Reactor Systems & Risk Analysis Group

Our mission is to be leaders in conducting and reviewing risk analyses of complex technological systems to provide critical risk-informed advice to decision-makers.

Assessing Potential Hazards in Complex Systems

Since the mid-1980s, a core group of Brookhaven scientists has been carrying out risk and reliability assessments of commercial nuclear power plants and other complex technological systems. These scientists – now called the Reactor Systems & Risk Analysis Group -- have also conducted reviews of risk assessments performed by others, such as utilities, to provide objective assessments to government regulators. Historically, the largest sponsor and customer of the group has been the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) but staff members have also performed risk analyses for other domestic agencies such as the Department of Energy (DOE), the Federal Aviation Administration, and the New York State Department of Transportation. Customers have also included several foreign regulatory agencies, and group members have provided assistance to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Brookhaven staff members were involved in a number of US programs to enhance the safety of power reactors in member states of the former Soviet Union. While principally focused on domestic and foreign nuclear power plants, the group examined risks in such diverse areas as aircraft performance, space shuttle components, chemical spills and electrical reliability.

Diverse Applications of Risk Analysis and Management in Nuclear Facilities

Group members are very familiar with risk assessments of operating US commercial reactors. In the past, staff members have carried out reviews for the NRC of vulnerability assessments conducted by every operating commercial nuclear power plant in the US, and the group continues to assist the NRC to address new challenges in the area of probabilistic risk assessment of light water reactors (LWR). An example is the development of risk models of digital systems, particularly instrument and control systems, used in the operation and accident response in commercial nuclear reactors. For future advanced reactor concepts, especially non-LWR reactors, the group has developed high-level decision criteria on which to base regulations.

The group is very active in supporting NRC in risk-informing the regulations governing nuclear facilities. By including risk information in the regulations, they become not only more effective but also more efficient. The NRC was already accelerating its effort to increase risk information in its regulatory framework when the Fukushima accident added extra urgency to this effort. The Risk and Reliability Analysis Group is a leading resource for the NRC in the risk-informing area.

With the desire by the nuclear industry and regulators to assure safe operation of not just nuclear reactors but other related facilities, the group is also supporting risk management efforts related to reprocessing facilities, waste treatment facilities, and byproduct material uses. Group members are very much involved in the development and updating of risk assessment standards for reactors and other nuclear facilities.

With the desire by the nuclear industry and regulators to assure safe operation of not just nuclear reactors but other related facilities, the group is also supporting risk management efforts related to reprocessing facilities, waste treatment facilities, and byproduct material uses. Group members are very much involved in the development and updating of risk assessment standards for reactors and other nuclear facilities.

In the coming years, important areas for the group will be increasing the role of risk management in the NRC's regulatory framework, continued development of risk models of digital systems, etc.

Human Factors

The human factors work in the Risk Analysis group helps to ensure that the human-system interface in nuclear plants and other industrial facilities contributes to the overall safety of operations conducted there. These projects include development of a risk-informed methodology and human factors review and acceptance criteria in nuclear power plants for the NRC, and human factors guidance documents for digital I&C systems and control rooms for DOE, in collaboration with industry.

International Nuclear Regulatory Support

The NRC provides technical assistance to nuclear regulatory organizations in countries that have plans to develop nuclear power and also in countries with Soviet-designed nuclear reactors. This is part of an international effort to strengthen the nuclear regulatory climate in these countries and reduce the likelihood of any nuclear accident. Risk Analysis group members provide technical support to regulatory agencies in Thailand, Vietnam, Ukraine, and Armenia in safety analysis, including the development of plant-specific models; licensing requirements for operating reactors and spent fuel storage and transportation; the regulatory framework for risk-based licensing; and probabilistic risk assessments.

Electrical testing

U.S. nuclear power plants use many critical electrical components, which may be susceptible to faults potentially leading to damage to plant equipment and systems. BNL has assisted NRC to evaluate electrical component failures by reviewing past operating experience from national databases and simulating postulated failures in a laboratory setting. The BNL electrical component test laboratory has unique technical capabilities and instrumentations to investigate failure scenarios.

Cyber Security

Nuclear power plants and other critical facilities transition to the use of digital instrumentation and control systems increasing the potential for cyberattacks. Security measures need to be present on critical control and protection systems. Group members have developed methodology to assess cybersecurity threat for complex systems providing a sound basis for an integrated system risk analysis and vulnerability determination.