It has been over two decades since Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) was first introduced to Taiwan's Nuclear Power Plants. The Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) applies the PRA technology and provides the Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) technical service to evaluate the potential risk and quantitative safety for the three first-phase Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tank systems of an LNG plant in Taiwan. The results of this assessment will be used as the basis for applying an exemption from Taiwan's regulatory body's requirements for internal LNG tank periodic inspection.

The huge amount of LNG in the storage tank is a significant hazard source to the LNG facilities. In the light of the potential LNG safety hazards, it is important to adopt an effective tool to identify and manage the risks associated with operating the LNG facilities. To provide the true picture of the risks posed by the LNG facilities, the QRA that includes all plausible release scenarios will be conducted. The QRA has been used extensively in recent years for the systematic identification of hazard scenarios, evaluation of the significance of these risk scenarios, and analysis/selection of the risk reduction measures.

The goal and expected results are (1) to build the risk models and databases for three LNG tanks of the selected LNG plant and to quantify their risks; (2) to assess the potential weakness of these tanks and to propose the improving measures; (3) to establish the regulatory basis for an alternative on-line internal LNG tank inspection program; (4) by working with the LNG plant engineers and management, to understand the operation-related risks, to elevate the safety-awareness at the LNG plant, to adopt appropriate safety management strategy, and thus to promote the comprehensive risk management program in the LNG plant. By QRA study, the risks associated with operating the facility will be fully understood and appropriate risk management strategies will be considered and be implemented to ensure the safety of the LNG plant.