[en] The conference theme of ^International Cooperation in the Pacific Rim for the 21st Century^has been chosen in consideration of both the historical objectives of these PBNC meetings, and to focus ways in which international cooperation can assist in overcoming the challenges to further realization of the many benefits of nuclear technology in the next millennium, particularly in the countries and regions of the Pacific Rim. Key challenges to overcome include: assuring safety by implanting a safety culture, securing economic competitiveness, establishing the safe disposal of radioactive wastes and securing the understanding and support of the general public. These areas have been selected as key topics for discussion in several of the plenary, panel and parallel sessions for this 11th Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference

[en] Being convinced that nuclear energy will play an important role in meeting its huge future energy demands, China considers that the development of a very strong national nuclear industry capable of covering all aspects of a major national power program is of paramount importance.In this context, China has invited its foreign partners to propose contributions to the studies for this development, in view of establishing a suitable cooperation program with the entire Chinese nuclear power industry, including design institutes, equipment manufacturers, construction companies and plant operators.One of the main objectives defined by the Chinese authorities for the further development of their nuclear industry with some international cooperation is the achievement of a very high level of self-reliance by Chinese industry in all of the following areas: project management, design and engineering, construction, equipment design and manufacturing,operation and maintenance. The major key to reaching this target of overall and long term self reliance lies in the implementation of thorough design know how transfer towards all partners of the Chinese nuclear industry, who shall acquire the necessary capabilities so as to completely master nuclear engineering. While this policy might entail fairly high front end investments by the technology receivers, in terms of industrial infrastructure nad engineering capabilities it is expected to pay off over the long term with the development of a substantial nuclear power plant construction program.(DM)

No abstract available

[en] The Uranium Institute is co-ordinating a project that will allow a comparison of public opinion between different countries. Preliminary work found that such a comparison could not be made using the then existing data. The Institute, therefore, developed a series of questions that can be used to make valid comparisons. After these questions had been included in public opinion surveys conducted in three countries, a preliminary analysis of results was carried out. This has shown some interesting similarities and differences. Further work is underway to determine the relationship between political goals and attitudes towards nuclear power. (author)

[en] Herein we have studied the effects of some hereditary and environmental factors on children's states of health. The factors under investigation, along with radiation, also impact the immunological status and human adaptivity, thus disguising hazardous radiation effects. The state-of-health criterion we have chosen are children's liability to a wide range of intrinsic diseases through the first three years of life. The analysis involved 626 children (326 male and 300 female) who's parents and grandparents lived in the vicinity of the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre (RFNC), a large-scale nuclear facility. Our results should preferably be taken into consideration when projecting radiation effects on the human body. (author)

[en] In 1988, the Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) and the Japanese Utilities started two series of studies to modify AP600 and SBWR and accommodate them to the Japanese requirements. We call these plants Simplified Light Water Reactors. In a joint effort to keep nuclear power as an attractive energy option for the future, JAPC has studied to confirm the feasibility of a large sized Simplified Pressurized Water Reactor (SPWR) and Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (JSBWR) in cooperation with the Japanese Utilities and the vendors. Both concepts appear to be feasible though the design and development of some major components are required. The summary results of 1000 MWe Simplified LWRs were reported at the last PBNC meeting in Japan. Since then, the feasibility study of power uprating and alternative system design were proceeded to improve economics. In this paper, the feasibility of 1200 MWe plant, safety features in comparison with the current plant, reduced manpower required at an annual outage, and reduction of plant capital cost are discussed, including: rationalization of main components such as PCCS pool size reduction by SIPOWER application, elimination of DPVs by adopting accumulators, and reduction of reactor building volume; scoping safety analyses including small break LOCA, non-small break LOCA and containment analyses to determine feasibility of the uprated design; nuclear island building layout, equipment general arrangement and associated seismic evaluation; comparison of plant capital cost, safety and required manpower for operation and maintenance with those of current ones. The overall conclusion are that 1200MWe passive plants, both SPWR and JSBWR, compare favorably to conventional plants. (author)

[en] This paper describes the recent implementation of new legislation in Indonesia for governing the conduct of activities relating to the use of nuclear materials and energy. A new law enacted in April of 1997 provides for the creation of a nuclear energy executing body and an independent regulatory agency, and establishes the legal basis for the regulation of nuclear activities, the basis governing the management and disposal of radioactive wastes and nuclear materials and the allocation of liabilities for damages arising from nuclear activities. (author)

[en] The Maanshan Nuclear Power Station shutdown safety function monitoring system (SDSMS) is a user-friendly computer code, which can be set up on a personal computer to perform on-line safety parameter monitoring and safety function performance trending functions.The key safety functions include core reactivity,decay heat removal,reactor cooling system inventory, reactor integrity and containment integrity

[en] Excellent fuel performance contributes directly to excellent nuclear plant operation. Many utilities estimate that a single failed fuel rod can increase a plant's operating costs by up to $1 million, while also raising as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) dosage issues. As a result, zero defect fuel is an important objective for World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO). ABB Combustion Engineering Nuclear Operation's (ABB CENO) fuel performance continues for the third straight year to be significantly better than the United States' pressurized water reactor (PWR) industry average. Ninety per cent of ABB CENO fueled plants operate with zero defects (as defined by INPO/WANO), compared to 79% for other U.S. PWR fuel vendors. This paper describes the reasons behind this excellent fuel performance. First, it reviews the ABB CENO fuel performance in the context of current industry fuel problems such as: axial power offset anomalies, clad oxidation failures, extensive grid-to-rod fretting failures, slow insertion of control rods, and end cap weld failures. ABB CENO fuel has operated essentially free of these industry problems. Then, it reviews the reasons behind this performance, including: 1) a high strength rugged mechanical design that is better able to survive the long operating cycles and high burnup of modern fuel managements; 2) a variety of unique manufacturing processes that provide extra as-built margin to design limits; and 3) a formal program that carefully manages design change implementation including equipment to test new fuel assembly designs at reactor operating flow, temperature and pressure conditions. (author)

[en] We are permitting tens of thousands of real people to die needlessly each year because some people fear that the alternative might pose a hazard to hypothetical people from postulated events that have never happened. The real people are dying from food poisoning, from inhaling particulate matter from coal-fired power plants, from avoiding mammograms, x-rays, MRIs, and other life-saving technologies, from unwillingness to use smoke-detectors containing radioactivity, and many other such fears. In addition, the planet is threatened by global warming, acid rain, smog, toxic runoff, and shortages of drinking water. Use of nuclear technologies could ameliorate all these problems, but many people are afraid because we have told them that even the tiniest amounts of radiation are hazardous. This is simply not true, and we should start saying so. In fact, there is considerable evidence that therapeutic doses of low-level ionizing radiation would be beneficial for most people. (author)