Following the Three Mile Island accident, a number of suggestions were offered for improving the safety of nuclear power plants. Many of these approaches involve increased dependence on complex and sophisticated safety systems and control technologies. An alternative approach to increased safety is explored; this approach involves the maximization of inherent safety features and minimization of safety and control system action. Specifically, the effects of changing pressurizer size and surge line configuration are examined to determine if the operation of the power-operated relief valve (PORV) could be eliminated during a turbine trip transient in a pressurized water reactor. The study is accomplished using the RETRAN-02 thermal-hydraulic analysis code. The results show that the opening of the PORV could be eliminated if the pressurizer size was doubled and the PORV setpoint increased slightly.