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{{#Wiki_filter:All Creatures Great & Small (1): A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants
{{#Wiki_filter:All Creatures Great & Small (1): A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants John David Hanna Region III Office, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, USA. E-mail: john.hanna@nrc.gov The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses and regulates the nations civilian use of radioactive materials to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety, promote the common defense and security, and protect the environment. The impacts of nuclear power plants on the environment and specifically on neighboring flora and fauna are considered in the design and licensing processes for these facilities. Some of these impacts have been analyzed in scientific articles, (e.g., service water cooling systems affecting fish populations, seaweed, etc.) But the vector/threat also goes in the opposite direction and the environment can pose a threat to the safety of nuclear power plants. Flora and fauna have caused a number of safety significant events and/or conditions at these facilities. This paper surveys the wide variety of biological challenges and describes, where possible, the risk significance of those events and/or conditions. The current state-of-the-art of probabilistic risk assessment modeling is briefly described and potential modeling improvements are broached. Potential operational and design enhancements that may mitigate these risk impacts---which are described in other scientific papers---are referenced.
 
John David Hanna Region III Office, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, USA. E-mail: john.hanna@nrc.gov
 
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses and regulates the nations civilian use of radioactive materials to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health an d safety, promote the common defense and security, and protect the environment. The impacts of nuclear power plants on the environ ment and specifically on neighboring flora and fauna are considered in the design and licensing processes for these faci lities. Some of these impacts have been analyzed in scientific articles, (e.g., service water cooling systems affecting fish populations, seaweed, etc.) But the vector/threat also goes in the opposi te direction and the environment can pose a threat to the safety o f nuclear power plants. Flora and fauna have caused a number o f safety significant events and/or conditions at these facilities. This paper surveys the wide variety of biological challenges and describes, where possible, the r isk significance of those event s and/or conditions. The current state-of-the-art of probabili stic risk assessment modeling is briefly described and potential modeling improvements are broached. Potential operational and design enhancements that may mitigate these risk impacts---which are described in other scientific papers---are referenced.
 
Keywords: nuclear power, external event, PRA, flora, fauna, environment.
Keywords: nuclear power, external event, PRA, flora, fauna, environment.
: 1. Introduction that the insights presented in this paper may be useful As analysts, regulators, and operators of nuclear power outside of the US.
: 1. Introduction As analysts, regulators, and operators of nuclear power plants (NPPs) we need to be sensitive to the impact of our facilities on the environment. That focus is written into the mission statement of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and is a goal the agency takes very seriously. (2) However, we also need to be similarly concerned when the direction of the arrow is reversed, namely when flora and fauna are the threat vector to the safety of NPPs. These environmental threats have been evaluated through the licensing process and have been considered in various scientific articles, however this paper will attempt to advance additional risk-informed perspectives.
plants (NPPs) we need to be sensitive to the impact of The reason we as analysts, regulators, and operators our facilities on the environment. That focus is written should consider these vectors/threats is because they are:
The NRC has evaluated the impact of biota through safety-system functional inspections, analyzed the generic safety implications, (3) required our licensees to take actions or evaluate specific failure mechanisms, e.g., via bulletins or generic letters. (4) The NRC has engaged the industry on biological impacts in the past, but these interactions heretofore typically were:
i nto t h e m i s si on s t a t em en t of th e U S N u c l ea r R eg ul at o r y 1) creating actual events and demanding front-line safety Commission (NRC) and is a goal the agency takes very systems, and hence 2) challenging the stability, seriously. (2) However, we also need to be similarly reliability, and sustainability of the electric grid. Given concerned when the direction of the arrow is reversed, the need for a resilient, reliable, and stable electrical grid namely when flora and fauna are the threat vector to the and the potential for increasing frequency/severity of safety of NPPs. These environmental threats have been natural phenomenon we need to understand and manage evaluated through the licensing process and have been these risks.
confined to reviews of a specific system or biological threat, evaluated the risk of an individual event, outside of a greater context, and rarely evaluated the state-of-the-art of probabilistic modeling the biological/environmental impact.
considered in various scientific articles, however this 2. Survey of Biological Impacts on NPPs paper will attempt to advance additional risk-informed perspectives. Biological impacts, whether from flora or fauna, are a The NRC has evaluated the impact of biota through subset of all potential environmental hazards that could safety-system functional inspections, analyzed the affect NPPs. The greater population of environmental generic safety implications, (3) required our licensees to events includes tornadoes/high winds, extreme take actions or evaluate specific failure mechanisms, heat/cold, external flooding, and seismic threats. Types e.g., via bulletins or generic letters. (4) The NRC has of vectors/threats that are environmental and arguably engaged the industry on biological impacts in the past, within the definition of biota, but are not characterized but these interactions heretofore typically were: in this paper include:
Disclaimer: the events/conditions described in this paper occurred at NPPs in the United States, and hence may not be representative of all the different potential impacts from biological sources worldwide. However, given the size of the US, the number of operating nuclear units (93 as of the time this paper was submitted), and the diversity in wildlife and the design/manufacture of NPPs in the US, it is believed that the insights presented in this paper may be useful outside of the US.
* confined to reviews of a specific system or
The reason we as analysts, regulators, and operators should consider these vectors/threats is because they are:
* Sedimentation deposition (silt, mud, and clay) in biological threat, cooling systems,
: 1) creating actual events and demanding front-line safety systems, and hence 2) challenging the stability, reliability, and sustainability of the electric grid. Given the need for a resilient, reliable, and stable electrical grid and the potential for increasing frequency/severity of natural phenomenon we need to understand and manage these risks.
* evaluated the risk of an individual event, outside of
: 2. Survey of Biological Impacts on NPPs Biological impacts, whether from flora or fauna, are a subset of all potential environmental hazards that could affect NPPs. The greater population of environmental events includes tornadoes/high
* Non-living biological fouling (e.g., detritus such as a greater context, and twigs, leaves deposited in cooling water ultimate
: winds, extreme heat/cold, external flooding, and seismic threats. Types of vectors/threats that are environmental and arguably within the definition of biota, but are not characterized in this paper include:
* rarely evaluated the state-of-the-art of probabilistic heat-sinks, or larger branches, trees, etc. thrown by modeling the biological/environmental impact. tornadoes or high wind events), and Disclaimer: the events/conditions described in this
Sedimentation deposition (silt, mud, and clay) in cooling systems, Non-living biological fouling (e.g., detritus such as twigs, leaves deposited in cooling water ultimate heat-sinks, or larger branches, trees, etc. thrown by tornadoes or high wind events), and Microbiologically induced corrosion. While this last vector is a living one-celled organism that has posed challenges to NPPs, it is not included because the threat is a slowly evolving condition, as opposed to an event, and has been effectively mitigated by the nuclear industry. (5)
* Microbiologically induced corrosion. While this paper occurred at NPPs in the United States, and hence last vector is a living one-celled organism that has may not be representative of all the different potential posed challenges to NPPs, it is not included impacts from biological sources worldwide. However, because the threat is a slowly evolving condition, given the size of the US, the number of operating as opposed to an event, and has been effectively nuclear units (93 as of the time this paper was mitigated by the nuclear industry. (5) submitted), and the diversity in wildlife and the design/manufacture of NPPs in the US, it is believed


2 John David Hanna
2 John David Hanna Table 1. Sample of events that have occurred at NPPs in the US, including the flora/fauna that created the event, a (very) brief description of the impact and the calculated risk.
 
a The common and scientific name of the flora/fauna is provided. When the exact genus and species is uncertain, the known order, suborder or family is shown.
Table 1. Sample of events that have occurred at NPPs in the US, including the flora/fauna that created the event, a (very) brief description of the impact and the calculated risk.
b For the calculated risk, when there was a multi-unit impact, the higher of the calculated risk values is shown. Per the guidance for evaluating the risk significance of a given event, the conditional core damage probability (CCDP) is shown. (6) When the risk values are not already available from a historical source (e.g., the Accident Sequence Precursor analysis), the CCDP values were calculated based on the description in the event report.
 
