As part of the preliminary design for a proposed nuclear fuel reprocessing plant to be located near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Exxon Nuclear Company, Inc. has made an extensive analysis of the environmental effects to the public from accidents occurring within the reprocessing complex. Each plant system was reviewed for its response to a spectrum of abnormal events, including natural phenomena, utility failures, equipment failures, operating errors, and process upsets. The analysis has shown that the plant is designed with sufficient confinement barriers and redundancy that in-plant accidents would not result in excessive radiation doses to the public.