A Risk Analysis Framework for Evaluating the Safety, Reliability, and Economic Implications of Electrolysis for Hydrogen Production at NPPs

Source of Support: DOE-NEUP

Place of Performance: UCLA+UMD

Project Period: 2023-2026

Total Award Amount: $1,000,000 USD

Overall Objectives: Thermal and electrical energy from nuclear power plants (NPPs) offer a promising source of industrial process heat for decarbonizing industrial processes, such as high-temperature steam electrolysis hydrogen production (HTEF). Conducting a rigorous risk assessment of the implications of utilizing heat from NPPs for an industrial application is a critical aspect of evaluating the feasibility and safety implications of integrated nuclear-industrial systems. This work will examine how complex failure events at a HTEF impact the safe operation of an NPP by utilizing quantitative risk assessment (QRA) as the organizing principle. The insights generated will be used to propose design and safety recommendations for the layout of the integrated HTEF-NPP system and establish cost-benefit tradeoffs for implementing these recommendations. As such, this multi-layered analysis will account for the implications of the risk scenarios examined in the QRA on the integrated system’s operation, maintenance, economic feasibility, and plant layout.