Site & Unit Affected Event Date Flora/Faunaa Impact Risk (CCDP)b Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (7) 15 April 1981 Sea lettuce (Genus = ulva)
Site & Unit Event Date Flora/Faunaa Impact Risk Affected (CCDP)b Oyster Creek 15 April Sea lettuce Sea lettuce caused decreasing levels in the intake Minimal Nuclear 1981 (Genus = ulva) structure, and one loop of containment spray was change Generating declared inoperable. above Station (7) baseline
Sea lettuce caused decreasing levels in the intake structure, and one loop of containment spray was declared inoperable.
 
Minimal change above baseline Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Unit 1 (8) 19 April 1981 American oysters (Crassostrea virginica)
Brunswick 19 April American oysters Loss of shutdown cooling due oyster shell buildup 7E-3 Steam Electric 1981 (Crassostrea in the residual heat removal heat exchanger.
Loss of shutdown cooling due oyster shell buildup in the residual heat removal heat exchanger.
Plant, Unit 1 (8) virginica)
7E-3 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (9) 8 June 1981 Sea grass (Order  
 
= Alismatales)
Oyster Creek 8 June 1981 Sea grass (Order Two emergency service water pumps inoperable Minimal Nuclear = Alismatales) and potentially non-function; possible common change Generating cause failure (CCF) for other pumps. above Station (9) baseline
Two emergency service water pumps inoperable and potentially non-function; possible common cause failure (CCF) for other pumps.
 
Minimal change above baseline Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (10) 11 August 1983 American oysters (Crassostrea virginica)
Salem Nuclear 11 August American oysters Various single systems and component adversely 1.2E-4 Generating 1983 (Crassostrea affected (8 events in 1980s). The August 1983 Station, Unit 1 virginica) event was a loss of condenser heat sink with a (10) consequential loss of offsite power (LOOP) &
Various single systems and component adversely affected (8 events in 1980s). The August 1983 event was a loss of condenser heat sink with a consequential loss of offsite power (LOOP) &
failure of an auxiliary feedwater pump.
failure of an auxiliary feedwater pump.
1.2E-4 Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (11) 28 August 1981 Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis)
Bivalves at heat exchangers created blockage &
high differential pressure resulting in flow bypass.
Potential loss of service water at system level.
1.3E-4 La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor (12) 16 July 1984 Mayflies (Order =
Ephemeroptera)
LOOP, failure of an emergency diesel generator (EDG) breaker to close & unavailability of both trains of high-pressure core spray.
9E-4 Catawba Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (13) 9 March 1988 Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea)
Asiatic clams caused CCF failure to two of four auxiliary feedwater flow control valves and subsequent reactor trip.
3E-4 Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2 (14) 7 March 1994 Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)
With plant in hot shutdown, an auxiliary feedwater pump failed with an accompanying EDG trip (heat exchangers blocked by zebra mussels).
2.3E-5 Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (15) 7 April 1994 Marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora)
Automatic reactor trip and loss of condenser heat sink, multiple safety injections, multiple cycles of primary power operated reliefs with damage and an alert declaration.
2.6E-6 Wolf Creek Generating Station (16) 4 September 2000 Squirrel (Genus =
Sciurus)
Automatic reactor trip with a fire in a unit auxiliary power transformer.
7.2E-5 Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2 (17) 29 August 2001 Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)
Bivalves overwhelmed the service water (SW) strainers and led to the inoperability of all four EDGs, auxiliary feedwater room coolers, and a component cooling water (CCW) train in each unit.
1E-5 Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2 (18) 24 April 2003 Alewife fish (Alosa pseudoharengus)
Manual reactor trip of both units, all EDGs inoperable (but ultimately determined to be functional), multiple heat exchangers and traveling screens damaged resulting in an alert declaration.
4E-4


Pilgrim Nuclear 28 August Blue mussels Bivalves at heat exchangers created blockage & 1.3E-4 Power Station 1981 (Mytilus edulis) high differential pressure resulting in flow bypass.
All Creatures Great & Small: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants 3 Table 1. (Continued)
(11) Potential loss of service water at system level.
The events from Table 1 above are merely a sample of actual events that have occurred in the US nuclear industry. A study covering the time period from 1980-1987 identified 980 operational events involving service water, of which 276 were determined to have generic applicability. Of those 276 events twenty-eight involved biofouling, and while the number of these events has decreased significantly over the following three decades, they are still occurring with some periodicity (26).
 
However, despite the limited sample size, the following insights can be drawn from Table 1.
La Crosse 16 July 1984 Mayflies (Order = LOOP, failure of an emergency diesel generator 9E-4 Boiling Water Ephemeroptera) (EDG) breaker to close & unavailability of both Reactor (12) trains of high-pressure core spray.
(i) A wide variety of plant designs in various locales have been susceptible to the impact of flora/fauna.
 
(ii) The diversity of biological impacts on NPPs (and in all likelihood non-nuclear sources of electrical power, such as gas and coal plants) is large, ranging from single cell organisms which foul a heat exchanger to medium/large birds, reptiles, or mammals which challenge electrical systems and cause reactor trips and LOOPs.
Catawba 9 March Asiatic clams Asiatic clams caused CCF failure to two of four 3E-4 Nuclear Station, 1988 (Corbicula auxiliary feedwater flow control valves and Unit 2 (13) fluminea) subsequent reactor trip.
(iii) The risk impact of the flora/fauna can range from negligible to substantially high (i.e., two to three orders distant from core damage).
 
As will be discussed in the next section of this paper, the risk impacts are larger when an initiating event (IE) and degradation/loss of mitigating system(s) occur simultaneously. Additionally, it is important to note that the magnitude of these events may be increasing as a result of climate change, exacerbating the frequency and/or intensity of these events and, hence affecting a sustainable electric grid. (27)
Zion Nuclear 7 March Zebra mussels With plant in hot shutdown, an auxiliary feedwater 2.3E-5 Power Station, 1994 (Dreissena pump failed with an accompanying EDG trip (heat Unit 2 (14) polymorpha) exchangers blocked by zebra mussels).
: 3. Risk Modeling of Biological Impacts 3.1. Description of the Current State of Risk Modeling The NRCs Standard Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) models are plant-specific probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) maintained, frequently exercised by analysts within the agency, and are used to inform regulatory decisions. The NRCs 1995 PRA policy statement specified that PRA evaluations supporting regulatory decisions should be as realistic as practicable. (28)
 
Consistent with this realism principle, the impacts of biota can be further developed in the SPAR models and thus captured in subsequent risk assessments.
Salem Nuclear 7 April 1994 Marsh grass Automatic reactor trip and loss of condenser heat 2.6E-6 Generating (Spartina sink, multiple safety injections, multiple cycles of Station, Unit 1 alterniflora) primary power operated reliefs with damage and an (15) alert declaration.
PRAs, including the SPAR models already account for some biological impacts implicitly via IE frequencies and component failure probabilities. For example, the IEs for partial or complete LOOPs, losses of service water, and losses of CCW are included in the calculation of initiating event frequencies used in PRA models regardless if those events were caused by say a jellyfish, or due to a low water level in the ultimate heat sink.
 
