(7) Strong, independent supervision and
administration ensure the safety of
nuclear power facilities
Developed nuclear power countries value nuclear
radiation safety supervision. They set up relatively independent nuclear safety regulators and
provide human, material and financial resources
for them. This ensures that the safety supervision
laws are implemented effectively, and that the
quality and safety of nuclear facilities during
construction and operation are guaranteed.
The US National Regulatory Commission
(NRC) is an independent nuclear safety supervision and management agency tasked with
protecting public health and safety related to civil
nuclear facilities and materials. It has two independent advisory committees and one nuclear
safety and licence deliberation panel. The panel
is responsible for providing advice and holding
hearings on major nuclear safety supervision
issues. The government ensures the NRC can
perform its tasks effectively in terms of funds and
people.
The Direction générale de la sûreté nucléaire
et de la radioprotection (DGSNR), the main
nuclear safety regulator in France, ensures
nuclear safety and radiation protection in France
on behalf of the government. DGSNR develops
and implements safety policies and measures for
civil nuclear facilities and discloses nuclear
safety information to the public. The Institut de
radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN) is
the main technical backup force under DGSNR;
it researches, examines and appraises nuclear
facilities and activities. In addition, France has
cross-ministry agencies and an atomic energy
commission to coordinate its nuclear power
sector on issues such as policy, military and civil
nuclear power, and to prevent nuclear energy
regulators from making one-sided decisions that
prejudice the development of France’s nuclear
power industry.
Japan’s nuclear safety regulators include the
Cabinet Office; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; and the
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, each
of which undertakes different nuclear safety
supervision duties. The Atomic Energy Committee and Nuclear Safety Commission under the
Cabinet Office review nuclear research, development and use policies, assess the safety review
of the administrative departments and hold public hearings. The Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology supervises
safety at nuclear power facilities except for the
plants themselves. The Nuclear and Industrial
Safety Agency (NISA), set up by the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry, supervised
nuclear and industrial safety. It was replaced by
the Nuclear Regulation Authority in 2012, following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
6.5.3 The Development of China’s
Nuclear Power Safety
Strategies
(1) Scientific scope of safe nuclear power
development
Human beings have been exposed to safety
issues since ancient times. Safety threats can be
divided into two categories. The first is survival
threats in nature like wild animals, natural disasters and hunger. The second is safety threats
from human factors, such as wars, the struggle
for land and global warming.
Safety is a measurement of risk affordability. It
is a relative concept, rather than an absolute one.
Safety is also dynamic not static, which means the
objective is to strike a balance between interests
and cost. Safety is measured against several criteria. When evaluating a safety risk, its probability
and consequences should be taken into consideration. The scientific community usually measures
safety with risk: risk = the frequency of an event
multiplied by its consequences.
In nature, safety means that risks are controlled at an acceptable level. Complete elimination of safety risks is not possible. Most of the
factors affecting nuclear safety are technical
ones. First, thanks to the massive investment in
research and development over the past 50 years,
most safety problems in nuclear power plants are
372
S. Zifeng and N. Dickens
administration ensure the safety of
nuclear power facilities
Developed nuclear power countries value nuclear
radiation safety supervision. They set up relatively independent nuclear safety regulators and
provide human, material and financial resources
for them. This ensures that the safety supervision
laws are implemented effectively, and that the
quality and safety of nuclear facilities during
construction and operation are guaranteed.
The US National Regulatory Commission
(NRC) is an independent nuclear safety supervision and management agency tasked with
protecting public health and safety related to civil
nuclear facilities and materials. It has two independent advisory committees and one nuclear
safety and licence deliberation panel. The panel
is responsible for providing advice and holding
hearings on major nuclear safety supervision
issues. The government ensures the NRC can
perform its tasks effectively in terms of funds and
people.
The Direction générale de la sûreté nucléaire
et de la radioprotection (DGSNR), the main
nuclear safety regulator in France, ensures
nuclear safety and radiation protection in France
on behalf of the government. DGSNR develops
and implements safety policies and measures for
civil nuclear facilities and discloses nuclear
safety information to the public. The Institut de
radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN) is
the main technical backup force under DGSNR;
it researches, examines and appraises nuclear
facilities and activities. In addition, France has
cross-ministry agencies and an atomic energy
commission to coordinate its nuclear power
sector on issues such as policy, military and civil
nuclear power, and to prevent nuclear energy
regulators from making one-sided decisions that
prejudice the development of France’s nuclear
power industry.
Japan’s nuclear safety regulators include the
Cabinet Office; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; and the
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, each
of which undertakes different nuclear safety
supervision duties. The Atomic Energy Committee and Nuclear Safety Commission under the
Cabinet Office review nuclear research, development and use policies, assess the safety review
of the administrative departments and hold public hearings. The Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology supervises
safety at nuclear power facilities except for the
plants themselves. The Nuclear and Industrial
Safety Agency (NISA), set up by the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry, supervised
nuclear and industrial safety. It was replaced by
the Nuclear Regulation Authority in 2012, following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
6.5.3 The Development of China’s
Nuclear Power Safety
Strategies
(1) Scientific scope of safe nuclear power
development
Human beings have been exposed to safety
issues since ancient times. Safety threats can be
divided into two categories. The first is survival
threats in nature like wild animals, natural disasters and hunger. The second is safety threats
from human factors, such as wars, the struggle
for land and global warming.
Safety is a measurement of risk affordability. It
is a relative concept, rather than an absolute one.
Safety is also dynamic not static, which means the
objective is to strike a balance between interests
and cost. Safety is measured against several criteria. When evaluating a safety risk, its probability
and consequences should be taken into consideration. The scientific community usually measures
safety with risk: risk = the frequency of an event
multiplied by its consequences.
In nature, safety means that risks are controlled at an acceptable level. Complete elimination of safety risks is not possible. Most of the
factors affecting nuclear safety are technical
ones. First, thanks to the massive investment in
research and development over the past 50 years,
most safety problems in nuclear power plants are
372
S. Zifeng and N. Dickens