Nuclear Power Plants Requirements

General Consideration for Site Selection

• Siting of new NPPs should consist of site selection, which involves investigation of a large region to select preferred sites, and followed by detailed evaluation of the preferred site. 
• The information needed to evaluate potential sites at this initial stage of site selection is assumed to be limited to information that is obtainable from published reports, public records, public and private agencies, and individuals knowledgeable about the locality of a potential site. Although in some cases the applicants may have conducted on-the-spot investigations, it is assumed here that these investigations would be limited to reconnaissance-type surveys at this stage in the site selection process.
• A significant commitment of time and resources may be required to select a suitable site for a NPP, including safety and environmental considerations. Site selection involves consideration of public health and safety, engineering and design, economics, institutional requirements, environmental impacts, and other factors.
• The potential impacts of the construction and operation of NPPs on the physical and biological environment and on social, cultural, and economic features (including environmental justice) are usually similar to the potential impacts of any major industrial facility, but NPPs are unique in the degree to which potential impacts of the environment on their safety and this factor shall be considered. The safety requirements are primary determinants of the suitability of a site for NPPs, but considerations of environmental impacts are also important and need to be evaluated. 
• In the site selection process, coordination between applicants and various Federal, State and local authorities will be useful in identifying potential problem areas.