However, this data-driven approach does have limitations in that it requires actual events (or near-events) to occur before being factored into a PRA.
Wolf Creek 4 September Squirrel (Genus = Automatic reactor trip with a fire in a unit auxiliary 7.2E-5 Generating 2000 Sciurus) power transformer.
Probabilistic risk assessments also explicitly address biological impacts through the support system initiating Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Units 1, 2 & 3 (19) 14 June 2004 Scientific name =
Station (16)
Aves (animal class) excreta Bird caused a ground fault on a transmission line and failure in protective relaying which then caused a three-unit NPP trip with six additional generation units lost; several components failed on Unit-2; short duration LOOP but extensive regional impact up to Canada.
Donald C. Cook 29 August Zebra mussels Bivalves overwhelmed the service water (SW) 1E-5 Nuclear Plant, 2001 (Dreissena strainers and led to the inoperability of all four Units 1 & 2 (17) polymorpha) EDGs, auxiliary feedwater room coolers, and a component cooling water (CCW) train in each unit.
4E-5 Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 (20) 1 August 2007 Snake (Suborder
 
= Serpentes)
Donald C. Cook 24 April Alewife fish Manual reactor trip of both units, all EDGs 4E-4 Nuclear Plant, 2003 (Alosa inoperable (but ultimately determined to be Units 1 & 2 (18) pseudoharengus) functional), multiple heat exchangers and traveling screens damaged resulting in an alert declaration.
Snake ascended power lines, shorted and required a power reduction due to loss of cooling towers; fire caused an unusual event declaration.
 
Minimal change above baseline St. Lucie Plant, Units 1 & 2 (21) 22 August 2011 Jellyfish (Class =
a The common and scientific name of the flora/fauna is provided. When the exact genus and species is uncertain, the known order, suborder or family is shown.
scyphozoa)
b For the calculated risk, when th ere was a multi-unit impact, the higher of the calculated risk values is shown. Per the guida nce for evaluating the risk significance of a given event, the cond itional core damage probability (CCDP) is shown. (6) When the risk values are not already available from a historical source (e.g., the Accident Sequence Precursor analysis), the CCDP values we re calculated based on the description in the event report.
Manual reactor trip of Unit 1 and power reduction on Unit 2 due to jellyfish & associated fish kill causing loss of condenser backpressure.
All Creatures Great & Small: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants 3
8E-7 R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant (22) 3 June 2012 Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
 
Partial LOOP, loss of two safety-related electrical buses and automatic EDG start; unit stayed online.
Table 1. (Continued)
Minimal change above baseline Surry Power Station, Unit 2 (23) 29 December 2012 Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Palo Verde 14 June Scientific name = Bird caused a ground fault on a transmission line 4E-5 Nuclear 2004 Aves (animal and failure in protective relaying which then caused Generating class) excreta a three-unit NPP trip with six additional generation Station Units 1, units lost; several components failed on Unit-2; 2 & 3 (19) short duration LOOP but extensive regional impact up to Canada.
Bird contact with power lines resulted in a partial LOOP, loss of an electrical bus & auto-start of an EDG; unit stayed online.
 
Minimal change above baseline Fermi, Unit 2 (24) 1 July 2020 Mayflies (Order =
Edwin I. Hatch 1 August Snake (Suborder Snake ascended power lines, shorted and required a Minimal Nuclear Plant, 2007 = Serpentes) power reduction due to loss of cooling towers; fire change Unit 2 (20) caused an unusual event declaration. above baseline St. Lucie Plant, 22 August Jellyfish (Class = Manual reactor trip of Unit 1 and power reduction 8E-7 Units 1 & 2 (21) 2011 scyphozoa) on Unit 2 due to jellyfish & associated fish kill causing loss of condenser backpressure.
Ephemeroptera)
 
During shutdown conditions a partial LOOP occurred with a valid actuation of an EDG.
R.E. Ginna 3 June 2012 Raccoon Partial LOOP, loss of two safety-related electrical Minimal Nuclear Power (Procyon lotor) buses and automatic EDG start; unit stayed online. change Plant (22) above baseline
3.3E-7 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 & 3 (25) 20 July 2020 Eel grass (Zostera marina)
 
Units 1 and 2 manually scrammed, with Unit 3 down-powered due to loss of condenser vacuum.
Surry Power 29 Brown Pelican Bird contact with power lines resulted in a partial Minimal Station, Unit 2 December (Pelecanus LOOP, loss of an electrical bus & auto-start of an change (23) 2012 occidentalis) EDG; unit stayed online. above baseline
3E-6
 
Fermi, Unit 2 1 July 2020 Mayflies (Order = During shutdown conditions a partial LOOP 3.3E-7 (24) Ephemeroptera) occurred with a valid actuation of an EDG.
 
Browns Ferry 20 July 2020 Eel grass (Zostera Units 1 and 2 manually scrammed, with Unit 3 3E-6 Nuclear Plant, marina) down-powered due to loss of condenser vacuum.
Units 1, 2 & 3 (25)
 
The events from Table 1 above are merely a sample result of climate change, exacerbating the frequency of actual events that have occurred in the US nuclear and/or intensity of these events and, hence affecting a industry. A study covering the time period from 1980- sustainable electric grid. (27) 1987 identified 980 operational events involving service 3. Risk Modeling of Biological Impacts water, of which 276 were determined to have generic applicability. Of those 276 events twenty-eight involved 3.1. Description of the Current State of Risk biofouling, and while the number of these events has Modeling decreased significantly over the following three decades, The NRCs Standard Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) they are still occurring with some periodicity (26). models are plant-specific probabilistic risk assessments However, despite the limited sample size, the (PRAs) maintained, frequently exercised by analysts following insights can be drawn from Table 1. within the agency, and are used to inform regulatory (i) A wide variety of plant designs in various locales decisions. The NRCs 1995 PRA policy statement have been susceptible to the impact of flora/fauna. specified that PRA evaluations supporting regulatory (ii) The diversity of biological impacts on NPPs (and decisions should be as realistic as practicable. (28) in all likelihood non-nuclear sources of electrical Consistent with this realism principle, the impacts of biota can be further developed in the SPAR models and power, such as gas and coal plants) is large, thus captured in subsequent risk assessments.
ranging from single cell organisms which foul a PRAs, including the SPAR models already account heat exchanger to medium/large birds, reptiles, or for some biological impacts implicitly via IE frequencies mammals which challenge electrical systems and and component failure probabilities. For example, the cause reactor trips and LOOPs. IEs for partial or complete LOOPs, losses of service (iii) The risk impact of the flora/fauna can range from water, and losses of CCW are included in the calculation of initiating event frequencies used in PRA models negligible to substantially high (i.e., two to three regardless if those events were caused by say a jellyfish, orders distant from core damage). or due to a low water level in the ultimate heat sink.
As will be discussed in the next section of this paper, However, this data-driven approach does have the risk impacts are larger when an initiating event (IE) limitations in that it requires actual events (or near-and degradation/loss of mitigating system(s) occur events) to occur before being factored into a PRA.
simultaneously. Additionally, it is important to note that Probabilistic risk assessments also explicitly address the magnitude of these events may be increasing as a biological impacts through the support system initiating 4 John David Hanna
 
eventc (SSIE) modeling as described in the industry Annual Expected Chance of recommendations. (29) The guidance states: Frequency of Number of observing one Initiator Occurrences in or more events Any historical loss of support systems that (Per reactor 2000 reactor in 2000 reactor resulted in a plant trip or significant transient year) critical years years should be considered as a potential support system 1E-4 0.2 18%
initiating event. As an example, consider the 5E-4 1 63%
potential for seasonal influx of materials causing 1E-3 2 86%
blockage of the plants service water intake 5E-3 10 99.9%
structure. This has been a historical occurrence at 1E-2 20 99.9%
 
