The Past, Present, and Future of the NATC

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The Past, Present, and Future of the NATCs
Public Radiation Safety Research Program

• Jason T. Harris
• David W. Miller, Ph.D.
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/NATC
• Dept. of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological
  Engineering

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Background

• The North American Technical Center (NATC) was
  established in 1995 by U.S., Canadian and Mexican
  utility radiation managers
• Located in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and
  Radiological Engineering at the University of
  Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)
• David W. Miller, Ph.D. NATC Regional Director
• Host utility is D.C.Cook, American Electric
  Power, Bridgman, Michigan

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Background (cont.)

• Original purpose was to manage, analyze data, and
  disseminate information for the ISOE (Information
  System on Occupational Exposure) Databases
• The ISOE program was created by the OECD Nuclear
  Energy Agency in 1992 and subsequently
  co-sponsored by the IAEA for non-NEA Member
  countries
• ISOE is a data collection and communications
  network for nuclear electric utilities and
  national regulatory agencies.
• The objective of the program (and that of NATC)
  is
• to provide a worldwide dose reduction information
  exchange network to reduce occupational exposure
  at nuclear power plants

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Participation in ISOE

• Nuclear Power Plants
• in operation
• in cold-shutdown or
• some phase of decommissioning
• TOTAL

• End of 2000
• 397
• 53
• 450

72 utilities from 27 countries
In 2000 Russian Federation joined ISOE with 14
reactors
Plus 26 national regulatory authorities
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ISOE Data Collection and Communication
ISOE Database on Microsoft ACCESS including Data
Input Software

• All Participating
• Nuclear Power
• Plants
• Full use of data base
• Input/correct NPP data

Distributed twice a year on CD-ROM
Updated specific NPP data (using export module)
Update ISOE Data in the database (twice a year)
Relevant Technical Center collects data from all
associated NPPs
Transfer of collected data
European Technical Center collects data from all
other Technical Centers
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ISOE Products
Worlds largest database on occupational exposure
data in nuclear power plants
ISOE Database
Yearly overview of the achievements of the ISOE
Program
Annual Reports
Information Sheets

• Detailed studies and analyses of the ISOE
  Databases
• Information on current issues in operational
  radiation protection

International ISOE Workshops on Occupational
Exposure Management in Nuclear Power Plants
(ALARA) Alternating in Europe and in North
America International ALARA Symposium
Workshops and Topical meetings
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NATC Public Radiation Research Program

• Public Radiation Safety Research Program
  officially started in 1995 when the NRC asked the
  NATC to take over the task of collecting and
  tabulating US NPP effluent data (formerly BNL).
• The NATC has been designated as the lead
  scientific organization to collect, tabulate,
  analyze, and distribute the US effluent database
• This role began in 1998 starting with the 1994
  effluent data.

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NATC Public Radiation Research Program Goals

• Developed by NATC staff with technical support
  from US NRC, US EPA and US DOE staff.
• 1. Development of US gaseous and liquid effluent
  database for use by US NPP, US NRC, CEPN
  (France) and UNSCEAR (UN-Austria)
• 2. Expanded trend analysis and discussion in
  annual US effluent reports since 1994 to assist
  the US industry and regulatory bodies on
  benchmarking efforts
• 3. Establishment of a North American Effluent
  web site
• 4. Establishment of a North American Expert
  Group
• 5. Development of a standardized electronic data
  entry form for licensee use

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Effluent Databases

• Effluent data has been collected from the NRC
  directly, utilities, and the NRC public reading
  room (ADAMS post 1998)
• The data is entered into an EXCEL spreadsheet,
  and unit conversions are performed (both imperial
  and SI units)
• Data is broken up by unit and site totals
• The data is then normalized by using the annual
  electrical energy generated (also kept as raw
  data)
• Current studies now include sister plant
  comparisons, dose evaluations (CED), and country
  comparisons

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Effluent Database
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Effluent DatabaseTotal Normalized Releases
Total Gaseous Releases (GBq/GW a) Total Gaseous Releases (GBq/GW a) Total Gaseous Releases (GBq/GW a) Total Gaseous Releases (GBq/GW a) Total Gaseous Releases (GBq/GW a)
Year Fission/Nobel Total I-131 Tritium Particulates
1994 180511.3556 0.45039147 3497.854 0.95403187
1995 118215.8029 0.361388304 4434.41 0.35603883
1996 123637.5816 0.516663749 3502.182 0.31077416
1997 138598.571 0.228759163 4804.557 0.39013745
1998 31746.68757 0.522225712 3898.309 0.74411542
1999 14699.79196 0.362449214 4637.659 0.09490391
2000 21091.75249 0.384684698 4566.533 0.35038451
Total Liquid Releases (GBq/GW a) Total Liquid Releases (GBq/GW a) Total Liquid Releases (GBq/GW a)
Year Tritium Fission/Dissolved
1994 22817.02745 78.40098977
1995 25031.43446 48.85908593
1996 27553.83412 49.33697415
1997 22077.09533 19.66059075
1998 23084.82422 23.15460004
1999 27046.37175 20.62082257
2000 30552.14508 21.09724869
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Effluent DatabaseTotal Releases (Country)
2000 - Total Activity Released 2000 - Total Activity Released 2000 - Total Activity Released 2000 - Total Activity Released 2000 - Total Activity Released 2000 - Total Activity Released 2000 - Total Activity Released
             
