Safety goal evaluation: sensitivity studies

As part of the Safety Goal evaluation process, the NRC has sponsored sensitivity studies to provide perspective into the calculations and uncertainties associated with the quantitative design objectives. Studies are presented to show the influence of the important parameters on the safety goals. It was found that accident frequency, containment failure probability, source terms, heat of release, emergency response assumptions, power level and distance relationships could have significant influences on the calculations. However, most siting related parameters such as meteorology and population distribution have relatively small influences on the calculations. It was concluded that under current assumptions, the core melt and public risk design objective for prompt fatality will dominate the public risk objective for latent cancer fatalities. These results will be utilized in determining the usefulness of the safety goals and quantitative design objectives in the regulatory process. 8 references, 2 figures, 1 table.