several plants and can be caused by debris from
* Seasonal Aspects - Biological events typically occur flooding or storms, or environmental sources such at a specific time of year, especially when as mussels, marsh grass, or frazzle ice. flora/fauna populations fluctuate with growth and/or The SPAR models typically include loss of service breeding.
water, loss of component cooling water or other support
* Plant (or Location) Specific - As described in cooling water system (e.g., reactor building cooling reference 32: Degraded water quality is plant-water system) via the IE fault trees. (30) The SSIE specific. Reports of system failure due to degraded modeling explicitly describes the support system design water quality are included in the generic data bases aspects of the plant (e.g., number of pumps, strainers, but are commonly averaged in with other nominal etc.) while incorporating actual plant-specific events that operating data. Service water degradation has been have occurred. The goal of this modeling is to more shown to occur due to ice, seaweed, sea grass, and accurately reflect the potential impact of environmental fish runs. Because these phenomena are plant-effects (of which biologics are a subset) than could be specific, they should be quantified on a plant-achieved with a single probability distribution specific basis. Because of their short duration and representing the IE frequency. severe effects, they should be modeled with separate common cause factors and split fractions for yearly exposure times.
3.2. Characteristics of Biota Threats
* Potential Effects from Climate Change - Variations There are several aspects to the flora/fauna threat to in biological blooms driven by random consider when developing and maintaining PRAs. fluctuations or due to climate change can
* Design Aspects - Characteristics such as overwhelm the defenses put in place at NPPs which independence, physical separation (e.g., closed had/have historically been effective, (e.g., the mayfly event at Fermi listed in Table 1).
cooling water loops) and defense-in-depth (e.g., 3.3. Areas for Possible PRA Development number of offsite power lines or service water pumps) can significantly affect the PRA modelling. (i) If the PRA and the larger scientific community
* Initiating Event Frequencies - The frequencies of believes that there has been a potential shift in service water system failures and degradations as external hazards on biota (e.g., due to climate observed in the operating experience, are relatively impacts) then the PRA may not be as static as high: 1.2E-2 per reactor year for system failure and previously thought, and events not seen in some 4.1E-1 per reactor year for system degradation. (31) locations may become more common. Hence, Also, as can be seen in Table 2 below, an SSIE with prior experience may not predict future hazards, an expected frequency of 5E-3 per year is likely to which could be an area worthy of investigation.
have occurred in the US nuclear industry, even if the (ii) In general practice, the SSIEs included in PRAs entire plant population is not susceptible to the have been limited to those types of events and SSIE. systems described above, and this modeling has a technical basis due to relying on actual events or near misses. However, there are other potential impacts of biological (or more broadly environmental) vectors. These might include losses of instrument air or ventilation systems, (e.g., EDG room cooling or main control room Table 2: Expected Occurrence Rate and Probability of habitability).
Observation of SSIEs (iii) The potential failure of service water intake structures would likely result in the complete failure of the service water system and potentially lead to loss of the ultimate heat sink, but the frequency of failures may be affected more by


c SSIEs are defined as: Any ev ent such as a component,
4 John David Hanna eventc (SSIE) modeling as described in the industry recommendations. (29) The guidance states:
* Leads to a reactor trip, and also train, or complete system failure (or causing the failure of a
Any historical loss of support systems that resulted in a plant trip or significant transient should be considered as a potential support system initiating event. As an example, consider the potential for seasonal influx of materials causing blockage of the plants service water intake structure. This has been a historical occurrence at several plants and can be caused by debris from flooding or storms, or environmental sources such as mussels, marsh grass, or frazzle ice.
* Fails a train or complete front-line system normally component, train, or system) that: available to respond to the reactor trip or reactor shutdown
The SPAR models typically include loss of service water, loss of component cooling water or other support cooling water system (e.g., reactor building cooling water system) via the IE fault trees. (30) The SSIE modeling explicitly describes the support system design aspects of the plant (e.g., number of pumps, strainers, etc.) while incorporating actual plant-specific events that have occurred. The goal of this modeling is to more accurately reflect the potential impact of environmental effects (of which biologics are a subset) than could be achieved with a
* Challenges a reactor safety function, then and successfully mitigate the loss of the critical safety function.
single probability distribution representing the IE frequency.
All Creatures Great & Small: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants 5
3.2. Characteristics of Biota Threats There are several aspects to the flora/fauna threat to consider when developing and maintaining PRAs.
Design Aspects Characteristics such as independence, physical separation (e.g., closed cooling water loops) and defense-in-depth (e.g.,
number of offsite power lines or service water pumps) can significantly affect the PRA modelling.
Initiating Event Frequencies - The frequencies of service water system failures and degradations as observed in the operating experience, are relatively high: 1.2E-2 per reactor year for system failure and 4.1E-1 per reactor year for system degradation. (31)
Also, as can be seen in Table 2 below, an SSIE with an expected frequency of 5E-3 per year is likely to have occurred in the US nuclear industry, even if the entire plant population is not susceptible to the SSIE.
Table 2: Expected Occurrence Rate and Probability of Observation of SSIEs c SSIEs are defined as: Any event such as a component, train, or complete system failure (or causing the failure of a component, train, or system) that:
* Challenges a reactor safety function, then Seasonal Aspects - Biological events typically occur at a specific time of year, especially when flora/fauna populations fluctuate with growth and/or breeding.
Plant (or Location) Specific - As described in reference 32: Degraded water quality is plant-specific. Reports of system failure due to degraded water quality are included in the generic data bases but are commonly averaged in with other nominal operating data. Service water degradation has been shown to occur due to ice, seaweed, sea grass, and fish runs. Because these phenomena are plant-specific, they should be quantified on a plant-specific basis. Because of their short duration and severe effects, they should be modeled with separate common cause factors and split fractions for yearly exposure times.
Potential Effects from Climate Change - Variations in biological blooms driven by random fluctuations or due to climate change can overwhelm the defenses put in place at NPPs which had/have historically been effective, (e.g., the mayfly event at Fermi listed in Table 1).
3.3. Areas for Possible PRA Development (i) If the PRA and the larger scientific community believes that there has been a potential shift in external hazards on biota (e.g., due to climate impacts) then the PRA may not be as static as previously thought, and events not seen in some locations may become more common. Hence, prior experience may not predict future hazards, which could be an area worthy of investigation.
(ii) In general practice, the SSIEs included in PRAs have been limited to those types of events and systems described above, and this modeling has a technical basis due to relying on actual events or near misses. However, there are other potential impacts of biological (or more broadly environmental) vectors. These might include losses of instrument air or ventilation systems, (e.g., EDG room cooling or main control room habitability).
(iii) The potential failure of service water intake structures would likely result in the complete failure of the service water system and potentially lead to loss of the ultimate heat sink, but the frequency of failures may be affected more by
* Leads to a reactor trip, and also
* Fails a train or complete front-line system normally available to respond to the reactor trip or reactor shutdown and successfully mitigate the loss of the critical safety function.
Annual Frequency of Initiator (Per reactor year)
Expected Number of Occurrences in 2000 reactor critical years Chance of observing one or more events in 2000 reactor years 1E-4 0.2 18%
5E-4 1
63%
1E-3 2
86%
5E-3 10 99.9%
1E-2 20 99.9%


