CATAPULT

Comprehensive AssessmenT And Preparedness for emerging nUcLear Technologies

Project objectives and goals

The objective of CATAPULT is evaluating and extending the state-of-art methods for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R), and the risk communication when applied to Small (water-cooled) and Advanced Modular Reactors. Modular reactors pose challenges for both EIA and EP&R. Being envisioned to be located in urbanised site-locations, the region affected by an accidental release is expected to be largely smaller than in large water cooled-reactors, leading to a potential higher impact in the near field from a radiation protection perspective. Furthermore, specific physical and chemical characteristics of the emissions are expected for Gas- and Lead-cooled reactors – so far hardly included in current assessment models, because of the use of coolants, fuels, and materials different than in traditional water-cooled reactors. Therefore, an accurate EIA and EP&R for modular reactors is essential. With this goal, CATAPULT brings together 8 institutions with a wide interdisciplinary expertise in EIA and EP&R as well as in technical, regulatory, social, and ethical aspects. By a large engagement of the stakeholders, CATAPULT aims at building a comprehensive guidance for EIA and EP&R with tight cross-links between technical and social aspects. In CATAPULT, the state-of-art methods for the radionuclide transport and uptake in the environment and for the dose assessment is reviewed and adapted - if needed - to the specific needs required by the modular reactors considered in the project and a roadmap for future developments is assessed also based on the stakeholders’ needs. Such activity will support the development of a guidance for EIA by the close involvement of the end-of-users responsible for reviewing applications submitted by prospective licensees, i.e., authorities and their Technical Safety Organization. CATAPULT will employ such technical activities to address the social dilemma related to the impact of such new nuclear technologies on the society (or Not In My Backyard -NIMBY - syndrome) and to actively engage lay citizens in codesigning the Risk Communication in the framework of the EIA process and documentation. This community-driven approach will also provide an implementation guidance for effective risk communication about EIA.

 

Project coordinator

Fabrizio Gabrielli, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany