scholarly journals The Issue Of Linear No-Threshold Hypothesis

2018 ◽  
pp. 54-57
Author(s):  
A. V. Nosovskyi
Keyword(s):  
Ionizing Radiation ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Radiation Safety ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Radiation Hazard ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Safety Barriers

Some issues concerning the effect of ionizing radiation on the human body and methodological approaches to the development of radiation safety standards are considered. It is shown that the use of the linear no-threshold hypothesis (LNT hypothesis) in up-to-date radiation safety standards is inconsistent with experimental and epidemiological dose-response data, introduces essential excessive conservatism in the safety assessment process and causes additional problems concerning nuclear power engineering development. Due to the absence of convincing proofs for the existence of the dose threshold* nowadays, it is assumed that any ionizing radiation can lead to a certain risk of developing harmful effects and, therefore, the linear non-threshold dependence between the dose and the probability of the harmful effect is recommended. However, everyone understands that the use of the LNT hypothesis significantly overestimates the real danger. At the same time, the LNT hypothesis aggravates the existing high public fear of nuclear power, and the nuclear power industry pays extraordinary expenses to comply with radiation protection standards based on the LNT hypothesis. In order to comply with rules and regulations based on the LNT hypothesis, the nuclear energy industry invests financial resources in the creation of additional safety barriers for nuclear facilities, as well as new security and control systems. One of the reasons for increasing the cost for construction of a nuclear power plant is the increased design cost caused by enhanced safety requirements that are based on the LNT hypothesis. The traditional engineering approach to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities is based on the increase in the number of protective systems and devices that reduce the probability of severe accidents and reduce the radiation hazard of their consequences. Implementation of this approach in practice leads to a complication and a rise in the price of a nuclear facility. Obviously, it is possible to substantially enhance the safety level of nuclear facilities by creating new and new safety barriers around them, but sooner or later the nuclear energy production will become uncompetitive compared to the generation of other kinds of energy. It is concluded that up-to-date knowledge gives all the necessary grounds for eliminating the use of the linear no-threshold hypothesis and for revising the existing radiation safety standards of Ukraine for some isolated technological operations related to radiation hazardous activities. Such technological operations include activities related to the mitigation of radiation accident consequences, retrieval of nuclear materials and other activities related to the Shelter’s transformation into an environmentally safe system.

The Regulatory Framework for Safe Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Plants in Korea

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangmyeon Ahn ◽  
Jungjoon Lee ◽  
Chanwoo Jeong ◽  
Kyungwoo Choi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Regulatory Framework ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Safety Requirement ◽  
Regulatory Review ◽  
Safety Standards

We are having 23 units of nuclear power plants in operation and 5 units of nuclear power plants under construction in Korea as of September 2012. However, we don’t have any experience on shutdown permanently and decommissioning of nuclear power plants. There are only two research reactors being decommissioned since 1997. It is realized that improvement of the regulatory framework for decommissioning of nuclear facilities has been emphasized constantly from the point of view of IAEA’s safety standards. It is also known that IAEA will prepare the safety requirement on decommissioning of facilities; its title is the Safe Decommissioning of Facilities, General Safety Requirement Part 6. According to the result of IAEA’s Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission to Korea in 2011, it was recommended that the regulatory framework should require decommissioning plans for nuclear installations to be constructed and operated and these plans should be updated periodically. In addition, after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March of 2011, preparedness for early decommissioning caused by an unexpected severe accident became important issues and concerns. In this respect, it is acknowledged that the regulatory framework for decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Korea need to be improved. First of all, we focus on identifying the current status and relevant issues of regulatory framework for decommissioning of nuclear power plants compared to the IAEA’s safety standards in order to achieve our goal. And then the plan is established for improvement of regulatory framework for decommissioning of nuclear power plants in Korea. It is expected that if the things will go forward as planned, the revised regulatory framework for decommissioning could enhance the safety regime on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants in Korea in light of international standards.

Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning in Germany: Projects, Regulation and Experience

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leopold Weil ◽  
Bernd Rehs
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Radioactive Decay ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Interim Storage ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Selection Of

In Germany, altogether 19 nuclear power plants (NPPs) and prototype reactors have been permanently shut down. For 15 NPPs the dismantling is in progress with “green-field conditions” as planning target. Two units were completely dismantled and two are in safe enclosure. The main legal provision for all aspects of the peaceful use of nuclear energy in Germany is the Atomic Energy Act (AtG), which also contains the basic legal conditions for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. It stipulates that decommissioning is subject to a licence by the regulatory body of the respective Federal State (Land). An emerging decommissioning practice in Germany is the removal of complete undismantled large components and their transport to interim storage facilities. During the period of storage, the radionuclide inventory of the components will decrease due to radioactive decay and the subsequent segmentation of the components can be done with less radiation protection effort. The commissioning of the Konrad repository in the near future might have consequences on planning of decommissioning, regarding the selection of a decommissioning strategy and the waste management.