environmental conditions such as detritus or important breakers, transformers, frazzle ice than by hardware failures. The disconnects, etc. such that the biota, e.g.,
All Creatures Great & Small: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants 5 environmental conditions such as detritus or frazzle ice than by hardware failures. The collection of data (i.e., separating out the biological impacts and considering them apart from other CCFs) is an open issue for consideration in future research.
collection of data (i.e., separating out the insects, will not cause an event. (40) biological impacts and considering them apart o Routine inspection and cleaning, especially from other CCFs) is an open issue for for animal excreta.
(iv) Additionally, modeling the impact of biota in a seasonal manner in that IE frequencies are not static throughout the year, could improve licensee decision-making on scheduling maintenance activities.
consideration in future research. o Ensuring electrical equipment is in fact well (iv) Additionally, modeling the impact of biota in a sealed, i.e., maintenance checks, to ensure seasonal manner in that IE frequencies are not small animals cannot get within.
(v) Development of Dynamic PRAs may better capture biological impacts through explicitly modeling timing dependencies. Flora/fauna events happen quickly, and the recovery probabilities change with time, and thus are the types of events that Dynamic PRAs capture more effectively than traditional PRAs. (33)
static throughout the year, could improve licensee o Noise or visual cues to repel birds or decision-making on scheduling maintenance mammals from important equipment e.g.,
It is in these interstitial spaces where one finds rich terrain for PRA model development.
activities. sounds of predatory birds to scare smaller (v) Development of Dynamic PRAs may better birds, and prevent them from capture biological impacts through explicitly nesting/congregating.
: 4. Mitigation Processes or Techniques The following is a summary list of engineering, maintenance and operational practices that can help mitigate the threat from flora and fauna:
modeling timing dependencies. Flora/fauna 5. Conclusions events happen quickly, and the recovery probabilities change with time, and thus are the A wide variety of plant designs in numerous locales types of events that Dynamic PRAs capture more have been susceptible to the impacts posed by various effectively than traditional PRAs. (33) types of flora/fauna. The diversity of biological It is in these interstitial spaces where one finds rich impacts on NPPs (and in all likelihood non-nuclear terrain for PRA model development. sources of electrical power) is large, ranging from single cell organisms which foul a heat exchanger to
For various CCW and SW systems:
: 4. Mitigation Processes or Techniques large birds, reptiles, or mammals which challenge e l e c t r i c a l s y s t e m s a n d c a u s e r e a c t o r t r i p s a n d L O O P s.
o Well-designed service water strainers (e.g.,
The following is a summary list of engineering, The risk impact of the flora/fauna have ranged from maintenance and operational practices that can help negligible to substantially high (i.e., three orders mitigate the threat from flora and fauna: distant from core damage.) And in terms of PRA modeling, the nuclear risk community has tackled
: duplex, triplex, self-cleaning),
* For various CCW and SW systems: issues of CCF, fire modeling, incorporation of o Well-designed service water strainers (e.g., mitigating strategies equipment (commonly known duplex, triplex, self-cleaning), traveling as FLEX) and others. Though progress has been screens, trash racks, interception nets in front made in modeling biological (and the larger of intake structure. (34) environmental) impacts at NPPs, there is room for o Thermal backwashing for bivalves. (35) improvement. Are environmental/biological threats o Periodic checking of flow rates and/or flow the next horizon for PRA?
traveling screens, trash racks, interception nets in front of intake structure. (34) o Thermal backwashing for bivalves. (35) o Periodic checking of flow rates and/or flow balancing. (36) o Periodic flushing of system heat exchangers.
balancing. (36) The industry needs to recognize the near misses o Periodic flushing of system heat exchangers. and remember the lessons-learned from past events o Visual examinations and routine testing of where biological (or other environmental) threats to heat exchangers for heat transfer capabilities. the NPPs posed a challenge to a resilient, reliable, o Chlorination of systems, timed to coincide stable, and sustainable electrical grid.
o Visual examinations and routine testing of heat exchangers for heat transfer capabilities.
with when systems are laid up.
o Chlorination of systems, timed to coincide with when systems are laid up.
o Routine maintenance (e.g., upkeep for References traveling screens) to prepare systems prior to an event. (37) 1. Alexander, Cecil Frances. 1848. Lyrics to the hymn, All o Fish sonar or other detection methods. (38) Things Bright and Beautiful o Seasonal inspections of service 2. NUREG-1350, 2021-2022 Information Digest, water/circulating water intake bays. Volume 33, October 2021 o Operational responses during an actual event: 3. NUREG-1275, Volume 3 Operating Experience Staggering trains of traveling screens or Feedback Report - Service Water System Failures and SW systems to improve survivability for Degradations, November 1988 the plant for a longer period. 4. US NRC Generic Letter 89-13, Service Water System Considering use of Mitigating Strategies Problems Affecting Safety-Related Equipment, equipment (commonly known as FLEX) Accession number 9003300128 during an event; this equipment was 5. US NRC Information Notice No. 85-30, designed, licensed & built for extended Microbiologically Induced Corrosion of Containment loss-of-AC-power coincident with a loss Service Water System, Accession number C126416
o Routine maintenance (e.g., upkeep for traveling screens) to prepare systems prior to an event. (37) o Fish sonar or other detection methods. (38) o Seasonal inspections of service water/circulating water intake bays.
: 6. US NRC Management Directive 8.3, NRC Incident of the ultimate heat sink. Investigation Program, ML031250592 Carefully consider the cross train/unit 7. US NRC Licensee Event Report for Oyster Creek operation when there is biofouling Nuclear Generating Station 05000219/1981-017, Sea present due to the loss of defense-in-Grass Impact on Intake Structure, dated 14 May 1981, depth & potential common cause Accession number 8105220287 impacts created. (39) 8. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis, Damaged
o Operational responses during an actual event:
* For electrical buses, transformers, offsite power RHR Heat Exchangers at Brunswick 1, 19 May 1981, lines, and other electrical equipment: ML20147A359
Staggering trains of traveling screens or SW systems to improve survivability for the plant for a longer period.
: 9. US NRC Licensee Event Report for Oyster Creek o Using systems to draw biologics away from Nuclear Generating Station 05000219/1981-024, A important equipment e.g., lighting away from Slightly Clogged Pump Suction Bells, and Inadequate 6 John David Hanna
Considering use of Mitigating Strategies equipment (commonly known as FLEX) during an event; this equipment was designed, licensed & built for extended loss-of-AC-power coincident with a loss of the ultimate heat sink.
Carefully consider the cross train/unit operation when there is biofouling present due to the loss of defense-in-depth & potential common cause impacts created. (39)
For electrical buses, transformers, offsite power lines, and other electrical equipment:
o Using systems to draw biologics away from important equipment e.g., lighting away from important
: breakers, transformers, disconnects, etc. such that the biota, e.g.,
insects, will not cause an event. (40) o Routine inspection and cleaning, especially for animal excreta.
o Ensuring electrical equipment is in fact well sealed, i.e., maintenance checks, to ensure small animals cannot get within.
o Noise or visual cues to repel birds or mammals from important equipment e.g.,
sounds of predatory birds to scare smaller
: birds, and prevent them from nesting/congregating.
: 5. Conclusions A wide variety of plant designs in numerous locales have been susceptible to the impacts posed by various types of flora/fauna. The diversity of biological impacts on NPPs (and in all likelihood non-nuclear sources of electrical power) is large, ranging from single cell organisms which foul a heat exchanger to large birds, reptiles, or mammals which challenge electrical systems and cause reactor trips and LOOPs.
The risk impact of the flora/fauna have ranged from negligible to substantially high (i.e., three orders distant from core damage.) And in terms of PRA modeling, the nuclear risk community has tackled issues of CCF, fire modeling, incorporation of mitigating strategies equipment (commonly known as FLEX) and others. Though progress has been made in modeling biological (and the larger environmental) impacts at NPPs, there is room for improvement. Are environmental/biological threats the next horizon for PRA?
The industry needs to recognize the near misses and remember the lessons-learned from past events where biological (or other environmental) threats to the NPPs posed a challenge to a resilient, reliable, stable, and sustainable electrical grid.
References
: 1.
Alexander, Cecil Frances. 1848. Lyrics to the hymn, All Things Bright and Beautiful
: 2.
NUREG-1350, 2021-2022 Information Digest, Volume 33, October 2021
: 3.
NUREG-1275, Volume 3 Operating Experience Feedback Report - Service Water System Failures and Degradations, November 1988
: 4.
US NRC Generic Letter 89-13, Service Water System Problems Affecting Safety-Related Equipment, Accession number 9003300128
: 5.
US NRC Information Notice No. 85-30, Microbiologically Induced Corrosion of Containment Service Water System, Accession number C126416
: 6.
US NRC Management Directive 8.3, NRC Incident Investigation Program, ML031250592
: 7.
US NRC Licensee Event Report for Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station 05000219/1981-017, Sea Grass Impact on Intake Structure, dated 14 May 1981, Accession number 8105220287
: 8.
Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis, Damaged RHR Heat Exchangers at Brunswick 1, 19 May 1981, ML20147A359
: 9.
US NRC Licensee Event Report for Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station 05000219/1981-024, A Slightly Clogged Pump Suction Bells, and Inadequate  


