The Modular High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (MHTGR) currently under development by the US Department of Energy (US-DOE) for commercial applications has top-level goals of producing safe, economical power for the US utility industry. The utility industry has been represented in formulating design and licensing requirements through both a Utility User Requirements Document'' and by participating in the DOE system engineering process known as the Integrated Approach.'' The result of this collaboration has been to set stringent goals for both the safety and operational reliability of the MHTGR. To achieve these goals, the designer must have access to a more comprehensive data base of properties in several fields of technology than is currently available. A technology development program has been planned to provide this data to the designer in time to support both his design activities and the submittal of formal licensing application documents. The US-DOE has chosen the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to take the lead in planning and executing these technology programs. When completed these will augment the designer's current data base and provide the necessary depth to meet the stringent goals which have been set for the MHTGR. It is worth noting that the goals of safety and operational reliability are complementary, and the data required from the technology development program will be similar. Therefore, the program to support the licensing of the MHTGR is not separate from that required for design, but is a subset of that which meets all the requirements that result from implementing the US-DOE's integrated approach. 38 figs.

The MHTGR is an advanced reactor concept being developed under a cooperative program involving the US Government, the nuclear industry, and the utilities. The design utilizes the basic HTGR features of ceramic fuel, helium coolant, and a graphite moderator. However, the specific size and configuration are selected to utilize the inherent characteristics of these materials to develop passive safety features that provide a significantly higher margin of safety than current generation reactors. The design meets the US Environmental Protection Agency's Protective Action Guidelines at the site boundary, hence precluding the need for sheltering or vacation of the public during any licensing basis event. This safe behavior is not dependent upon operator action and is insensitive to operator error. The MHTGR Licensing Plan agreed to with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is discussed with particular attention to the framework of the preapplication review. The objective and scope of each key document prepared for the NRC review is presented. A summary is provided of the safety response to events challenging the functions relied on to retain radionuclides within the coated fuel particles. The regulatory interaction process and results are discussed through the NRC staff, NRC contractor, and ACRS reviews. 11 refs., 3 figs.

The Modular High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (MHTGR) design meets stringent top-level regulatory and user safety requirements that require that the normal and off-normal operation of the plant not disturb the public's day-to-day activities. Quantitative, top-level regulatory criteria have been specified from US NRC and EPA sources to guide the design. The user/utility group has further specified that these criteria be met at the plant boundary. The focus of the safety approach has then been centered on retaining the radionuclide inventory within the fuel by removing core heat, controlling chemical attack, and by controlling heat generation. The MHTGR is shown to passively meet the stringent requirements with margin. No operator action is required and the plant is insensitive to operator error.

Semiannual, with semiannual and annual indexes. References to all scientific and technical literature coming from DOE, its laboratories, energy centers, and contractors. Includes all works deriving from DOE, other related government-sponsored information, and foreign nonnuclear information. Arranged under 39 categories, e.g., Biomedical sciences, basic studies; Biomedical sciences, applied studies; Health and safety; and Fusion energy. Entry gives bibliographical information and abstract. Corporate, author, subject, report number indexes.

This paper presents the approach used to define the technology program needed to support design and licensing of a Modular High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (MHTGR). The MHTGR design depends heavily on data and information developed during the past 25 years to support large HTGR (LHTGR) designs. The technology program focuses on MHTGR-specific operating and accident conditions, and on validation of models and assumptions developed using LHTGR data. The technology program is briefly outlined, and a schedule is presented for completion of technology work which is consistent with completion of a Final Safety Summary Analysis Report (FSSAR) by 1992.