22 November, 2016

Directorate General of Nuclear Power Fuel

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission

Safety Considerations of

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities

Dr. Syed Waseem Akhtar

Director (Nuclear Power Fuel)

Outline

Introduction

Nuclear Safety Policy

Applicable Codes and Standards Criteria

Classification of Codes and Standards

PNRA Regulations and Guides

USNRC Regulations and Guides

Conclusion

Nuclear Power & Fuel Cycle Programme

KANUPP

Operation start

1972

First local fuel

bundle loaded

in KANUPP

--1976-- 1980

C-1 Operation Start

Also DGRE Project

325 MWe

2000

NPP & Fuel

Supply Contracts

Signed

1991

C-1 PWR

from China

Contract

Signed for C-2

2004

C-2 PWR

from

China

2007 2011

C-2 operation &

connected to grid

325 MWe

2013

Energy Plan to

8,800 MWe

NPPs by 2030

K 2/3 Inaugurated

(Gen-III PWRs)

2 x 1100 MW

2013

Revised Energy

Plan for 40,000 MW

NPPs by 2050

2 x 340MW

C-3/4 operation &

connected to

2016-17 2021-22

K-2/3 operation &

connected to grid

Production

Start of NPFC?

1. Introduction

* Tentative Plan

Plant Size

(MWe)

Plant Type Construction

Starts

Operation

Year

Cumulative

Capacity

K-1 125 PHWR 1966 1972 100

C-1 325 PWR 1992 2000 425

C-2 340 PWR 2004 2011 765

C-3 340 PWR 2010 Oct. 2016 1105

C-4 340 PWR 2011 2017 1445

K-2 1100 APWR 2014 2021 2545

K-3 1100 APWR 2015 2022 3645

P-1 to

P-4*

(1100 or

1400)

APWR ----- ------ 9000 MWe

by 2030

Nuclear Power Programme

1. Introduction

Introduction

“Nuclear Fuel Cycle” means all the operation associated

with the production of fuel for nuclear energy, including:

Exploration and Mining

Processing & Conversion of Uranium or Thorium ores

Enrichment of Uranium

Fabrication of nuclear fuel

Operation of nuclear reactor (including research reactor)

Storage and/or Reprocessing of spent fuel

Waste management activities (including decommissioning)

Pakistan has an “open” uranium fuel cycle (no reprocessing) for NPPs

Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) is responsible

for licensing, safety and security of all civil nuclear facilities.

PAEC is determined to follow the principle of Safety First &

Quality First during all stages from siting to decommissioning

of Nuclear power and fuel cycle facilities

Safety requirement are consistent with international safety

standards, however, continuous improvements are being

pursued for enhancing safety of the nuclear industry

Nuclear Safety Policy

Applicable Codes and Standards Criteria

All nuclear installations, for the purposes of siting, design, construction,

commissioning, operation and decommissioning shall conform to the

existing PNRA regulations

In areas where the PNRA regulations are not available, relevant latest US

NRC regulations shall be applicable. Alternately, the licensee may chose

to follow the latest revisions of the applicable IAEA Safety Standards.

In case, the nuclear safety standards of another country (China) are

proposed to be followed, the applicant/licensee shall demonstrate to

the entire satisfaction of the Authority that the standards, proposed to

be followed, offer the same or better standards of safety, security,

quality and reliability than would have been offered by the nuclear

safety and security standards mentioned above at (a) and (b).

Classification of Codes and Standards

LAW PNRA Ordinance 2001

PNRA Regulations (PAK/909, PAK/910, PAK/911 etc.)

USNRC Codes and Regulations

IAEA Safety Codes and Standards Regulations

US NRC / IAEA Safety Guides, NUREG etc. Guides

Standards International Standards and Recommendations

IAEA, ASME, ASTM, IEEE, ISO, ICRP, ANS, ANSI etc.

Other Documents WASH, IAEA TECDOCs, etc

Mandatory

“Shall”

Recommended

“Should”

Voluntary

“May”

Rules Source/Document Status

PNRA Regulations and Guides

PAK No. Applicable PNRA Regulation

PAK/900 Regulations on Licensing Fee by Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory

Authority

PAK/904 Regulations on Radiation Protection

PAK/909 Rev.1 Regulations for Licensing of Nuclear Installation(s) in Pakistan

PAK/910 Regulations on the Safety of Nuclear Installations – Site

Evaluation

PAK/914 Regulations on Management of a Nuclear or Radiological

Emergency

PAK/915 Regulations on Radioactive Waste Management

PAK/916 Regulations on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material

RG No. Applicable PNRA Regulatory Guides

RG-916.01 Transport of Radioactive Material by Road in Pakistan.

USNRC Regulations and Guides

Reg. No. Applicable USNRC Regulation

10 CFR Part 40 Domestic licensing of Source Material

10 CFR Part 50 Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities

10 CFR Part 70 Domestic licensing of special nuclear material (NFC)

10 CFR Part 73 Physical protection of plants and materials (NFC)

10 CFR Part 74 Material control and accounting of special nuclear material (NFC)

10 CFR Part 76 Certification of gaseous diffusion plants (Enrichment plant)

10 CFR App.E to Part 50

Emergency Planning & Preparedness for Production/Utilization Facilities

RG- No. Applicable USNRC Regulatory Guides /Other Documents

R.G 3.25 Standard Format & Content of SAR for Uranium Enrichment Facilities

R.G 3.39 Standard Format and Content of License Applications for Plutonium Processing and Fuel Fabrication Plants