Administrative Controls, 8 July 1981, Accession 29. D. Hance and K. Canavan, 2008, Technical Report-number 8108060271 1016741, Support System Initiating Events, Electric
6 John David Hanna Administrative Controls, 8 July 1981, Accession number 8108060271
: 10. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for Salem Power Research Institute, Palo Alto.
: 10. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Loss of Offsite Power with Auxiliary Feedwater Pump 13 Failed, 11 August 1983, ML20156A208
Nuclear Generating Station, Loss of Offsite Power with 30. Risk Assessment of Operational Events Handbook, Auxiliary Feedwater Pump 13 Failed, 11 August 1983, Volume 1, Internal Events, Revision 2.01, Section 11, ML20156A208 Support Systems Initiating Events
: 11. US NRC Licensee Event Report for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station 05000293/1981-049, RBCCW Heat Exchanger, 8 October 1981, Accession number 8110200569
: 11. US NRC Licensee Event Report for Pilgrim Nuclear 31. See reference 29 above.
: 12. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor, LOOP with DG Failure to Load and Associated and HPCS Unavailability, 16 July 1984, ML20149K391
Power Station 05000293/1981-049, RBCCW Heat 32. See reference 29 above.
: 13. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for Catawba Nuclear Station, Asiatic Clams Degrade Auxiliary Feedwater System, 9 March 1988, ML20147A500
Exchanger, 8 October 1981, Accession number 33. Kevin Coyne, A Predictive Model of Nuclear Power 8110200569 Plant Crew Decision-Making and Performance in a
: 14. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unavailability of Turbine-Driven Auxiliary Feedwater Pump and Emergency Diesel Generator, 7 March 1994, ML20140A230
: 12. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for La Dynamic Simulation Environment (Doctor of Crosse Boiling Water Reactor, LOOP with DG Failure Philosophy dissertation, University of Maryland, 2009),
: 15. US NRC Information Notice No. 94-90: Transient Resulting in a Reactor Trip and Multiple Safety Injection System Actuations at Salem, 30 December 1994, ML031060383
to Load and Associated and HPCS Unavailability, 16 https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/9888 July 1984, ML20149K391 34. Fu, Xiaocheng et al. 2020. Analysis on Critical Factors
: 16. US NRC Event Notification 37287 for Wolf Creek Generating Station, Reactor Trip due to Fire in Unit Auxiliary Transformer, 5 September 2000
: 13. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for of Marine Organism Impacts on Water Intake Safety at Catawba Nuclear Station, Asiatic Clams Degrade Nuclear Power Plants, Journal of Nuclear Engineering Auxiliary Feedwater System, 9 March 1988, ML and Radiation Science, Volume 6, 041101-1 thru 6.
20147A500 35. See reference 3 above.
: 14. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for Zion 36. See reference 4 above.
Nuclear Power Station, Unavailability of Turbine-37. See reference 18 above.
Driven Auxiliary Feedwater Pump and Emergency 38. Zhang, Jianfei et al. 2021. Research on the Detection Diesel Generator, 7 March 1994, ML20140A230 and Early Warning Technology of Harmful Marine
: 15. US NRC Information Notice No. 94-90: Transient Organisms in the Water Intake of Nuclear Power Plant[s]
Resulting in a Reactor Trip and Multiple Safety Injection by 3D Image Sonar, Fourteenth International System Actuations at Salem, 30 December 1994, Conference on Genetic and Evolutionary Computing, 1-ML031060383 4.
: 16. US NRC Event Notification 37287 for Wolf Creek 39. See reference 17 above.
Generating Station, Reactor Trip due to Fire in Unit 40. See reference 24 above.
Auxiliary Transformer, 5 September 2000
: 17. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Degraded ESW Flow Renders Both Unit 2 Emergency Diesel Generators Inoperable, 23 December 2003, ML20112F482
: 17. Final Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis for Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Degraded ESW Flow Renders Both Unit 2 Emergency Diesel Generators Inoperable, 23 December 2003, ML20112F482
: 18. US NRC Inspection Report 05000315/316/2003-008, DC Cook Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2, Special Inspection Report, 3 July 2003, ML031880726
: 18. US NRC Inspection Report 05000315/316/2003-008, DC Cook Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2, Special Inspection Report, 3 July 2003, ML031880726
Line 156: Line 185:
: 26. See reference 3 above.
: 26. See reference 3 above.
: 27. Ahmad, Ali. 2021. Increase in Frequency of Nuclear Power Outages due to Changing Climate. Nature Energy, Volume 6, 755-762
: 27. Ahmad, Ali. 2021. Increase in Frequency of Nuclear Power Outages due to Changing Climate. Nature Energy, Volume 6, 755-762
: 28. US NRC, Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessment Methods in Nuclear Activities: Final Policy Statement, Federal Register, Vol. 60, p. 42622 (60 FR 42622), 16 August 1995}}
: 28. US NRC, Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessment Methods in Nuclear Activities: Final Policy Statement, Federal Register, Vol. 60, p. 42622 (60 FR 42622), 16 August 1995
: 29. D. Hance and K. Canavan, 2008, Technical Report-1016741, Support System Initiating Events, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto.
: 30. Risk Assessment of Operational Events Handbook, Volume 1, Internal Events, Revision 2.01, Section 11, Support Systems Initiating Events
: 31. See reference 29 above.
: 32. See reference 29 above.
: 33. Kevin Coyne, A Predictive Model of Nuclear Power Plant Crew Decision-Making and Performance in a Dynamic Simulation Environment (Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Maryland, 2009),
https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/9888
: 34. Fu, Xiaocheng et al. 2020. Analysis on Critical Factors of Marine Organism Impacts on Water Intake Safety at Nuclear Power Plants, Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, Volume 6, 041101-1 thru 6.
: 35. See reference 3 above.
: 36. See reference 4 above.
: 37. See reference 18 above.
: 38. Zhang, Jianfei et al. 2021. Research on the Detection and Early Warning Technology of Harmful Marine Organisms in the Water Intake of Nuclear Power Plant[s]
by 3D Image Sonar, Fourteenth International Conference on Genetic and Evolutionary Computing, 1-
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: 39. See reference 17 above.
: 40. See reference 24 above.}}

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All Creatures Great & Small: a Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants
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All Creatures Great & Small (1): A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants John David Hanna Region III Office, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, USA. E-mail: john.hanna@nrc.gov The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses and regulates the nations civilian use of radioactive materials to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety, promote the common defense and security, and protect the environment. The impacts of nuclear power plants on the environment and specifically on neighboring flora and fauna are considered in the design and licensing processes for these facilities. Some of these impacts have been analyzed in scientific articles, (e.g., service water cooling systems affecting fish populations, seaweed, etc.) But the vector/threat also goes in the opposite direction and the environment can pose a threat to the safety of nuclear power plants. Flora and fauna have caused a number of safety significant events and/or conditions at these facilities. This paper surveys the wide variety of biological challenges and describes, where possible, the risk significance of those events and/or conditions. The current state-of-the-art of probabilistic risk assessment modeling is briefly described and potential modeling improvements are broached. Potential operational and design enhancements that may mitigate these risk impacts---which are described in other scientific papers---are referenced.

Keywords: nuclear power, external event, PRA, flora, fauna, environment.

1. Introduction As analysts, regulators, and operators of nuclear power plants (NPPs) we need to be sensitive to the impact of our facilities on the environment. That focus is written into the mission statement of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and is a goal the agency takes very seriously. (2) However, we also need to be similarly concerned when the direction of the arrow is reversed, namely when flora and fauna are the threat vector to the safety of NPPs. These environmental threats have been evaluated through the licensing process and have been considered in various scientific articles, however this paper will attempt to advance additional risk-informed perspectives.

The NRC has evaluated the impact of biota through safety-system functional inspections, analyzed the generic safety implications, (3) required our licensees to take actions or evaluate specific failure mechanisms, e.g., via bulletins or generic letters. (4) The NRC has engaged the industry on biological impacts in the past, but these interactions heretofore typically were:

confined to reviews of a specific system or biological threat, evaluated the risk of an individual event, outside of a greater context, and rarely evaluated the state-of-the-art of probabilistic modeling the biological/environmental impact.

