Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2019. Vol. 64. No. 6. P. 31–36

DOI: 10.12737/1024-6177-2019-64-6-31-36

V.F. Demin¹, A.A. Golosnaya¹, S.A. Korolev², V.P. Kuznetsov¹, V.I. Makarov¹, V.M. Shmelev¹

Issues of Safety and Civil Liability Insurance for Nuclear Damage from Small Nuclear Power Plants

1. National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, Russia.
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ;
2. National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI”, Moscow, Russia

V.F. Demin – Leading Researcher, Dr. Sci. Tech., PhD Phys.-Math., Assoc. Prof.;
A.A. Golosnaya – Researcher;
S.A. Korolev – Post Graduate Student;
V.P. Kuznetsov – Head of Operation Management;
V.I. Makarov – Deputy Head of Dep.;
V.M. Shmelev – Advisor to the Head, Dr. Sci. Tech.

Abstract

Purpose: To study the possibility of achieving assured safety for the environment and public in all modes of operation of small nuclear power plants (SNPP) and providing real civil liability insurance for nuclear risks at reasonable financial costs.

Material and methods: Particular attention on small nuclear power plants is driven by regional development, local communities and productions, which are not covered by centralized transport and energy supply. The peculiar properties and benefits of energy production at SNPP are considered, including: the possibility of locating in remote regions; the short construction period and the modular structure of SNPP; availability of potential to improve safety and reliability; reducing the size of the sanitary protection zone up to the boundaries of the technological site; the reality of liability insurance (full financial responsibility of the operator) for nuclear damage to third parties caused by an accident at SNPP at reasonable financial costs; industrial serial production; ability to move the entire nuclear power plants with small modular reactors in the assembled form, etc.
A comparative analysis of the technical characteristics of the SNPP and a conventional nuclear power plant from a safety perspective is made.

Results: The results of the SNPP safety analysis performed on the basis of the design documentation of the floating nuclear power plant “Akademik Lomonosov” is presented, with particular attention to assessing the consequences of design and beyond design basis accidents, in terms of probabilistic safety analysis and assessment of the maximum possible damage to third parties. The maximum possible damage to third parties from severe accidents is estimated to be about 0.5 billion RUR, which is hundreds of times less than damage from a catastrophic accident at a conventional NPP. Estimated costs for insurance of damage to third parties from an accident at SNPP will not exceed 1 kopeck/kWh. Possible approaches to civil liability insurance for nuclear risks and aspects of legal support are considered.

Conclusions: The results of the analysis allow to conclude that it is possible to provide in the future: the achievement of practically assured safety of the SNPP for the environment and the public in normal operation and possible design and beyond design basis accidents; real civil liability insurance for nuclear risks of SNPP at reasonable financial costs.

Key words: nuclear power plant, low power, transportable installation, safety, accident, nuclear damage, insurance

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For citation: Demin VF, Golosnaya AA, Korolev SA, Kuznetsov VP, Makarov VI, Shmelev VM. Issues of safety and insurance of civil liability for nuclear damage from nuclear low power plants. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2019;64(6):31–36. (English)

DOI: 10.12737/1024-6177-2019-64-6-31-36

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