Fukushima Nuclear Accident Implications for the Nuclear Power Development in China

2011 ◽  
Vol 347-353 ◽  
pp. 3810-3814
Author(s):  
Zi Ying Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Nuclear Accident ◽  
Fukushima Nuclear Accident ◽  
Energy Structure ◽  
Power Development ◽  
Fukushima Accident ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Nuclear Power Development ◽  
Nuclear Development

The Fukushima nuclear accident is prompting countries around the world to reassess the safety of nuclear power plant and their nuclear development aspirations. The course of Fukushima nuclear accident, the accident status to date are summarized, the global support for nuclear energy after Fukushima are stated, and the nuclear power development in China, China responses to Fukushima accident are analyzed. Nuclear energy plays an important role as means to adjust the energy structure, to avoid environmental pollution, and to address climate change in China, while the development speed of nuclear power should be reasonable and appropriate. Drawing lessons from Fukushima crisis, China insists on the safety-first principle in nuclear power development, hence China should be cautions in NPP sites selection, reviews its nuclear power development speed, lifts the safety standards, and improve the nuclear emergency response capabilities.

scholarly journals Criminal Liability for Illicit Trafficking of Radioactive Materials

2018 ◽  
pp. 66-70
Author(s):  
O. V. Taran ◽  
O. G. Sandul
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Radiation Safety ◽  
Criminal Liability ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Radioactive Material ◽  
Radioactive Materials

The nuclear energy use progressively becomes part of the life of every modern person, who more and more faces radioactive materials in medical institutions, in industry. Half of all electricity generated in Ukraine is generated by nuclear power plants. The peculiarities of the nuclear energy use generate appropriate rules for people dealing with radioactive materials. The article analyzes the standards of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for liability for acts related to the illegal handling of radioactive materials, for violation of the nuclear and radiation safety rules, violation of radiation safety requirements, the threat of theft of radioactive materials, the illicit manufacturing of a nuclear explosive device, abduction or capture of radioactive materials, attack on radioactive materials transportation means. The grounds and peculiarities for bringing to criminal liability have been reviewed, the range of persons who can be prosecuted has been defined. Conditions and grounds for exemption from criminal liability in the absence of a person's criminal intent to use radioactive material are considered. It has been demonstrated that the Criminal Code of Ukraine, by prohibiting certain actions on the illegal radioactive materials handling, ensures protection of the most important social relations and social benefits.

scholarly journals Historic Perspective on the Conversations to Restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (29) ◽  
pp. 147-172
Author(s):  
Andrea Carolina Ávalos Salgado ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Government

Following the accident of Fukushima in 2011, nuclear facilities in Japan were shut down, and a new evaluation and restart process was developed. Despite the public safety concerns, the current administration expects nuclear energy to become a pillar for economic recovery in the coming years. This paper compares the historic context of restarting Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant before and after Fukushima. The evolution is analyzed through a series of interviews in 2012 and 2013 in the community and with government officers, as well as a close follow-up of the official statements by TEPCO and the government agencies up until the end of 2020. It tackles the development in the relation between TEPCO, local authorities, and local community of this nuclear plant, before and after Fukushima. This historic relation has shown to be the key element in the restart process, even above the legal process.

Exploring a model nuclear planning and response program: Evaluating public awareness of written risk and emergency

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 541-559
Author(s):  
Ekong J. Peters, PhD ◽  
Caroline S. Hackerott, PhD ◽  
Weijia Jia, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Space Shuttle ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Aircraft Carrier ◽  
Engineering Team

High-reliability organizations (HROs) including commercial airlines, the NASA Space Shuttle engineering team, US Naval aircraft carrier and nuclear submarine crews, and US nuclear power plants are relatively safe. However, these organizations experience system breakdowns often with catastrophic outcomes. This study focuses on risk information management strategies employed by a nuclear energy power plant located within 10 miles of a population center. The evacuation planning zone (EPZ) includes a hospital, several schools, and a public university. The nuclear plant provides written preparedness and evacuation information for all residents within the EPZ in the event of a radiological emergency. Focusing on the campus community within the EPZ, this study investigates individual awareness regarding the potential of a radiological event, the emergency information booklet, and the information provided within the booklet. We use descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, and cross tabulations (contingency tables) to establish awareness levels. Our study determines those participants who read the emergency instructions booklet are prepared to make an informed decision in the event of a radiological incident. We find college affiliation, educational level, university role, and age significantly related to emergency instruction booklet utilization. We also find gender is significantly linked to overall risk perception regarding a radiological event. Findings support previous research regarding women’s higher levels of risk aversion and pessimism involving dangerous new risky technologies and activities like nuclear energy plants. These findings support modifying policy to ensure nuclear facilities assess the efficacy of their warning systems in alerting the public. Furthermore, our findings provide guidance regarding the evaluation of the effectiveness of emergency instruction booklet distribution.