R.G 3.40 Design Basis Floods for Fuel Reprocessing Plants and for Plutonium Processing and Fuel Fabrication Plants

R.G 3.67 Standard Format & Content for Emergency Plan for NFC & Materials Facilities

R.G 3.71 Nuclear Criticality Safety Standards for Fuels and Material Facilities

R.G 4.9 Preparation of Environmental Reports for Uranium Enrichment Facilities

NUREG-1520 SRP for the Review of a License Application for a Fuel Cycle Facility

IAEA Regulations and Guides

REQ. No. Applicable IAEA Requirements

NS-R-3 (Rev. 1) Site Evaluation for Nuclear Installations

NS-R-5 (Rev. 1) Safety of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities

GSR Part 3 Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: Int'ernational Basic Safety Standards

GSR Part 4 (Rev. 1) Safety Assessment for Facilities and Activities

GSR Part 5 Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste

GSR Part 7 Preparedness and Response for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency

Guide No. Applicable IAEA Guides

SSG-12 Licensing Process for Nuclear Installations

SSG-18 Meteorological and Hydrological Hazards in Site Evaluation for Nuclear

Installations

SSG-27 Criticality Safety in the Handling of Fissile Material

SSG-35 Site Survey and Site Selection for Nuclear Installations

SSG-5 Safety of Conversion Facilities and Uranium Enrichment Facilities

SSG-6 Safety of Uranium Fuel Fabrication Facilities

SSG-9 Seismic Hazards in Site Evaluation for Nuclear Installations

GSG-2 Criteria for Use in Preparedness and Response for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency

GS-G-2.1 Arrangements for Preparedness for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency

Ch. 1: General Information (facility, process, site)

Ch. 2: Organization and Administration (policies, procedures and

qualifications of key management positions)

Ch. 3: Integrated Safety Analysis (identifies potential accident

sequences, prevention & mitigation through design,

management)

Ch. 4: Radiation Protection (methods for radiation protection and

their estimation of occupational radiation exposures)

Ch. 5: Nuclear Criticality Safety (criticality accidents related to

storage, handling, and processing of licensed materials)

Ch. 6: Chemical Process Safety (chemical hazards related to

storage, handling, and processing of licensed materials)

Safety Analysis Report- Format and Contents

Ch. 7: Fire Safety (program development & implementation)

Ch. 8: Emergency Management (protection plan)

Ch. 9: Environmental Protection (measures for protection)

Ch.10: Decommissioning (as per safety requirements & principles)

Ch.11: Management Measures (provide assurance for safety function

availability to prevent accidents & mitigate consequences)

Ch.12: Material Control and Accounting (to detect and protect

against the loss, theft, or diversion of special nuclear material)

Ch.13: Physical Protection (so that nuclear materials do not cause an

unreasonable risk to the public health and safety)

Safety Analysis Report- Format and Contents

Post-Fukushima Safety Reassessment

Focus on external events, severe accident and emergency preparedness

1. Adequacy of reviewed external events

2. Plan against flooding and response capabilities

3. Plan against earthquake and response capabilities

4. Effectiveness of quality assurance program

5. Adequacy of Fire protection system

6. Robustness of the plant against overlapping extreme natural events

7. Robustness of the plant design (defense in depth) in case of SBO

8. Prevention & mitigation of severe accidents and reliability assessment

9. Public information and communication (Perception maker)

10. Effective environment monitoring & emergency response systems

11. Other possible weaknesses (population/industrial growth near Plant)

PNPFC Project

S. No. Project Feed Material Product

2.

Fuel

Fabrication

Plant

UO2 powder,

Zr-4, SS &

inconel

Fuel Assembly (FA) and Associated Core

Components (ACCs) for NPPs

1.

Chemical

Processing

Plant

U3O8, Zr sand,

UF6 (E/D) UF6(N) gas, UO2(E) powder, Zr-4 Ingots

3. Seamless

Tube Plant Zr-4 & SS ingots Zr-4 / SS tubes, rods etc.

4.

Fuel

Testing

Project

Fuel

Components /

Specimens

R&D Infrastructure for Testing /

Qualification of Fuel (Mechanical and

Thermal Hydraulic.)

5.

Fuel

enrichmen

t Plant

UF6 (N) gas UF6 Gas (E)

Objective: Production of PWR Fuel for CNPPs (C1-C4)

Near-term Future Tasks

Installation of Meteorological Tower and Ground Station

Site Studies(Demography, meteorology, external hazard, geo-technical and hydrological studies)

NOCs

Background Radiation Analysis

Data Collection

Field Surveys

Site Evaluation Report Preparation

Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) Preparation

QAP for Siting

PSAR Preparation

Emergency Preparedness Plans etc.

1. Mining and Milling

2. Refining and Conversion

3. Enrichment

4. Fuel Fabrication (UOX)

5. Fuel Transportation (Fresh, other material)

6. Spent Fuel Storage

7. SNF Reprocessing Incl. Recycled Material Storage;

8. Fabrication of Recycled Nuclear Fuels Material

9. Radioactive Waste Management (Processing/Storage/Disposal

10. Decommissioning Of NFCF

Suggested Areas for INPRO Updating

Latest revision of safety standards should be used as reference

Quality Assurance &Quality Control aspects may also be considered

Enrichment may be separated from Refining & Conversion

In the light of Fukushima accidents experience safety reassessment

aspects may also be considered

Pakistan is committed to develop safety culture for its nuclear facilities

Capacity building of safety experts / human resources with IAEA

support is essential to continuously build strong safety culture

Recommendations