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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Julien Beaucourt, Gabriel Georgescu
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 3 | March 2021 | Pages 323-334
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1770530
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Extension of the operational lifetime beyond 40 years is currently a noteworthy project in the field of nuclear safety in France, especially for 900-MW(electric) reactors that will be the first ones to go through the fourth periodic safety review. For 1300-MW(electric) reactors, the safety studies have already been engaged. Probabilistic Safety Assessments (PSAs) play an important role in this process, including assessment of the robustness of the plants against internal and external hazards. Among the hazards, internal explosion induced by hydrogen accumulation due to leakage of pipes and/or singularities, or failure of venting systems in the battery rooms is now taken into account in the PSA developed by the licensee (EDF). The PSAs are then reviewed by IRSN, which is the French Technical support organization. To achieve this purpose, IRSN develops its own Level 1 PSA studies. This paper takes into account the most recent developments of the IRSN analyses, especially regarding the Bayesian quantification of the hydrogen leak frequency derived from an original method developed by Sandia National Laboratories.