SMR Technology Demonstration: Are There Major Gaps in Safety Knowledge?

Abstract

A comprehensive technology demonstration is an important component for establishing a novel technology, such as SMR. Its aim can be defined as providing objective and auditable evidence that the technology will meet or exceed the relevant requirements. Technology demonstration may have various aspects, such as those related to manufacturing of components, construction of the facility, operability, and various aspects of safety. It is the safety that is explored to some depth in this paper, namely the need to demonstrate, to an appropriate level of confidence, that a novel technology will be safe to operate and decommission. We will show how the need for such a demonstration is anchored in fundamental safety principles and can be achieved through a combination of methods. Then, an approach to identifying and prioritizing the focus areas for demonstration of a safety case is described.