Support for the RLZ head office at the BMUV and the BfS Neuherberg situation centre during RLZ emergency exercises

Background

In accordance with the requirements of the Radiation Protection Act (StrlSchG; see section 102), official emergency responses are to be practised on a regular basis. These emergency exercises must be appropriately differentiated from one another according to the type of exercise, scale, the emergency scenarios, and the participants. Demanding exercises must be prepared, carried out and evaluated on a regular basis in order to practise the technical capabilities of the Federal Radiological Situation Centre (RLZ), which is led by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), and thereby to continually improve the efficiency of these capabilities. For exercises such as these, corresponding scenarios must be developed in order to effectively cover the range of tasks for all RLZ units in the event of a radiologically significant emergency based on sound estimates of possible hazard potentials.

As part of the RLZ, the Gesellschaft für Anlagen‐ und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) is responsible for tasks including the expert estimation of possible hazard potentials in a radiological emergency. In a series of preceding projects on behalf of the BMUV/BfS, GRS has already gained extensive experience in the analysis of radiologically significant events at nuclear facilities and applied this experience to the exercise scenarios. The intension was to continue this work.

Objective

First, existing studies relating to serious beyond-design-basis accidents were to be used as the basis for analysing the radiological hazard potential in the event of possible massive releases involving widespread contamination. These analyses were to be used as the basis for producing exercise documentation for an RLZ exercise. In addition, possible external hazard potentials for a research reactor were to be analysed using existing source term estimations, and exercise documentation was then to be produced for a further emergency exercise. Finally, the project sought to provide support with the preparation, carrying out and evaluation of RLZ emergency exercises based on the developed exercise scripts.

Methods

The project began with an extensive literature search regarding possible event sequences as well as their analysis with respect to the requirements of the RLZ’s emergency organisation. The findings in relation to the analysed event sequences were used to produce exercise scenarios and documentation. This documentation included the chronological development of system parameters, details of possible source terms, operator notification forms, and a chronological sequence of likely events for all exercise participants. Support with the preparation, carrying out and evaluation of emergency drills included, among other things, the assumption of directing and observational responsibilities during the exercise. The GRS emergency centre also participated actively in the exercises in order to support the RLZ head office.

Implementation

Restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic meant that the RLZ exercise programme had to be postponed and the programme of works adapted accordingly. Exercise documentation was first produced for the RLZ exercise CORE 2021, which was carried out in collaboration with the Lower Saxony state authorities, and an exercise scenario and exercise script were produced for the emergency exercise. This was followed by work to prepare a tabletop exercise on crisis communication at the RLZ in order to train the RLZ communication staff (Staff K). The content included above all the working processes within the RLZ and the content of the Radiological Situation Report. As planned, possible external hazard potentials for a research reactor were analysed based on existing source term estimations, and the exercise documentation was then produced for a further emergency exercise. This was followed by the preparation, accompaniment and evaluation of the tabletop exercise for Staff K of the RLZ and preparation of the emergency exercise CORE 2021. Support was also provided with the preparation, carrying out and evaluation of the “Communication Exercise 2020” communication and technology test, which was carried out in December 2020. As part of the RLZ, the GRS emergency centre was actively involved in the test. Support was provided with producing the evaluation report – in which, above all, the test’s findings were set out.

Results

The project included the preparation of presentations for a tabletop exercise on crisis communication at the RLZ as well as exercise documentation for the 2020 communication exercise. A report was also produced on event sequences in research reactors that are of relevance to the RLZ's emergency planning. In addition, the exercise documentation was produced for the CORE 2022 emergency exercise at a research reactor. Lastly, the tabletop exercise on crisis communication at the RLZ was accompanied and support was provided with the preparation, carrying out and evaluation of the “Communication Exercise 2020” communication and technology test.

The updated scenario catalogue for official emergency preparedness exercises serves as the basis for regular exercises of this kind by the RLZ. The success of these exercises depends on the scenarios produced within the framework of this project and the support provided with the preparation, carrying out and evaluation of the RLZ communication exercise in December 2020, as well as the CORE 2021 emergency exercise. This framework also enabled the participation of the GRS emergency centre as part of the Federal Radiological Situation Centre in accordance with the legal mandate. Support with planning the CORE 2022 emergency exercise was decisive in this context. In addition, a previous emergency exercise served as the basis for preparing and carrying out a tabletop exercise for the newly founded Staff K (Communication) of the RLZ head office at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection. The aim of the tabletop exercise was to provide support with defining the area of work and the working processes of Staff K within the head office.