French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission Decommissioning Programme and Feedback Experience

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe Guiberteau ◽  
Jean-Guy Nokhamzon
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Atomic Energy Commission ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Atomic Energy ◽  
Process Equipment ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
Set Up

Since the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) was founded in 1945 to carry out research programs on use of nuclear, and its application France has set up and run various types of installations : research or prototypes reactors, process study or examination laboratories, pilot installations, accelerators, nuclear power plants and processing facilities. Some of these are currently being dismantled or must be dismantled soon so that the DEN, the Nuclear Energy Division, can construct new equipment and thus have available a range of R&D facilities in line with the issues of the nuclear industry of the future. Since the 1960s and 1970s in all its centers, the CEA has acquired experience and know-how through dismantling various nuclear facilities. The dismantling techniques are nowadays operational, even if sometimes certain specific developments are necessary to reduce the cost of operations. Thanks to availability of techniques and guarantees of dismantling program financing now from two dedicated funds, close to 15 B€ for the next thirty years, for current or projected dismantling operations, the CEA’s Nuclear Energy Division has been able to develop, when necessary, its immediate dismantling strategy. Currently, nearly thirty facilities are being dismantled by the CEA’s Nuclear Energy Division operational units with its industrial partners. Thus the next decade will see completion of the dismantling and radioactive clean-up of the Grenoble site and of the facilities on the Fontenay-aux-Roses site. By 2018, the dismantling of the UP1 plant at Marcoule, the largest dismantling work in France, will be well advanced, with all the process equipment dismantled. After an overview of the French regulatory framework, the paper will describe the DD&R strategy, programme and feedback experience inside the CEA’s Nuclear Energy Division and its progress since ICEM 14 in 2011’s conference in Reims.

scholarly journals ODONTOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION (review)

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 18-55
Author(s):  
D. Afanasyev ◽  
◽  
S. Liubarets ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Dental Caries ◽  
Ionizing Radiation ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Radiation Effects ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Radiation Safety ◽  
Facial Skeleton ◽  
Periodontal Tissues

Background. Odontological effects of ionizing radiation (IR) as a result of radiotherapy, the consequences of acci-dents at nuclear power plants and industry, individual occupational exposure, etc. deserve significant attention interns of radiation medicine and radiation safety. Objective: to analyze and summarize clinical and experimental data on the odontological radiation effects. Materials and methods. Object: the pathological changes in the hard tissues of teeth, pulp, periodontium, mucous membranes of the mouth and jaws due to exposure to IR. Method: search in the PubMed / MEDLINE, Google Scholar abstract medical and biological databases, scientific libraries of the relevant sources of scientific information. Results. Radiobiological effects of IR due to its direct and indirect action are manifested throughout the period of odontogenesis and formation of the facial skeleton. Experimental and clinical data (in children and adults) indicate the increased risk of dental caries, reduction of pain threshold and vascularization of tooth pulp along with its fibrosis and atrophy, periodontal dysfunction, which predispose to a high probability of tooth loss. Abnormalities in the activity of osteoblasts and cementoblasts of dental periosteum and osteoblasts of alveolar process in combination with circulatory disorders due to endothelial cell death, hyalinization, thrombosis and vascular obliteration increase the risk of jaw osteoradionecrosis. Children who have undergone a prenatal exposure to IR as a result of the Chornobyl NPP accident have a premature change of teeth. Deterioration of periodontal tissues and early development of acute and complicated dental caries are typical for children and adults affected by the Chornobyl disaster. Conclusions. Summarized data on the effects of radiation exposure under different conditions on teeth primordia (i.e. immature teeth), their formation and eruption in experimental and clinical settings, as well as on the odontological radiation effects in adults are summarized. Condition of the teeth in the Chornobyl NPP accident survivors is described. Understanding and taking into account the radiobiological odontological effects is necessary in the light of planning, preparing, and conducting local radiation therapy and developing the standards of radiation safety and measures to protect professionals and the public in the event of possible radiation accidents at the nuclear power plants and industry facilities. Key words: ionizing radiation, radiation therapy, Chornobyl NPP accident, odontology, tooth enamel, dentin, pulp, periodontium, caries, odontogenesis.

scholarly journals Modern Conditions Of Radiation Safety In The Context Of Development Plans Of Nuclear Energy In Poland

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-30
Author(s):  
Maciej Zaorski ◽  
Krzysztof Rogowski
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Radiation Safety ◽  
Radiation Environment ◽  
Nuclear Materials ◽  
Development Plans

Abstract In the era of globalization, the issue of energy security is very important. Nuclear energy is an important component in the context of energy security. Despite the disasters and accidents of nuclear power plants this domain is booming and plays an important role in national energy systems. Hence planning a nuclear power plant in Poland is an extremely important issue. This project is part of the diversification of energy sources in Poland. Radiation safety is an important element of construction of a nuclear power plant. This is the whole system which consists of the legal, organizational and technical parts. The system comprises radiation environment protection and physical security along with measures protecting nuclear materials.

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