OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE | MANAGING RISK
Enhancing extreme hazard resilience
Extreme hazard events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, river and coastal flooding, can affect all industries and any community, the nuclear power sector included. Can the nuclear power sector
realistically do more to reduce their potential impact in a hazard event? By Andrew Buckley, Principal Engineer, ABS Group
WHILE NUCLEAR POWER IS NOT inherently unsafe, the consequences of any kind of event could be catastrophic. However, compared to other power sources, nuclear has had an enviable safety record for the past 50 years. In many ways the nuclear sector has led the way in health
and safety legislation – rigorously examining incidents when they occur and applying lessons learned to improve safety. At every stage in the nuclear supply chain, operating
companies should continue to work to promote this ingrained safety culture as they look to satisfy global nuclear power needs. It is also worth noting that the latest-generation facilities currently proposed as part of tomorrow’s clean energy mix have more advanced fail-safe systems built into their design than their predecessor technologies. The development of new technology is designed to be inherently safer, relying less on engineered systems and backup to be effective. When nuclear facilities are designed and built they are subject to stringent international and national regulatory safety requirements, which are designed to account for the full spectrum of foreseeable events. A facility’s safety cases are created and designed to help it better withstand seismic hazards and prepare risk contingencies.
Multiple hazards and risks While seismic hazards are an important consideration in the safe operation of nuclear power plants, they are not the only risk. Nuclear power plants are designed to withstand a wide range of hazards, including floods, fires, and human error. The safety systems and barriers at nuclear power plants are created to help address these various potential risks and better ensure safe operation under normal to extreme conditions. Flooding, for example, is a significant weather risk for
nuclear power stations almost everywhere reactors are operating or planned. By submerging critical equipment, disrupting power supply, and damaging infrastructure, flooding can severely impact the normal operation of a nuclear power station. Extreme temperature events, such as the recent
heatwaves seen across Europe and the USA, or prolonged cold spells, can also pose risks to nuclear power stations. High temperatures can impact the nuclear power station’s cooling systems, reducing their efficiency and consequently affecting safety margins. Conversely, prolonged cold spells can impact the performance of equipment, electrical systems, and other critical components – also potentially
Right: Flooding events can present significant hazards for the nuclear sector
40 | September 2023 |
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