ROLE OF NRC GEOLOGISTS IN REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR POTENTIAL NEW NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

NRC requirements in Part 52 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 52) state that detailed descriptions of geologic and seismic characteristics of a proposed new reactor site must be prepared by the applicant and included in the application materials for that site. 10 CFR Part 100.23 further defines geologic and seismic siting factors that must be considered for the design of safety-related facilities at a proposed site and likewise discussed in the application. NRC Regulatory Guides provide guidance to applicants for characterizing geologic features of the site region (i.e., within a 320-km [200 mi] radius of the site), site vicinity (40-km [25 mi] radius), site area (8-km [5 mi] radius), and site location (1-km [0.6 mi] radius). The applicant presents the required information in Chapter 2.5 of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) portion of the application.

NUREG-0800, the Standard Review Plan for Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants, provides guidance to NRC staff to enable a rigorous assessment of geologic and seismic data presented in the SAR. Specific SAR sections address Basic Geologic and Seismic Information (Section 2.5.1), Vibratory Ground Motion (2.5.2) and Surface Faulting (2.5.3) for each potential site. These sections must be reviewed by NRC geologists familiar with geologic features of the site region, vicinity, area, and location in order to assess site suitability in regard to geologic characteristics. NRC geologists review information acquired by the applicant during site characterization and presented in the SAR, including that related to presence or absence of surface faulting and definition of potential seismogenic structures or seismic source zones. Geologists work closely with paleoseismologists and seismologists to review SAR sections and conduct site visits and literature reviews to determine if interpretations and conclusions presented by the applicant accurately reflect existing geologic field evidence. Careful assessment of site characterization information presented by an applicant in the SAR offers technical challenges wherein geologists can apply their knowledge to ensure that protection of public health and safety and the environment remains as the highest priority in licensing suitable sites for potential new nuclear power reactors.