Becoming a More Effective Regulator: Lessons from

Three Mile Island and Fukushima

Michael R. Johnson

Deputy Executive Director for Reactor and Preparedness Programs

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The Wake-Up Call

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Three Mile Island

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Near-Term Response

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TMI Lessons Learned “To prevent nuclear accidents as serious as Three Mile Island, fundamental changes will be necessary in the organization, procedures, and practices—and above all—in the attitudes of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.” — President ’s Commission

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Fukushima Dai-ichi

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Near-Term Response

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Fukushima Lessons Learned

• Clarifying the regulatory framework

• Ensuring protection

• Enhancing mitigation

• Strengthening emergency preparedness

• Improving the efficiency of NRC programs

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Some Striking Parallels

• Importance of operating experience

• Complacency and lack of preparation for the unknown

• Deficiencies in operator training and technical capability

• Resulting public concern and lack of trust

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Our Charge as Regulators

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• Think broadly and systematically

• Tackle unknowns with a diverse “toolbox”

• Learn from each other and don’t forget

• Be open with the public and stakeholders

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BACKUP

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Fukushima: Initial NRC Actions

IN 2011-05 TI 2515/183

TI 2515/184 BL 2011-01

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NRC’s Near-Term

Task Force

• Within weeks of the accident, NRC

created a task force to review the

events and provide recommendations

to enhance safety at U.S. plants:

– Report issued July 2012.

– Concluded that a similar sequence

of events in the U.S. was unlikely

and there were no imminent risks

of continued operation and

licensing activity.

– Identified overarching potential

safety enhancements.

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