nuclear-news

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission NTTF [Near Term Task Force] observed that, “some [nuclear] plants have an overreliance on operator actions and temporary flood mitigation measures such as using sandbags, temporary flood walls and barriers, and portable equipment to perform safety functions.” The NTTF report also states that, “the Task Force has concluded that flooding risks are of concern due to a „cliff-edge‟ effect, in that the safely consequences of a flooding event may increase sharply with a small increase in the flooding level. Therefore, it would be very beneficial to safety for all licensees to confirm that structures, systems, and components (SSCs) important to safely are adequately protected from floods.” [1]

The NRC describes Brunswick Nuclear Power Station’s interim solution to flooding: “the licensee planned to install metal “Cliff Edge Barriers” at targeted areas on site. These barriers are installed 1 to 3 days prior to…