Severe accident risk benchmarking and cost-benefit analysis. [PWR; BWR]

Sandia National Laboratories is conducting the Severe Accident Risk Reduction Program (SARRP) as part of the NRC Severe Accident Research Plan (SARP). The purpose of this program is to provide NRC with a sound technical basis for severe accident decision making. To achieve this purpose, SARRP has the following objectives: incorporate insights gained from severe accident research toward a benchmarking of reactor risks and of the overall uncertainty in reactor risks; investigate the use of generic plant categories as a means for generalizing the results of plant-specific risk analyses; and evaluate the benefits and costs of proposed new safety features designed to reduce the frequencies and/or consequences of severe accidents.