TheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)issuesregulatoryguidestodescribeandmakeavailabletothepublicmethodsthattheNRCstaffconsidersacceptableforuseinimplementingspecificpartsoftheagency’sregulations,techniquesthatthestaffusesinevaluatingspecificproblemsorpostulatedaccidents,anddatathatthestaffneedinreviewingapplicationsforpermitsandlicenses.Regulatoryguidesarenotsubstitutesforregulations,andcompliancewiththemisnotrequired.MethodsandsolutionsthatdifferfromthosesetforthinregulatoryguideswillbedeemedacceptableiftheyprovideabasisforthefindingsrequiredfortheissuanceorcontinuanceofapermitorlicensebytheCommission.Thisguidewasissuedafterconsiderationofcommentsreceivedfromthepublic.TheNRCstaffencouragesandwelcomescommentsandsuggestionsinconnectionwithimprovementstopublishedregulatoryguides,aswellasitemsforinclusioninregulatoryguidesthatarecurrentlybeingdeveloped.TheNRCstaffwillreviseexistingguides,asappropriate,toaccommodatecommentsandtoreflectnewinformationorexperience.WrittencommentsmaybesubmittedtotheRulesandDirectivesBranch,OfficeofAdministration,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC20555-0001.Regulatoryguidesareissuedin10broaddivisions:1,PowerReactors;2,ResearchandTestReactors;3,FuelsandMaterialsFacilities;4,EnvironmentalandSiting;5,MaterialsandPlantProtection;6,Products;7,Transportation;8,OccupationalHealth;9,AntitrustandFinancialReview;and10,General.Requestsforsinglecopiesofdraftoractiveregulatoryguides(whichmaybereproduced)shouldbemadetotheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC20555,Attention:ReproductionandDistributionServicesSection,orbyfaxto(301)415-2289;orbyemailtoDistribution@nrc.gov.ElectroniccopiesofthisguideandotherrecentlyissuedguidesareavailablethroughtheNRC’spublicWebsiteundertheRegulatoryGuidesdocumentcollectionoftheNRC’sElectronicReadingRoomat’sAgencywideDocumentsAccessandManagementSystem(ADAMS)at(DraftwasissuedasDG-1164,datedOctober2006)METEOROLOGICALMONITORINGPROGRAMSFORNUCLEARPOWERPLANTSA.INTRODUCTIONThisrevisedregulatoryguideprovideslicenseesandapplicantswithimprovedguidanceconcerningcriteriaforanonsitemeteorologicalmeasurementsprogramthatthestaffoftheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)considersacceptableforthecollectionofbasicmeteorologicaldataneededtosupportplantlicensingandoperation.ForstationarypowerreactorsiteapplicationssubmittedbeforeJanuary10,1997,Title10,Section100.10(c)(2),oftheCodeofFederalRegulations[10CFR100.10(c)(2),Ref.1]statesthatmeteorologicalconditionsatthesiteandinthesurroundingareashouldbeconsideredindeterminingtheacceptabilityofasiteforapowerreactor.Asanaidinevaluatingaproposedsite,10CFR100.11(a)statesthatmeteorologicalconditionspertinenttothesiteshouldbeused,alongwithanassumedfissionproductreleasefromthecoreandtheexpectedcontainmentleakrate,toensurethatprescribeddoselimitsfortheexclusionareaandlow-populationzone,asdefinedin10CFR50.2,“Definitions”(Ref.2),aremet.ForstationarypowerreactorsiteapplicationssubmittedonorafterJanuary10,1997,10CFR100.20(c)(2)requiresconsiderationofthemeteorologicalcharacteristicsofthesitethatarenecessaryforsafetyanalysisorthatmayhaveanimpactuponplantdesignindeterminingtheacceptabilityofasiteforanuclearpowerplant.Inaddition,10CFR100.21(c)requirestheevaluationofsiteatmosphericdispersioncharacteristicsandtheestablishmentofdispersionparameterssuchthat(1)radiologicaleffluentreleaselimitsassociatedwithnormaloperationfromthetypeoffacilityproposedtobelocatedatthesitecanbemetforanyindividuallocatedoffsite,and(2)radiologicaldoseTheERDSisadirect,near-real-timeelectronicdatalinkbetweenthelicensee’sonsitecomputersystemandtheNRC1OperationsCenterthatprovidesfortheautomatedtransmissionofalimiteddatasetofselectedplantparametersintheeventofaradiologicalemergency.Rev.1ofRG1.23,Page2consequencesofpostulatedaccidentsmeettheprescribeddoselimitsattheexclusionareaandlow-populationzonedistancessetforthin10CFR50.34(a)(1).The“GeneralDesignCriteria[GDC]forNuclearPowerPlants”setforthinAppendixAto10CFRPart50,“DomesticLicensingofProductionandUtilizationFacilities”(Ref.2),establishminimumrequirementsfortheprincipaldesigncriteriaforwater-coolednuclearpowerplants.Specifically,GDC19,“ControlRoom,”requiresthatacontrolroombeprovidedfromwhichactionscanbetakentooperatethenuclearpowerunitsafelyundernormalconditionsandtomaintainitinasafeconditionunderaccidentconditions.Adequateradiationprotectionmustbeprovidedtopermitaccesstoandoccupancyofthecontrolroomforthedurationofaccidentconditions.Forplantsthatusealternatesourceterms,10CFR50.67(b)(2)(iii)providessimilarcriteria.Atmosphericdispersionestimatesaresignificantinputsinassessmentsperformedtodemonstratecompliancewiththisrequirement.In10CFRPart50(Ref.2),Paragraphs50.47(b)(4),50.47(b)(8),and50.47(b)(9),aswellasSectionIV.E.2ofAppendixE,“EmergencyPlanningandPreparednessforProductionan