PWR Releases -Reply

[Charles Willis <CAW@nrc.gov>]

David,

I doubt that you will find the information you seek because 10 MW
(thermal) reactors were of ther "Test, Research and University" type,
such as the Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor (5 MW) and the
National Bureau of Standards reactor(10 MW) , which were not
pressurized water reactors.  I believe that the lowest-powered reactor
that powered a nuclear power plant was the Piqua Organic Moderated
Reactor (45.5 MW thermal).  Lockheed operated a 10 MW PWR, the
"Radiation Effects Reactor" (RER) intermittently from 1958 to 1970 (see
my article in Health Physics, October 1962).

The constraints on releases in the 1960s were the concentration limits
of 10 CFR Part 20.  Generally, I believe, there were applied as
instantaneous concentration limits.  Operations and releases, however,
were not continuous; the RER, for example, was shut down for years
at a time.  Unless you can find records for the specific plant(s) of
interest, dose or release reconstruction would be quite difficult. 
Further, these plants tended to be sited in remote locations, so doses to
real people are believed to be quite low.

Releases from US nuclear power plants in the 1975-1993 era are well
documented.  See the NUREG/CR-2907 reports, Volumes 1 through 14.

Charlie Willis
caw@nrc.gov