitoring program at commercial nuclear power plant sites
- Regulatory Guide 1.23 was revised to better reflect current regulatory requirements and industry best practices