nuclear power plants. Claims are assessed, fairly evaluated, and used to inform
decisions. The reasons leading to decisions taken are clearly stated and documented.
The NRC specializes in the supervision of operational nuclear power plants and
examination of new power plants. It is not responsible for extending nuclear power
use in the United States nor developing nuclear power policies. With its authority,
the NRC can seize control of nuclear power generation businesses in order to
increase the safety of nuclear power plants. This regulatory role of the NRC was
reconstructed after the Three Mile accident and works well. The regulatory and
operational sides are well separated, while maintaining communication.
In contrast, France has an accidental event rate almost ten times that of the United
States and has the highest nuclear power dependence worldwide. In the French
regulatory system, there are two safety monitoring agencies. The Nuclear Safety
Council (ASN) is independent from government agencies, and the Radiation Protection Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN) provides external assistance to the ASN.
Nuclear regulation strategies in France are represented in remarks made by the
director of ASN, “even with the ultimate vigilance, nuclear accidents can never be
eliminated. This is the basis of all of our actions.” Since 1992, all nuclear incidents in
France have been INES level 2 or lower, meaning that their impacts were contained
within the power plant site and did not affect the wider population. France assumes
the occurrence of accidental events as a given and focuses on minimizing their
impacts.
Table 11.2 Number of nuclear power plants and accidents in major nuclear power-producing
countries
Country
Number of
reactors
a
Dependencies on
nuclear power
Number of events
after 1992
Accidental event
rate (‰)
France
58 (59)
74.8
21
0.29
Ukraine
15 (17)
46.2
7
1.32
Sweden
10 (12)
38.1
6
2.08
Republic of
Korea
23 (23)
30.4
3
0.37
Japan
33 (60)
6.2
5
0.09
The United
States
100 (106)
19
6
0.03
The United
Kingdom
16 (33)
18.1
3
0.17
Russia
33 (34)
17.8
4
0.18
Canada
19 (23)
15.3
3
0.31
India
21 (21)
3.6
5
0.8
a Numbers in brackets indicate number of reactors including ones shut down after 1992
204
W. Zhou et al.
decisions. The reasons leading to decisions taken are clearly stated and documented.
The NRC specializes in the supervision of operational nuclear power plants and
examination of new power plants. It is not responsible for extending nuclear power
use in the United States nor developing nuclear power policies. With its authority,
the NRC can seize control of nuclear power generation businesses in order to
increase the safety of nuclear power plants. This regulatory role of the NRC was
reconstructed after the Three Mile accident and works well. The regulatory and
operational sides are well separated, while maintaining communication.
In contrast, France has an accidental event rate almost ten times that of the United
States and has the highest nuclear power dependence worldwide. In the French
regulatory system, there are two safety monitoring agencies. The Nuclear Safety
Council (ASN) is independent from government agencies, and the Radiation Protection Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN) provides external assistance to the ASN.
Nuclear regulation strategies in France are represented in remarks made by the
director of ASN, “even with the ultimate vigilance, nuclear accidents can never be
eliminated. This is the basis of all of our actions.” Since 1992, all nuclear incidents in
France have been INES level 2 or lower, meaning that their impacts were contained
within the power plant site and did not affect the wider population. France assumes
the occurrence of accidental events as a given and focuses on minimizing their
impacts.
Table 11.2 Number of nuclear power plants and accidents in major nuclear power-producing
countries
Country
Number of
reactors
a
Dependencies on
nuclear power
Number of events
after 1992
Accidental event
rate (‰)
France
58 (59)
74.8
21
0.29
Ukraine
15 (17)
46.2
7
1.32
Sweden
10 (12)
38.1
6
2.08
Republic of
Korea
23 (23)
30.4
3
0.37
Japan
33 (60)
6.2
5
0.09
The United
States
100 (106)
19
6
0.03
The United
Kingdom
16 (33)
18.1
3
0.17
Russia
33 (34)
17.8
4
0.18
Canada
19 (23)
15.3
3
0.31
India
21 (21)
3.6
5
0.8
a Numbers in brackets indicate number of reactors including ones shut down after 1992
204
W. Zhou et al.