Multicriterion benefit evaluation methodology for safety enhancements in nuclear power plants and application for FLEX strategies

Journal Article · Tue Mar 09 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Nuclear Engineering and Design

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111135· OSTI ID:1773060

Zhang, Sai ^[1]; Ma, Zhegang ^[1]; Zhang, Hongbin ^[1]; Smith, Curtis L. ^[1]

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1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Here we propose a multicriterion benefit evaluation (MCBE) methodology for evaluating costs and benefits of implementing safety enhancements in nuclear power plants. The MCBE methodology establishes a comprehensive evaluation scope using multiple evaluation criteria (including public risk, occupational risk, plant revenue, and plant cost) and multiple contexts (including plant normal operations, incidents, and accidents). The MCBE methodology formulates a benefit or cost element as the product of a monetary consequence and its occurrence-likelihood change. The MCBE methodology also incorporates a decision maker’ preferences toward occurrence likelihood and monetary consequence into cost and benefit estimations through a modified usage of cumulative prospect theory. This paper applies the MCBE methodology to the implementation of diverse and flexible coping strategy (FLEX) in a generic nuclear power plant as an illustrative example. The FLEX benefits are evaluated through three types of influence paths: plant safety enhancement, risk-informed activities, and potential additional credit of FLEX in supporting plant operation and maintenance-efficiency improvement. The benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of FLEX implementation is calculated. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to examine the impacts of modeling assumptions and input parameter values on the BCR.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1773060
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1781947
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU--20-58514-Rev000
• Journal Information: Nuclear Engineering and Design, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Design Vol. 376; ISSN 0029-5493
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
cumulative prospect theory
diverse and flexible coping strategy (FLEX)
multicriterion benefit evaluation
nuclear power plant
probabilistic risk assessment
safety enhancement