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Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety and Security of U.S. Nuclear Plants

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This project focuses on the causes of the Fukushima Daiichi accident and safety-related lessons learned for improving nuclear plant systems, operations, and regulations exclusive of spent fuel storage. It also specifically focuses on three issues: (1) lessons learned from the accident for nuclear plant security, (2) lessons learned for spent fuel storage, and (3) reevaluation of conclusions from previous Academies studies on spent fuel storage.

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Description

The National Research Council will provide an assessment of lessons learned from the Fukushima nuclear accident for improving the safety and security of nuclear plants in the United States. This assessment will address the following issues:
1. Causes of the Fukushima nuclear accident, particularly with respect to the performance of safety systems and operator response following the earthquake and tsunami.
2. Re-evaluation of the conclusions from previous NAS studies on safety and security of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste storage, particularly with respect to the safety and security of current storage arrangements and alternative arrangements in which the amount of commercial spent fuel stored in pools is reduced.
3. Lessons that can be learned from the accident to improve commercial nuclear plant safety and security systems and operations.


4. Lessons that can be learned from the accident to improve commercial nuclear plant safety and security regulations, including processes for identifying and applying design basis events for accidents and terrorist attacks to existing nuclear plants.
The study may examine policy options related to these issues but should not make policy recommendations that involve non-technical value judgments.

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Committee Membership Roster Comments

NOTE: Dr. Mark H. Thiemens of the University of California, San Diego, resigned effective July 26, 2012.

NOTE (08-17-2012): There has been a change in committee membership with the addition of Dr. Jan Beyea and Dr. Shelley A. Hearne.

NOTE (08-22-2012): Correction to Dr. Shelley Hearne's biographical information.

NOTE (11-26-2012): There has been a change in committee membership. Dr. Richard Denning will no longer be serving on the committee.

NOTE (12-05-2012): Dr. Robert Bari's information updated.

NOTE (12-31-2012): Dr. Shelley Hearne's information updated.

NOTE: Dr. Najmedin Meshkati of the University of Southern California resigned effective June 12, 2012.

NOTE (10-28-2014): 17 of the 21 members of the committee were appointed to carry out the second phase of this study. (Drs. Shelley Hearne, B. John Garrick, James Matheson, and Norman Neureiter were not appointed to the phase 2 committee). Dr. Joseph Shepherd was appointed to chair the phase 2 committee.

NOTE (01-13-2015): Dr. Percy M. Beard, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (retired), resigned effective January 7, 2015.

NOTE (02-06-2015): Dr. M. Quinn Brewster, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, resigned effective February 6, 2015.

Sponsors

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Staff

Kevin Crowley

Lead

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