ICONE19-43358 COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSING A NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WORLD-WIDE

Abstract

Assuring the protection of humans and their environment is of great concern to nuclear electric power generators and regulators, as we move towards a full scale nuclear renaissance. The applicable national environmental policies of the host country usually require government agencies and the permit applicants to consider environmental impacts in making decisions and to disclose these environmental impacts to the public. For licensing a new nuclear power plant, the applicant submits an Environmental Report (ER) or an equivalent report, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the local designated permitting agency for review. The ER/EIA provides the agency with a comprehensive description of the environmental baseline conditions, the probable impacts of the proposed project, and the potential mitigation and monitoring efforts. In general, the report supports the host country's goals of environmental protection and sustainable development; integrates environmental protection and economic decisions; predicts environmental, social, and economic consequences of the proposed activity and assesses plans to mitigate any adverse impacts resulting from the proposed activity; and provides for the involvement of government and other agencies in the review of the proposed activity. This paper covers issues concerning the evaluation of potential land use, water use, and ecological and socioeconomic impacts of a new nuclear power plant, as addressed in an ER/EIA. It specifically focuses on the evaluation and mitigation of potential cumulative impacts of new nuclear power plant construction and operation, and its alternative sites and plant systems. Case studies related to selection of plant systems based on local environmental site conditions, preferred compliance plan, and public acceptances are included.