Extreme Weather Events And Physical Protection Systems

The increasing rise in Extreme Environment Events (E3)[1] and the potential deployment for small modular and advanced reactor technologies to be placed in remote regions[2] create a unique situation in which the implementation of physical protection systems and their resiliency to E3s must be newly addressed. This work will examine the impact of extreme weather events on the physical protection systems at small modular reactor (SMR) and advanced reactor (AR) facilities. This will include an assessment of all levels of stakeholder responsibility, from State-level requirements, to the competent authority’s regulatory framework, to the operator’s responsibilities, and the site’s implementation. In this effort we attempt to analyze the resiliency of the physical protection system (PPS) technologies to E3s and address strategies for response force members to adequately secure the site before, during and after an extreme weather event. SMRs and ARs require unique physical security system designs that can withstand Extreme Environment Events. Facility designers and security personnel must understand the effects of an Extreme Environment Event and physical security systems and identify unique strategies to secure these facilities before, during and after an Extreme Environment Event. The results of this effort may be directly applicable to other critical infrastructure sites.[1] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S. Climate Extremes Index. https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/cei/graph/us/01-12/cei. [2] International Atomic Energy Agency. Small Modular Reactors. https://www.iaea.org/topics/small-modular-reactors