The top level safety objective is to provide protection for the personnel, public, and environment against radiation and radioactive contamination. This main objective must be fulfilled at every stage of the reactor plant lifecycle and in all operating conditions; more specifically it is defined by the radiation and technical safety objectives.

The radiation safety objective is aimed at restricting radiation doses to personnel and the public and at limiting radioactive releases to the environment. The radiation impact of the GT-MHR NPP on personnel, the public, and the environment in normal operation and in design basis and beyond design basis accidents should be lower than the limits specified in regulatory documents and, in fact, as low as possible, taking into account economic and social factors. No emergency response measures should be necessary for the public or the environment beyond the buffer area.

FIG. VII-2. Flow diagram of the reactor cooling system.

The technical safety objective is targeted at the prevention of accidents and at mitigation of accident consequences. This objective is met via a system of physical barriers and through a complex of measures aimed to protect these barriers and maintain their effectiveness. Effectiveness of physical barriers in accidents can be maintained through inherent reactor safety features (based on the negative feedback and natural processes), and passive safety systems.