Design-Basis Accident
Design-basis accident (DBA) is an event the nuclear plant is designed and licensed to withstand without core damage or significant offsite radiation release.
DBAs include loss-of-coolant accidents, steam line breaks, and control rod ejection, analyzed per 10 CFR 50 Appendix A General Design Criteria. Acceptance criteria limit fuel cladding temperature to 2200°F, clad oxidation to 17% thickness, and hydrogen generation to 0.01 times clad volume. Plants must maintain core cooling and containment integrity for 30 days post-DBA using safety systems like ECCS.
Why it matters now
DBA analyses underpin SMR licensing timelines in 2025-2026, enabling faster deployments for hyperscaler PPAs. Regulators like NRC emphasize conservative DBA envelopes amid HALEU-fueled advanced reactor reviews.
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