Consideration of Aircraft Impacts for New Nuclear Power Reactors
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations to require applicants for new nuclear power reactors to perform a design-specific assessment of the effects of the impact of a large, commercial aircraft. The applicant is required to use realistic analyses to identify and incorporate design features and functional capabilities to show, with reduced use of operator actions, that either the reactor core remains cooled or the containment remains intact, and either spent fuel cooling or spent fuel pool integrity is maintained. These requirements apply to applicants for new construction permits; new operating licenses that reference a new construction permit; new standard design certifications; renewal of any of the four existing design certifications if the design has not previously been amended to comply with the rule; new standard design approvals; manufacturing licenses that don't reference a standard design certification or standard design approval, or that reference a standard design certification issued before the effective date of the rule which has not been amended to comply with the rule; and combined licenses that don't reference a standard design certification, standard design approval, or manufactured reactor, or that reference a standard design certification issued before the effective date of the rule which has not been amended to comply with the rule. In addition, these amendments contain requirements for control of changes to any design features or functional capabilities credited to show that the facility can withstand the effects of an aircraft impact.