Country of Reactors Gross Production (TWh) Liquid Tritium (GBq) Liquid Others (GBq) Noble Gases (GBq) Aerosols and Halogens (GBq)
Belgium 7 47.22 63965 33.89 3595 0.013
Brazil 2 6.04 18740 0.87 124 1
Czech Republic 4 13.59 15743 0.04 3853 0.22
Finland 2 7.16 11000 0.1 5400 0.06
France 58 416.16 814000 40.02 335980 2.66
Germany 12 111.58 246713 1.49 15791 0.07
Japan 21 133.89 315000 0.07 136 0.03
Slovakia 4 10.55 12681 0.12 14642 1.39
Spain 6 49.29 196900 47.27 18936 0.35
Sweden 3 15.37 25910 24.66 611 0.06
Switzerland 1 8.27 14000 0.2 5300 0.02
United States 76 504.083 1483088 823.14 378843 8.82
Total 196 1323.203 3217740 971.87 783211 14.693
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Effluent DatabaseTotal Releases (Country)
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Effluent DatabaseTotal Releases (Country)
2000 - Average Normalized Activity Released 2000 - Average Normalized Activity Released 2000 - Average Normalized Activity Released 2000 - Average Normalized Activity Released 2000 - Average Normalized Activity Released 2000 - Average Normalized Activity Released 2000 - Average Normalized Activity Released
             
Country of Reactors Gross Production (TWh) Liquid Tritium (GBq/GW a) Liquid Others (GBq/GW a) Noble Gases (GBq/GW a) Aerosols and Halogens (GBq/GW a)
Belgium 7 47.22 11866.44219 6.287090216 666.925032 0.00241169
Brazil 2 6.04 27179.2053 1.261788079 179.84106 1.450331126
Czech Republic 4 13.59 10147.80574 0.025783664 2483.61148 0.141810155
Finland 2 7.16 13458.10056 0.122346369 6606.70391 0.073407821
France 58 416.16 17134.3714 0.842404844 7072.24337 0.055991926
Germany 12 111.58 19369.11525 0.116977953 1239.73078 0.005495609
Japan 21 133.89 20609.45552 0.004579879 8.89805064 0.001962805
Slovakia 4 10.55 10529.43697 0.09963981 12157.7175 1.154161137
Spain 6 49.29 34993.79184 8.400998174 3365.37553 0.062203287
Sweden 3 15.37 14767.18282 14.05475602 348.234223 0.034196487
Switzerland 1 8.27 14829.50423 0.21185006 5614.0266 0.021185006
United States 76 504.083 25773.2375 14.30460142 6583.56794 0.153274758
Total 196 1323.203 220657.6493 45.73281649 46326.8755 3.156431807
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Effluent DatabaseAverage Releases (Country)
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Effluent DatabaseSister Plant Comparisons

• Sister Plant Comparisons for all release
  categories (1994-2000) including normalized and
  dose information

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Effluent DatabaseCollective Effective Dose

• UNSCEAR Dose estimate methodology used
• Dose Coefficients assigned to release categories
  (collective dose per unit release)
• Represents model site w/representative
  environmental conditions
• Uses average population densities
• NATC is currently incorporating other regulatory
  and industry dose methodologies and codes

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Effluent Databases

• Two organizations that use the NATC databases
• UNSCEAR and CEPN

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Websites

• NATC
• http//hps.ne.uiuc.edu
• www.natcisoe.org
• ISOE, International ALARA Symposium, ALARA
  studies, and information sheets
• http//hps.ne.uiuc.edu/natcenviro
• Public Radiation Safety Research Program,
  effluent databases, effluent reports (separate
  site coming soon)
• www.rets-remp.org
• Home of RETS-REMP Workshop

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Effluent Expert Group

• NATC staff (David Miller and Jason Harris)
• Utility Representatives
• Ken Sejkora (Pilgrim NGS)
• Sam Kuo (D.C. Cook NP)
• Daryl Dick (SONGS)
• Academic advisors
• Dr. Herman Cember (Purdue University)
• Dr. Tom Gesell (Idaho State University) -invited
• Dr. Bernd Kahn (Georgia Tech.) - invited

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Electronic Form

• Under development
• Seeking ideas, support from regulatory bodies and
  licensees
• Must iron our reporting differences between the
  different plants
• Access database forms? (ISOE format)
• Major goal of expert group
• Timeframe?

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Future Studies

• Electronic Form
• Solid Waste database (for NPPs - designed same
  way as effluents)
• Evaluating other sources of man-made radiation
  releases (nuclear fuel cycle, research reactors,
  etc.)
• Addressing individual needs of NPPs (comparisons,
  failed fuel, power uprates)
• Polish dose studies (utilize industry codes)
• Current Homeland security issues (environmental
  monitoring, whole body counters, distribution of
  radiological instruments civil defense meters)

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Future Home of the NATC Public Radiation Safety
Research Program

• Purdue University (Sept. 2002)
• School of Health Sciences (Health Physics)

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Summary

• NATC Public Radiation Safety Research Program
• Developed US gaseous and liquid effluent
  databases for use by US NPP, US NRC, CEPN
  (France) and UNSCEAR (UN-Austria)
• Performing trend analyses of NPP effluents since
  1994 to assist the US industry and regulatory
  bodies in benchmarking efforts
• North American Effluent web site
• North American Expert Group
• Currently developing a standardized electronic
  data entry form for licensee use
• Homeland security
• Many other relevant studies planned. Tell us
  what is important to you!! As an industry
  sponsored scientific organization, we are here to
  help

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For More Information

• David Miller
• DWMPhD_at_aol.com or dwmiller2_at_aep.com
• Jason Harris
• JasTHarris_at_aol.com
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• hps.ne.uiuc.edu

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THANK YOU!!Questions?