Analysis of availability of previously identified sites under alternative demographic criteria

This study evaluates the effect of various alternative population criteria on the availability of suitable sites for new nuclear power plants. The population criteria investigated include population density limits of 500 and 750 persons per square mile within 30 miles of the site and three different limits on the total population in adjacent sectors. The site availability in the states with higher population density was investigated - using power pools, regional aggregations, and specific sites as appropriate. The results of this study indicate that the application of any of the alternative population criteria studied will not rule out the use of the nuclear option in the northeast quadrant of the United States. The analysis demonstrates that viable sites exist even in the states and service areas with the largest population densities. These results, together with a cursory examination of the rest of the United States indicating that both real and potential viable sites are available, confirms that the application of any of the alternative population criteria studied will not preclude the identification of suitable nuclear sites in any region.