SEISMOTECTONIC ENVIRONMENT AND DESIGN BASIS EARTHQUAKE FOR THE DARLINGTON NUCLEAR-POWER STATION

This paper presents the case history of a 4x950 MW nuclear power stati on located in the intraplate seismic environment of Eastern Canada. Th e pertinent seismotectonic features of such an environment are describ ed, including the prevalence of a state of high horizontal compressive stress, and the absence of surface rupturing during most intraplate s eismic events. The design earthquakes for the various potential source s zones are determined, including the Western Quebec Zone, the Niagara Region and the Clarendon-Linden Fault System in western New York Stat e. The design basis seismic ground motion parameters are then deduced for the Darlington site, along with the ground response spectra. Diffe rences between the intraplate and plate-boundary seismic environments are discussed.