Living PSA program: LIPSAS development for safety management of an LMFBR plant

During construction and subsequent operation of a nuclear power plant, many changes occur in components, systems and operating procedures, which continuously modify the configuration of the power plant. A living PSA program can assess and manage safety-related operations and plant changes by adequately reproducing plant models and structured databases corresponding to the changes in system configuration. A living PSA system, LIPSAS, has been developed for the Japanese prototype liquid metal-cooled fast-breeder reactor (LMFBR), Monju, which is in the preoperation functional test stage. In order to utilize the LIPSAS as a risk management tool, equations for the schematic time history of the plant risk level and the relative risk criteria have been developed. Experience with LIPSAS shows that this program is a prospective tool to support decisions that affect plant safety, although a continuing and significant resource commitment of the operations staff at the site is still required. (author)