Assessment Methodology

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The basic principles, user requirements and criteria and the IMPRO method of assessment, taken together, comprise the INPRO assessment methodology. The INPRO method of assessment provides a tool that can be used to:

• Screen an innovative nuclear energy system (INS) to evaluate whether it is compatible with the objective of ensuring that nuclear energy is available to contribute to meeting the energy needs in 21^st century in a sustainable manner;
• Compare different INS or components thereof to find a preferred or optimum INS consistent with the needs of a given IAEA Member State;
• Identify research, development and demonstration (RD&D) required to improve the performance of existing components of an INS or to develop new components.

INPRO requires that the whole life time of the INS has to be evaluated, starting from the design construction, operation and finally decommissioning (cradle to grave). In addition to all facilities of a nuclear energy system the associated legislative and institutional measures, e.g. the legal framework and the regulatory bodies, are to be considered in a INPRO assessment.

Overview of the INPRO requirements

Introduction

INPRO methodology comprises the set of INPRO requirements for eight different areas of interest, which taken as a whole encompass the four dimensions of sustainable development and the INPRO method of assessment. The INPRO requirements in each area of interest are discussed in detail in Volumes 2 to 9.
While given member of an assessment team may only be interested in a single area, such team members should, none-the-less read the information presented here to assist him/her in understanding the context in which the requirements in his/her area of interest have been developed. The detailed requirements for the safety of reactors and for the safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities are addressed in two separate volumes but they are considered together in th present summary.

Economics

In the area of economics one basic principle has been enunciated, namely that to contribute to sustainable development, energy and related products and services from INS must be affordable and available. If energy and related products and services are to be affordable the price to the consumer must be competitive with low cost/priced alternatives. If energy and related products and services are to be available, systems to supply the energy and related products need to be developed and deployed. To develop and deploy innovative energy systems requires investment and those making the investment, be they industry or governments, must be convinced that their choice of investment is wise. The alternatives for investment may be other energy technologies seeking investment for development or deployment or non-energy technology areas. So, to be developed and deployed, INS must compete successfully for investment. In different markets and regions and at different times and stages in the cycle of development and deployment the investor(s) may be different and different factors may assume more or less importance in determining attractiveness of investment. But in any case a sound business case must be made.
Given the nature of nuclear technology, it is recognized that government policies and actions (in some Member States, governments may participate in investment) will have a significant bearing and influence on investor decision making, both when deciding whether or not to invest in development and when deciding to invest in technology deployment/acquisition. For private sector investment profitability and return will be key factors in the business case. It follows that if the price to the consumer is to be competitive and at the same time investors are to receive an attractive return, the cost of production must also be competitive with that of alternatives. To be cost competitive all component costs, e.g., capital costs, operating and maintenance costs, fuel costs, must be considered and managed to keep the total unit energy cost competitive. Limits on fuel costs in turn imply limits on the capital and operating cost of fuel cycle facilities, including mines, fuel processing and enrichment, fuel reprocessing and the decommissioning and long-term management of the wastes from these facilities.
Cost competitiveness of energy from INS will contribute to investor confidence, i.e. to the attractiveness of investing in INS, as will competitive financial figures of merit, e.g., rate of return, which should be at least comparable to the values for competitive energy sources and preferably better. As well, a judgement must be made that the funds required to implement a project can be raised within a given expected investment climate, taking into account other investment options and other priorities requiring a share of available capital and the risk of investment must be acceptable, taking into account the risk of investment in other energy projects.
An example is given the economics manual illustrating the INPRO assessment in this area. The INPRO assessor, presumably a private utility, is investigating the possibility of adding a medium sized nuclear power station (PWR or HWR) to his electricity grid. The alternative energy sources considered are a gas turbine and a combined cycle gas turbine. The example shows that under the given boundary conditions, nuclear power could compete on price for electricity, but the necessary investment is too high for the utility. The consequence is therefore that the technology developer has to look for means (RD&D) that would decrease the capital cost. Alternatively, different ways of financing could be considered.

Hierarchy of INPRO requirements

The INPRO method relies on an assessment of how well an INS complies with INPRO.

INPRO hierarchy of demands on innovative designs of nuclear energy systems

• Basic principles (BP);
• User requirements (UR);
• Criterion (CR), each consisting of an indicator and an acceptance limit (IN and AL),

Which comprise, by definition, the INPRO Requirements.

References

	[ + ] Assessment Methodology
Areas of INPRO Sustainability Assessment Overview • Economics • Safety (Nuclear Reactors) • Safety (NFCF) • Waste management • Environmental Impact on Stressors • Environmental Impact from Depletion of Resources • Infrastructure Requirements Basic Principle • User requirements • Criteria