The NRC has released its Recommendations for Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century - Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Daiichi Accident. The 90 page report was written in response to the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011 which resulted in partial or complete meltdowns of three reactors at Fukushima, Japan. 
Here are just a few noted recommendations made in the report: 
  • Require GE Mark I and Mark II boiling water reactors to have reliable hardened vents
  • Require plants to have reasonable backup emergency equipment protection
  • Require plants to have sufficient safety-related instrumentation to monitor spent fuel pools
  • Require plants to have earthquake-resistant and easily accessible measures for spraying water into spent fuel pools
  • Revise regulations to require nuclear plants to reevaluate hazards from flooding and seismic events every 10 years
  • Revise regulations to ensure equipment, procedures, and training is in place to support a loss power event for a minimum of 8 hours and to maintain safe operation or bring it to a safe shutdown within 72 hours for the reactors and spent fuel pools
  • Revise emergency preparedness procedures to enhance safety for sites with multiple reactors at one location
  • Increase inspections of seismic and flood protection equipment
  • Require plants to have spent fuel pool back-up water supplies sources and plans 
The full report is attached below (5.8 MB / pdf).
Note: File Updated 12:30 PM