Disclaimer: the events/conditions described in this paper occurred at NPPs in the United States, and hence may not be representative of all the different potential impacts from biological sources worldwide. However, given the size of the US, the number of operating nuclear units (93 as of the time this paper was submitted), and the diversity in wildlife and the design/manufacture of NPPs in the US, it is believed that the insights presented in this paper may be useful outside of the US.

The reason we as analysts, regulators, and operators should consider these vectors/threats is because they are:

1) creating actual events and demanding front-line safety systems, and hence 2) challenging the stability, reliability, and sustainability of the electric grid. Given the need for a resilient, reliable, and stable electrical grid and the potential for increasing frequency/severity of natural phenomenon we need to understand and manage these risks.
2. Survey of Biological Impacts on NPPs Biological impacts, whether from flora or fauna, are a subset of all potential environmental hazards that could affect NPPs. The greater population of environmental events includes tornadoes/high
winds, extreme heat/cold, external flooding, and seismic threats. Types of vectors/threats that are environmental and arguably within the definition of biota, but are not characterized in this paper include:

Sedimentation deposition (silt, mud, and clay) in cooling systems, Non-living biological fouling (e.g., detritus such as twigs, leaves deposited in cooling water ultimate heat-sinks, or larger branches, trees, etc. thrown by tornadoes or high wind events), and Microbiologically induced corrosion. While this last vector is a living one-celled organism that has posed challenges to NPPs, it is not included because the threat is a slowly evolving condition, as opposed to an event, and has been effectively mitigated by the nuclear industry. (5)

2 John David Hanna Table 1. Sample of events that have occurred at NPPs in the US, including the flora/fauna that created the event, a (very) brief description of the impact and the calculated risk.

a The common and scientific name of the flora/fauna is provided. When the exact genus and species is uncertain, the known order, suborder or family is shown.

b For the calculated risk, when there was a multi-unit impact, the higher of the calculated risk values is shown. Per the guidance for evaluating the risk significance of a given event, the conditional core damage probability (CCDP) is shown. (6) When the risk values are not already available from a historical source (e.g., the Accident Sequence Precursor analysis), the CCDP values were calculated based on the description in the event report.

Site & Unit Affected Event Date Flora/Faunaa Impact Risk (CCDP)b Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (7) 15 April 1981 Sea lettuce (Genus = ulva)

Sea lettuce caused decreasing levels in the intake structure, and one loop of containment spray was declared inoperable.

Minimal change above baseline Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Unit 1 (8) 19 April 1981 American oysters (Crassostrea virginica)

Loss of shutdown cooling due oyster shell buildup in the residual heat removal heat exchanger.

7E-3 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (9) 8 June 1981 Sea grass (Order

= Alismatales)

Two emergency service water pumps inoperable and potentially non-function; possible common cause failure (CCF) for other pumps.

Minimal change above baseline Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (10) 11 August 1983 American oysters (Crassostrea virginica)

Various single systems and component adversely affected (8 events in 1980s). The August 1983 event was a loss of condenser heat sink with a consequential loss of offsite power (LOOP) &

failure of an auxiliary feedwater pump.

1.2E-4 Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (11) 28 August 1981 Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis)

Bivalves at heat exchangers created blockage &

high differential pressure resulting in flow bypass.

Potential loss of service water at system level.

1.3E-4 La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor (12) 16 July 1984 Mayflies (Order =

Ephemeroptera)

LOOP, failure of an emergency diesel generator (EDG) breaker to close & unavailability of both trains of high-pressure core spray.

9E-4 Catawba Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (13) 9 March 1988 Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea)

Asiatic clams caused CCF failure to two of four auxiliary feedwater flow control valves and subsequent reactor trip.

3E-4 Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2 (14) 7 March 1994 Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)

With plant in hot shutdown, an auxiliary feedwater pump failed with an accompanying EDG trip (heat exchangers blocked by zebra mussels).

2.3E-5 Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (15) 7 April 1994 Marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora)

Automatic reactor trip and loss of condenser heat sink, multiple safety injections, multiple cycles of primary power operated reliefs with damage and an alert declaration.

2.6E-6 Wolf Creek Generating Station (16) 4 September 2000 Squirrel (Genus =

Sciurus)

Automatic reactor trip with a fire in a unit auxiliary power transformer.

7.2E-5 Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2 (17) 29 August 2001 Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)

Bivalves overwhelmed the service water (SW) strainers and led to the inoperability of all four EDGs, auxiliary feedwater room coolers, and a component cooling water (CCW) train in each unit.

1E-5 Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2 (18) 24 April 2003 Alewife fish (Alosa pseudoharengus)

Manual reactor trip of both units, all EDGs inoperable (but ultimately determined to be functional), multiple heat exchangers and traveling screens damaged resulting in an alert declaration.

4E-4

All Creatures Great & Small: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants 3 Table 1. (Continued)

The events from Table 1 above are merely a sample of actual events that have occurred in the US nuclear industry. A study covering the time period from 1980-1987 identified 980 operational events involving service water, of which 276 were determined to have generic applicability. Of those 276 events twenty-eight involved biofouling, and while the number of these events has decreased significantly over the following three decades, they are still occurring with some periodicity (26).

However, despite the limited sample size, the following insights can be drawn from Table 1.

(i) A wide variety of plant designs in various locales have been susceptible to the impact of flora/fauna.

(ii) The diversity of biological impacts on NPPs (and in all likelihood non-nuclear sources of electrical power, such as gas and coal plants) is large, ranging from single cell organisms which foul a heat exchanger to medium/large birds, reptiles, or mammals which challenge electrical systems and cause reactor trips and LOOPs.

(iii) The risk impact of the flora/fauna can range from negligible to substantially high (i.e., two to three orders distant from core damage).

As will be discussed in the next section of this paper, the risk impacts are larger when an initiating event (IE) and degradation/loss of mitigating system(s) occur simultaneously. Additionally, it is important to note that the magnitude of these events may be increasing as a result of climate change, exacerbating the frequency and/or intensity of these events and, hence affecting a sustainable electric grid. (27)

3. Risk Modeling of Biological Impacts 3.1. Description of the Current State of Risk Modeling The NRCs Standard Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) models are plant-specific probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) maintained, frequently exercised by analysts within the agency, and are used to inform regulatory decisions. The NRCs 1995 PRA policy statement specified that PRA evaluations supporting regulatory decisions should be as realistic as practicable. (28)

Consistent with this realism principle, the impacts of biota can be further developed in the SPAR models and thus captured in subsequent risk assessments.

PRAs, including the SPAR models already account for some biological impacts implicitly via IE frequencies and component failure probabilities. For example, the IEs for partial or complete LOOPs, losses of service water, and losses of CCW are included in the calculation of initiating event frequencies used in PRA models regardless if those events were caused by say a jellyfish, or due to a low water level in the ultimate heat sink.

However, this data-driven approach does have limitations in that it requires actual events (or near-events) to occur before being factored into a PRA.

Probabilistic risk assessments also explicitly address biological impacts through the support system initiating Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Units 1, 2 & 3 (19) 14 June 2004 Scientific name =

Aves (animal class) excreta Bird caused a ground fault on a transmission line and failure in protective relaying which then caused a three-unit NPP trip with six additional generation units lost; several components failed on Unit-2; short duration LOOP but extensive regional impact up to Canada.

4E-5 Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 (20) 1 August 2007 Snake (Suborder

= Serpentes)

Snake ascended power lines, shorted and required a power reduction due to loss of cooling towers; fire caused an unusual event declaration.

Minimal change above baseline St. Lucie Plant, Units 1 & 2 (21) 22 August 2011 Jellyfish (Class =

scyphozoa)

Manual reactor trip of Unit 1 and power reduction on Unit 2 due to jellyfish & associated fish kill causing loss of condenser backpressure.

8E-7 R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant (22) 3 June 2012 Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Partial LOOP, loss of two safety-related electrical buses and automatic EDG start; unit stayed online.

