NRC open house today focuses on reactor-threat safeguard study

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is holding an all-day open house today on external hazard screening to identify threats beyond flooding and earthquakes in the wake of 2011's Fukushima disaster in Japan.

The screening aims to determine the best measures for preserving reactor integrity in adverse conditions.

This meeting runs through 3 p.m. in Room T2B3 at the NRC’s White Flint complex, 11555 Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland. The session will be available as a webinar, and a teleconference also will be made available.

 Threats to reactors beyond floods and quakes include hurricanes, heavy snow storms, tornadoes and droughts. NRC staff were directed to carry out technical evaluations to assess possible actions that would need to be taken and what regulatory measures would be necessary. The results of these exercises are being released at today's open house.

 The NRC said the finalized results from this screening will be made available by the end of May.