Title: The cost benefit of a light water reactor safety study in JAERI

Authors: K. Yanagisawa

Addresses: Office of Evaluation Activities, Policy Planning, and Administration Dep., Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma, 370–1292, Japan

Abstract: A cost benefit effect of nuclear energy is studied in this paper, where the reduction of Nuclear Accident Compensation Insurance (NACI) by reducing the accident risk of LWR and the contribution of the JAEA LWR safety study to NACI are main parameters. It is revealed that the reduced amounts by NACI was 240 million dollars (M$), omitting the contributions from research reactors. This value is regarded as the NACI that resulted in all LWR safety studies performed in Japan for 42 years. Because the rate of R&D contribution of JAERI on the Japanese LWR safety study is 20%, the reduced amounts by NACI through the JAERI LWR safety study is estimated to be 48 M$ (240 M$ × 0.2). Though the mission of the JAERI LWR safety study involved many technical difficulties, JAERI research staff made efforts not only to overcome those difficulties but also to increase outputs, that is, produce a cost benefit effect to tax payers.

Keywords: cost benefit effect; LWR safety study; nuclear accident compensation insurance; NACI; accident risks; reduction of opportunity loss; ROL; lightening index; nuclear energy; nuclear power; light water reactors; nuclear safety; reactor safety.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNGEE.2008.018339

International Journal of Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology, 2008 Vol.2 No.2, pp.212 - 223

Published online: 16 May 2008 *

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