Meteorological data collected, processed, stored, and disseminated through implementation of this standard are utilized to support the full life cycle (i.e., siting, design, construction, operation, and decommissioning) of nuclear facilities. These data are employed in a large number of applications associated with determining environmental impacts, enabling consequence assessments in routine release and design-basis accident evaluations, supporting emergency preparedness and response programs, and other important applications, such as evaluating the impacts of beyond-design-basis events.
A 40-year history: ANSI/ANS-3.11-2024 is a revision of ANS-3.11-2015 (R2020; withdrawn). While well-established monitoring and analysis methods are adequately addressed, this revision provides information on newer in situ and ex situ monitoring systems, both hardware and software, and more modern data management methods to keep pace with the state of the science. The standard was originally issued in 1984 as ANS-2.5-1984, which was narrowly focused on commercial nuclear power plant siting considerations and did not provide adequate guidance on meteorological data application for the facility life cycle. In 1996, the Nuclear Utility Meteorological Data Users Group and the DOE’s Meteorological Coordinating Council jointly undertook comprehensive reviews of the applicability of the standard, recommending major refinements for a revision.
In 2000, a revision was issued with the new designation of ANS-3.11-2000. This updated standard addressed life cycle issues associated with meteorological monitoring programs at nuclear facilities and technological advances for in situ and remote sensing instrumentation to monitor meteorological parameters, modifications in analytical requirements, and other considerations. However, it did not attempt to define the exact monitoring criteria for every possible type of facility or site environment, instead identifying the minimum information that is required for a successful monitoring program.
Dedication of volunteers: The ANS-3.11 Working Group has been very proactive over the years, reviewing the standard to determine when it needs to be updated. In 2003, the working group unanimously decided to update the 2000 revision, which resulted in the publication of ANS-3.11-2005. A review initiated in 2008 led to the reaffirmation (a reapproval without change) of this version 2010. The
When the working group was again reconstituted in 2012 to revise ANS-3.11-2005 (R2010), they determined that a revision was needed to account for new reference standards, advances in ex situ and in situ instrumentation, advances in data management equipment and techniques, advances in meteorological program management, improvements in integration with facility programs, cybersecurity, software quality assurance, and other programmatic considerations. The ANS-3.11-2015 version also added several appendices that provided supplemental information about the design and implementation of a meteorological monitoring program.
A 2020 review resulted in the decision to reaffirm the standard to keep it a current American National Standard while a revision could be completed to include new monitoring techniques, improved data management methods, and additional advances in remote sensing technology. The current standard is the result of that work. ANSI/ANS-3.11-2024 is available for purchase in the ANS Online Store.
