SIGNIFICANCE RATING OF IMPACTS Introduction

SIGNIFICANCE RATING OF IMPACTS

Introduction

In additional to the Significance Rating Methodology a Risk Assessment was also conducted by employing the SWIFT Risk Assessment Method as per Annexure 17.

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  Assessment Panel
  

Mr O Graupner - Poltech (Division of IRCA Technical Services)

Mrs A Haasbroek - Poltech (Division of IRCA Technical Services)

Mr W Schlechter - Netrisk (Division of IRCA)

Mr F Mellet - Netrisk (Division of IRCA)

Mr J de Villiers - Netrisk (Division of IRCA)

Mr W Lombaard - Poltech (Division of IRCA Technical Services

Mrs K Botes - Interdesign Landscape Architects (Pty) Ltd

Dr D de Waal - Afrosearch

Mrs H van Graan - Nuclear Consulting International

Mr N Andersen - Andersen Geological Consulting

Dr M Levin - Africon (Pty) Ltd

Mr G Erasmus - Ledwaba Erasmus Associates

Mr P van Wyk - J Paul van Wyk Urban Economist and Town Planners

The CVs of Consultants that participated in the EIR are provided in Annexure 20.

Significance Rating and Discussion of the Plants Related Impacts

Impacts of a Social Nature

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  Nature of the area and event
  

Both safety and security are achieved through design, procedures and monitoring to protect the worker and the public. Accident scenarios for a plane crash (including a Boeing 777) and other Category C events have been developed and assessed for public radiation exposure dose(s).

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  Significance Rating
  

  Event	Assessment Criteria					Significance Rating
  Extent	Duration	Intensity	Severity Rating	Probability
  Security breach with internal sabotage	Local	Short term	High		Improbable
  		2	4	(8) 3	2	-6 Low
  Safety event with release to the environment (Category C)	Local to sub regional	Short term	High		Improbable
  		2	4	(8) 3	2	-6 Low

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  Conclusions
  

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  Security : Security fencing and elaborate site access control, limit trespassing. Access control to the building, together with camera surveillance and interlock systems prevent ready access to the critical components of the building and building sections. (Building layout is such that the administrative section is at the front end while the critical components are secured at the back end of the building. Building structures (outer shell and citadel) are of sufficient design to protect the Plant and assure radiological safety in the event of projectiles (sabotage) and aircraft crashes.
  
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  Category C - Safety Event : Public exposure levels at 400 meters from the station will be well within the NNR fundamental safety criteria limits. The NNR will also evaluate the SAR scenarios and analysis for conformance.
  
  
  

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  Nature of the issue
  

Chapter 4.3.3. provides an overview of international literature on the correlation between radiological induced cancers/late fatalities and commercial nuclear facilities.

No credible correlation could however be established.

Eskom conducts extensive radiological/health monitoring programmes of workers, and, the environment for radiological build-up or contamination at Koeberg. A similar monitoring programme will also be followed for the proposed Plant as part of the NNRs licence conditions.

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  Significance Rating
  

  Event	Assessment Criteria					Significance Rating
  Extent	Duration	Intensity	Severity Rating	Probability
  Radiation induced cancers and late fatalities	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

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  Conclusions
  

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  Mitigation
  

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  NNR licence conditions must be adhered to
  
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  HIV/AIDS in the Workplace
  

The introduction of 1400 construction workers over the two year construction period may have consequences on the further communication of the disease.

However, most of the workers will be sourced from the Cape Town environment with the result that minimal new workers and thus potentially infected individuals will be introduced.

Despite local recruitment rigorous practices will have to be employed to minimise the spread or effect of the disease.

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  Significance Rating
  

  Event	Assessment Criteria					Significance Rating
  Extent	Duration	Intensity	Severity Rating	Probability
  	Local to sub-regional	Medium 3	High 4	(12) 4	Probable 3	-12 Medium

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  Conclusions
  

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  Mitigation
  

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  Nature of the issue
  

No significant impact will result on institutional capacity due to establishment and operation of the proposed Plant

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  Mitigation
  

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  Nature of the issue
  

Attention is paid to:

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  The demonstration of Duty and Care in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) specifically for the finalisation of the National Radiological Waste Management Policy and the establishment of a repository for radioactive High Level Waste (HLW),
  
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  3^rd Party Liability provision
  
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  Financial provision (Eskom) for decommissioning and the long term management of radiological waste specifically HLW.
  

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  Significance Rating
  

  Event	Assessment Criteria					Significance Rating
  Extent	Duration	Intensity	Severity Rating	Probability
  Absence of a National Policy on the Management of Radioactive Waste	National	Short term	Medium		Definite
  -	2	2	(4) 2	5	-10 Medium

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  Conclusions
  

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  Mitigation
  

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  The Department of Minerals and Energy should accelerate and promulgated the National Policy on the Management of Radioactive Waste. The work on the establishment of a High Level Waste repository needs to commence inclusive of public participation .
  
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  Financial provision must be made by Eskom for 3^rd party liability and the decommissioning of the Plant (at the end of life) and final storage/disposal of High Level Waste.