Modular HTGR Safety Basis and Approach

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) will be a licensed commercial high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) capable of producing electricity and/or high temperature process heat for industrial markets supporting a range of end-user applications. The NGNP Project has adopted the 10 CFR 52 Combined License (COL) process, as recommended in the NGNP Licensing Strategy - A Report to Congress, dated August 2008, as the foundation for the NGNP licensing strategy [DOE/NRC 2008]. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing of the NGNP plant utilizing this process will demonstrate the efficacy for licensing future HTGRs for commercial industrial applications. This information paper is one in a series of submittals that address key generic issues of the priority licensing topics as part of the process for establishing HTGR regulatory requirements. This information paper provides a summary level introduction to HTGR history, public safety objectives, inherent and passive safety features, radionuclide release barriers, functional safety approach, and risk-informed safety approach. The information in this paper is intended to further the understanding of the modular HTGR safety approach with the NRC staff and public stakeholders. The NGNP project does not expect to receive comments on this information paper because other white papers are addressing key genericmore » issues of the priority licensing topics in greater detail.« less