Radiation safety assessment of a system of small reactors for distributed energy.

A passively safe small reactor for a distributed energy system, PSRD, is an integral type of light-water reactor with a thermal output of 100 or 300 MW aimed to be used for supplying district heat, electricity to small grids, and so on. Candidate locations for the PSRD as a distributed energy source are on-ground, deep underground, and in a seaside pit in the vicinity of the energy consumption area. Assessments of the radiation safety of a PSRD were carried out for three cases corresponding to normal operation, shutdown and a hypothetical postulated accident for several siting candidates. Results of the radiation safety assessment indicate that the PSRD design has sufficient shielding performance and capability and that the exposure to the general public is very low in the case of a hypothetical accident.