Evaluation of NGNP Design Certification Boundaries

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project supports commercialization of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) technology. HTGR can be applied in many industrial applications as a substitute for burning fossil fuels, such as natural gas, in addition to producing electricity, which is the principal application of current light water reactors. Given that the HTGR configuration will be different than the current fleet of licensed reactors, there should be a clear understanding between the HTGR applicant and the regulatory body regarding the demarcation between those systems that are within the nuclear facility and under the regulatory jurisdiction and those that fall outside the scope of the regulation. To communicate the NGNP Project's position regarding this issue, NGNP has recently published a report. This paper evaluates the concept proposed in the report and proposes how to establish the design scope in case HTGR licensing is applied in Korea