Exercise scenarios vs. reality

[Jim Hardeman <Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us>]

RADSAFER's --

The spent fuel exercise scenario discussed for the past few
days seems to be a creative (but perhaps misguided) attempt
to meet both a utilities' desire for "realistic" exercise
scenarios while meeting FEMA's "need" for radiation doses
offsite sufficient to warrant protective measures for the general
public. This is not a new problem ... merely a new twist.

As one commenter pointed out, we used to have exercise
scenarios that simply poured more radioactive material out
the vent / stack ... sometimes exceeding available core
inventory. Not very realistic in my opinion. Plus ... it seems
that over the past 17 years or so we've fallen into the "well,
it's almost lunch time ... time for the LOCA and the general
emergency" trap ... again, not very realistic, and it results in
negative training.

Let's face it ... there are only a few ways that you can release
enough radioactive material from a commercial nuclear power
plant that you could conceivable "hurt" someone offsite ...
and the exposed spent fuel scenario doesn't appear to be (in
my mind) one of them. My approach to this issue is very
simple ... unless there is significant fuel damage during (or
immediately following) power operation ... there will not be a
significant problem offsite ... period ... end of sentence. The
problem is, there are only a few ways to achieve that
endpoint.

A spent fuel handing "mishap" is, IMHO, much more likely
than the core melt scenarios that we've grown so fond of over
the years ... but trying to push it to the point that it would
result in offsite protective actions was a mistake. If we're
going to have "realistic" exercise scenarios, then for God's
sake (and our own sanity as well) let's make sure that we
have realistic consequences as well.

Jim Hardeman, Manager
Environmental Radiation Program
Environmental Protection Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
4244 International Parkway, Suite 114
Atlanta, GA 30354
(404) 362-2675  fax: (404) 362-2653
Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us