The industry degraded core rulemaking program: IDCOR-An overview. Chapter 1

IDCOR is an industry effort, funded by about 60 nuclear utilities, NSSS suppliers, and architect-engineers, to develop a comprehensive, technically sound position on the issues related to potential severe accidents in nuclear power reactors. IDCOR identified key issues and phenomena, developed analytical methods, and analyzed the severe accident behavior of four representative plants. Results were extended as generically as possible. In general, consequences of sequences perceived to be dominant prior to IDCOR are significantly less than previously anticipated. Most accident sequences require long times to progress, allowing time to achieve safe stable states