Circular No. 13/2009/TT-BKHCN guiding preliminary nuclear safety assessment for the location of nuclear power plants during the stage of deciding on investment orientation

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Preliminary Nuclear Safety Assessment of Sites for Nuclear Power Plants during the Investment Decision Phase

During the investment decision phase for nuclear power plants

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Pursuant to the Atomic Energy Law dated June 3, 2008;

Pursuant to Decree No. 28/2008/NĐ-CP dated March 14, 2008, promulgated by the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science and Technology;

The Ministry of Science and Technology provides guidelines for preliminary nuclear safety assessment of sites for nuclear power plants during the investment decision phase as follows:

This technical regulation sets out technical requirements, testing methods, sampling procedures; management requirements; responsibilities of organizations and individuals producing, trading, and importing cigarettes.

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

These Circulars stipulate requirements for nuclear safety to serve the preliminary assessment of sites for nuclear power plants during the investment decision phase (pre-feasibility phase).

Thông tư này áp dụng đối với tổ chức, cá nhân có liên quan đến hoạt động kinh doanh đối tượng thủy sản nuôi chủ lực trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam.

These Circulars apply to investors, agencies, organizations reviewing investment reports for the construction of nuclear power plants, and related consulting organizations.

II. CRITERIA FOR ENSURING NUCLEAR SAFETY AT THE SITE OF A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

1. Faults, Earthquakes, Volcanoes

a) There must be no active faults within 8 kilometers of small nuclear power plants that have shown activity at least once in the last 130,000 years.

b) There must be no signs of earthquakes with intensity greater than 8 MSK within 50 kilometers of the nuclear power plant.

c) There must be no possibility of lava reaching within 15 kilometers of the nuclear power plant.

d) If the site does not meet the conditions specified in points a, b, and c of this clause and there is no remedial solution, it shall not be accepted.

2. Geotechnical Conditions and Foundations

a) The foundation for constructing reactor buildings and turbine houses must be relatively solid bedrock ensuring hardness and resistance to cracking, fracturing, or weathering.

b) The foundation for constructing other facilities of the nuclear power plant must not be located on weak soil types prone to liquefaction, amplification of vibrations, or significant swelling.

c) If the site does not meet the conditions specified in points a and b of this clause and there is no remedial solution, it shall not be accepted.

3. Extreme Meteorological Phenomena

a) There must be no occurrence of extreme meteorological phenomena with wind speeds exceeding 300 km/h at the site of the nuclear power plant in the past 100 years.

b) If the site does not meet the condition specified in point a of this clause and there is no remedial solution, it shall not be accepted.

4. Flooding

a) Flooding or flash floods at the site of the nuclear power plant must not have occurred in the past 100 years and must not be forecasted to occur throughout the operational life of the plant.

b) If the site does not meet the condition specified in point a of this clause and there is no remedial solution, it shall not be accepted.

5. Impact on the Nuclear Power Plant Caused by Human Activities

a) The distance to defense works, military zones, transportation routes, fuel pipelines, and facilities storing or using materials that can cause explosions must be sufficient so that if an explosion occurs, the pressure exerted on the nuclear power plant does not exceed 0.07 bar (7 kPa).

b) The distance from the nuclear power plant to airports must be at least 7 kilometers.

c) If the site does not meet the conditions specified in points a and b of this clause and there is no remedial solution, it shall not be accepted.

6. Impact of Radiation on the Community

a) The site for constructing the nuclear power plant must comply with the following conditions to minimize the impact of radiation on the community:

- The restricted area must be identified as an area outside the plant fence with a minimum distance of 1 kilometer. If, at a location beyond 1 kilometer from the plant fence, a person may receive an effective dose equivalent exceeding 0.25 Sievert (25 rem) or thyroid iodine dose exceeding 3 Sievert (300 rem) within two hours in the event of an accident, then the restricted area must be expanded to include that location;

- The controlled area must be defined as surrounding the restricted area where a resident at the outer boundary of this area would not receive an effective dose equivalent exceeding 0.25 Sievert (25 rem) or thyroid iodine dose exceeding 3 Sievert (300 rem) during the passage of radioactive cloud. The collective dose for the controlled area must not exceed 20,000 person-Sieverts in the event of an accident.

b) If the impact on the community exceeds the levels specified in point a of this clause and there is no remedial solution, the site shall not be accepted.

7. Cooling Water and Electricity Supply for Plant Operations

a) The site for constructing the nuclear power plant must have adequate cooling water and electricity supply to ensure continuous operation under all circumstances.

b) If the site does not meet the condition specified in point a of this clause and there is no remedial solution, it shall not be approved.