Minimal change above baseline Surry Power Station, Unit 2 (23) 29 December 2012 Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

Bird contact with power lines resulted in a partial LOOP, loss of an electrical bus & auto-start of an EDG; unit stayed online.

Minimal change above baseline Fermi, Unit 2 (24) 1 July 2020 Mayflies (Order =

Ephemeroptera)

During shutdown conditions a partial LOOP occurred with a valid actuation of an EDG.

3.3E-7 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 & 3 (25) 20 July 2020 Eel grass (Zostera marina)

Units 1 and 2 manually scrammed, with Unit 3 down-powered due to loss of condenser vacuum.

3E-6

4 John David Hanna eventc (SSIE) modeling as described in the industry recommendations. (29) The guidance states:

Any historical loss of support systems that resulted in a plant trip or significant transient should be considered as a potential support system initiating event. As an example, consider the potential for seasonal influx of materials causing blockage of the plants service water intake structure. This has been a historical occurrence at several plants and can be caused by debris from flooding or storms, or environmental sources such as mussels, marsh grass, or frazzle ice.

The SPAR models typically include loss of service water, loss of component cooling water or other support cooling water system (e.g., reactor building cooling water system) via the IE fault trees. (30) The SSIE modeling explicitly describes the support system design aspects of the plant (e.g., number of pumps, strainers, etc.) while incorporating actual plant-specific events that have occurred. The goal of this modeling is to more accurately reflect the potential impact of environmental effects (of which biologics are a subset) than could be achieved with a

single probability distribution representing the IE frequency.

3.2. Characteristics of Biota Threats There are several aspects to the flora/fauna threat to consider when developing and maintaining PRAs.

Design Aspects Characteristics such as independence, physical separation (e.g., closed cooling water loops) and defense-in-depth (e.g.,

number of offsite power lines or service water pumps) can significantly affect the PRA modelling.

Initiating Event Frequencies - The frequencies of service water system failures and degradations as observed in the operating experience, are relatively high: 1.2E-2 per reactor year for system failure and 4.1E-1 per reactor year for system degradation. (31)

Also, as can be seen in Table 2 below, an SSIE with an expected frequency of 5E-3 per year is likely to have occurred in the US nuclear industry, even if the entire plant population is not susceptible to the SSIE.

Table 2: Expected Occurrence Rate and Probability of Observation of SSIEs c SSIEs are defined as: Any event such as a component, train, or complete system failure (or causing the failure of a component, train, or system) that:

  • Challenges a reactor safety function, then Seasonal Aspects - Biological events typically occur at a specific time of year, especially when flora/fauna populations fluctuate with growth and/or breeding.

Plant (or Location) Specific - As described in reference 32: Degraded water quality is plant-specific. Reports of system failure due to degraded water quality are included in the generic data bases but are commonly averaged in with other nominal operating data. Service water degradation has been shown to occur due to ice, seaweed, sea grass, and fish runs. Because these phenomena are plant-specific, they should be quantified on a plant-specific basis. Because of their short duration and severe effects, they should be modeled with separate common cause factors and split fractions for yearly exposure times.

Potential Effects from Climate Change - Variations in biological blooms driven by random fluctuations or due to climate change can overwhelm the defenses put in place at NPPs which had/have historically been effective, (e.g., the mayfly event at Fermi listed in Table 1).

3.3. Areas for Possible PRA Development (i) If the PRA and the larger scientific community believes that there has been a potential shift in external hazards on biota (e.g., due to climate impacts) then the PRA may not be as static as previously thought, and events not seen in some locations may become more common. Hence, prior experience may not predict future hazards, which could be an area worthy of investigation.

(ii) In general practice, the SSIEs included in PRAs have been limited to those types of events and systems described above, and this modeling has a technical basis due to relying on actual events or near misses. However, there are other potential impacts of biological (or more broadly environmental) vectors. These might include losses of instrument air or ventilation systems, (e.g., EDG room cooling or main control room habitability).

(iii) The potential failure of service water intake structures would likely result in the complete failure of the service water system and potentially lead to loss of the ultimate heat sink, but the frequency of failures may be affected more by

  • Fails a train or complete front-line system normally available to respond to the reactor trip or reactor shutdown and successfully mitigate the loss of the critical safety function.

Annual Frequency of Initiator (Per reactor year)

Expected Number of Occurrences in 2000 reactor critical years Chance of observing one or more events in 2000 reactor years 1E-4 0.2 18%

5E-4 1

63%

1E-3 2

86%

5E-3 10 99.9%

1E-2 20 99.9%

All Creatures Great & Small: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Flora/Fauna on Nuclear Power Plants 5 environmental conditions such as detritus or frazzle ice than by hardware failures. The collection of data (i.e., separating out the biological impacts and considering them apart from other CCFs) is an open issue for consideration in future research.

(iv) Additionally, modeling the impact of biota in a seasonal manner in that IE frequencies are not static throughout the year, could improve licensee decision-making on scheduling maintenance activities.

(v) Development of Dynamic PRAs may better capture biological impacts through explicitly modeling timing dependencies. Flora/fauna events happen quickly, and the recovery probabilities change with time, and thus are the types of events that Dynamic PRAs capture more effectively than traditional PRAs. (33)

It is in these interstitial spaces where one finds rich terrain for PRA model development.

4. Mitigation Processes or Techniques The following is a summary list of engineering, maintenance and operational practices that can help mitigate the threat from flora and fauna:

For various CCW and SW systems:

o Well-designed service water strainers (e.g.,

duplex, triplex, self-cleaning),

traveling screens, trash racks, interception nets in front of intake structure. (34) o Thermal backwashing for bivalves. (35) o Periodic checking of flow rates and/or flow balancing. (36) o Periodic flushing of system heat exchangers.

o Visual examinations and routine testing of heat exchangers for heat transfer capabilities.

o Chlorination of systems, timed to coincide with when systems are laid up.

o Routine maintenance (e.g., upkeep for traveling screens) to prepare systems prior to an event. (37) o Fish sonar or other detection methods. (38) o Seasonal inspections of service water/circulating water intake bays.

o Operational responses during an actual event:

Staggering trains of traveling screens or SW systems to improve survivability for the plant for a longer period.

Considering use of Mitigating Strategies equipment (commonly known as FLEX) during an event; this equipment was designed, licensed & built for extended loss-of-AC-power coincident with a loss of the ultimate heat sink.

Carefully consider the cross train/unit operation when there is biofouling present due to the loss of defense-in-depth & potential common cause impacts created. (39)

For electrical buses, transformers, offsite power lines, and other electrical equipment:

o Using systems to draw biologics away from important equipment e.g., lighting away from important

breakers, transformers, disconnects, etc. such that the biota, e.g.,

insects, will not cause an event. (40) o Routine inspection and cleaning, especially for animal excreta.

o Ensuring electrical equipment is in fact well sealed, i.e., maintenance checks, to ensure small animals cannot get within.

o Noise or visual cues to repel birds or mammals from important equipment e.g.,

sounds of predatory birds to scare smaller

birds, and prevent them from nesting/congregating.
5. Conclusions A wide variety of plant designs in numerous locales have been susceptible to the impacts posed by various types of flora/fauna. The diversity of biological impacts on NPPs (and in all likelihood non-nuclear sources of electrical power) is large, ranging from single cell organisms which foul a heat exchanger to large birds, reptiles, or mammals which challenge electrical systems and cause reactor trips and LOOPs.

The risk impact of the flora/fauna have ranged from negligible to substantially high (i.e., three orders distant from core damage.) And in terms of PRA modeling, the nuclear risk community has tackled issues of CCF, fire modeling, incorporation of mitigating strategies equipment (commonly known as FLEX) and others. Though progress has been made in modeling biological (and the larger environmental) impacts at NPPs, there is room for improvement. Are environmental/biological threats the next horizon for PRA?

The industry needs to recognize the near misses and remember the lessons-learned from past events where biological (or other environmental) threats to the NPPs posed a challenge to a resilient, reliable, stable, and sustainable electrical grid.

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