III. REQUIREMENTS FOR SURVEYING THE SITE DURING THE INVESTMENT REPORT PHASE

1. Faults, Earthquakes, Volcanoes

Surveying faults, earthquake evidence, and volcanic activity that could affect the safety of the nuclear power plant as follows:

a) Conduct geological and tectonic surveys of the region at a scale of 1:500,000 within a radius of 150 kilometers and at a scale of 1:50,000 within a radius of 25 kilometers from the nuclear power plant; classify active faults based on geological, geophysical, geodetic, and seismic data. A fault is considered active if it shows movement within the last 1.8 million years or has structural relationships with known active faults;

b) Collect and compile earthquake data; determine earthquake risk based on regional seismic and tectonic conditions;

c) Determine ground shaking risk based on regional tectonic characteristics and specific site data.

2. Geotechnical Conditions and Foundations

Survey geotechnical properties and foundations, construct geotechnical cross-sections of the site to determine the following:

a) Landslide, rockslide, riverbank erosion, coastal erosion, and slope instability potential at the proposed site and its vicinity;

b) Ground subsidence, settlement, and collapse potential at the proposed site based on geological maps and existing data, noting caves and mines, wells, and drill holes;

c) Liquefaction potential based on ground vibration parameters and values;

d) Physical and mechanical properties of the ground and foreign objects within it; stability of the ground under static and dynamic loads;

đ) Groundwater dynamics and chemical properties.

3. Meteorological and Hydrological Phenomena

a) Survey and forecast the impact of natural disasters (wind, rain, typhoons, sandstorms, tsunamis, temperature changes, lightning, tornadoes) on the site. Forecast the impact when multiple types of natural disasters occur simultaneously, especially in the context of climate change.

b) Survey and forecast meteorological and hydrological phenomena that have the potential to cause unique dispersion or condensation of radiation, posing harmful impacts exceeding permissible limits on human beings and the environment at the location and area where the nuclear power plant is being constructed.

4. Flooding

Conduct a comprehensive survey of the causes of flooding due to breaches in levees or dams, heavy rain, typhoons, earthquakes, or other geological events, including the following contents:

a) Survey and forecast the possibility of upstream floods, risks of levee and dam failures, accumulation of sediment, and landslides. Analyze the damage based on the assumption of levee and dam failures according to their causes, flood levels, flow speed, and volume.

b) Survey changes in river and stream flows caused by natural processes. Forecast the risk of floods from secondary flows. Collect hydrographic information, including flow parameters, peak flood volumes, total flood volumes, flow rate variations, water levels, and flow speeds. Determine the stability of channels, sediment transport, and rainfall patterns in the region.

c) Gather historical information about tsunamis capable of causing flooding at the proposed site. Survey the causes of tsunamis such as seabed displacement, landslides, and underwater volcanic eruptions. Survey wave height, wavelength, direction, and near-shore water response. Survey the extent and impact of flooding, coastal erosion, and landslides when a tsunami occurs.

d) Forecast floods caused by other reasons and assess the risk of losses from flooding.

5. The impact on the nuclear power plant caused by human activities.

Survey human activities that could pose safety risks to the operation of the planned nuclear power plant, including the following contents:

a) Collect and survey information on hazardous materials, flammable, explosive, corrosive, and toxic substances stored, transported, and used, military exercises, fuel pipelines.

b) Survey warehouses, docks, mining sites, and storage areas for minerals that may temporarily block water flow, causing flooding or ground subsidence.

c) Survey airport locations, aircraft types, flight paths, and frequency.

d) Survey land, river, and sea transportation routes, including vehicle types, frequency, cargo characteristics, ports, berths, and stations; pay attention to busy traffic routes and intersections.

6. Impact of Radiation on the Community

Survey the following contents:

a) Population distribution, density, and demographic forecasts in the area.

b) The spread and dispersion of radioactive materials in the air and water based on meteorological parameters (wind direction and speed, atmospheric turbulence, humidity, precipitation, solar radiation), hydrological features (river and stream characteristics, surface and groundwater), topographical features (mountains, valleys), and the influence of large construction projects.

c) Radiation background and exposure doses for local communities.

d) The risk of radiation effects on the population as a basis for emergency response plans; note land use planning, water sources, and food supplies in the locality.

e) Conditions and locations for establishing external emergency response centers outside the nuclear power plant.

đ) Conditions for constructing transportation systems for evacuation plans, the ability to supply food and living infrastructure for the population in the evacuation area.

g) The suitability of the location in relation to the economic and social development potential of the area (trade, industry, tourism) and the increased risk posed by the impact of the nuclear power plant on the area and the impact of activities in the area on the plant.

7. Cooling Water and Electricity Supply for Plant Operations

Survey the following contents:

a) Conditions for constructing cooling water supply and power supply systems for the operation of the nuclear power plant.

b) Risks posed by natural factors and human activities affecting the cooling water supply and power supply for the operation of the nuclear power plant.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

1. This Circular takes effect from July 6, 2009.

2. During implementation, if any issues arise or difficulties occur, relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals should report them to the Ministry of Science and Technology for timely resolution./.