ML070310258

Summary of the License Renewal Telephone Conference Call and Meeting Held Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute License Renewal Task Force

ML070310258
Person / Time
Issue date:	02/07/2007
From:	Hoffman S NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/RLRB
To:	Nuclear Energy Institute
Hoffman, S T, NRR, 415-3245
References
PROJ0690
Download: ML070310258 (9)

Text

February 7, 2007 ORGANIZATION: Nuclear Energy Institute

SUMMARY

OF THE LICENSE RENEWAL TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL AND MEETING HELD BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE LICENSE RENEWAL TASK FORCE The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

License Renewal Task Force held a public telephone conference call and meeting on January 10, 2007, to discuss generic license renewal topics, lessons learned from the audit process, and license renewal process improvements. Enclosure 1 provides a listing of the conference call participants. Enclosure 2 contains the agenda for the conference call. A summary of the discussions follows:

1. Open items from prior calls/meetings

a. Elimination of the license renewal interim staff guidance (LR-ISG) process and use of generic communication process At the request of NEI, the NRC staff evaluated its continued use of the LR-ISG process versus using the NRCs generic communication process. This topic was discussed in a number of previous conference calls and meetings. The NRC staff believes that the LR-ISG process has worked well since its inception in 2003 and provides an expeditious way to disseminate lessons learned and revised guidance to the industry and other interested stakeholders. The staff plans to continue the use of the LR-ISG process.

Although NEI stated it would still like to convert to the generic communication process, it agreed to the continued use of the LR-ISG process on a case-by-case basis as long as the staff continues its current process of coordinating issues early, before preparing a draft LR-ISG. This NRC staff action item is closed.

b. Providing advance contractor cost information NEI had previously requested that the staff investigate whether renewal applicants could receive contractor cost information on a monthly basis to support financial reporting requirements rather than quarterly as currently received in the NRCs official bill. The NRC staff receives monthly reports from its contractors which contain unofficial costs and uses them to prepare an internal report that helps track costs for each application.

The staff is still investigating whether it can share its internal cost report with the applicants. This topic will be discussed in the future.

c.

Response to NEIs September 5, 2006, letter re., Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Aging Management Program (AMP) XI.E6 The NRC staff is preparing a letter to NEI responding to NEIs September 5, 2006, submittal of a white paper (ML062770100) on GALL Report AMP XI.E6 for electrical cable connections. This topic was previously discussed in a November 30, 2006, meeting (ML063600004) and the response will follow the discussions at the meeting.

The status of the response will be discussed in the next monthly conference call.

d. Preparation of Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) for 10 CFR 54.37(b) position/update of IP-71003 The NRC staff plans to issue a RIS documenting the positions taken in its October 11, 2006, letter to NEI (ML062700236) on implementing the requirements of Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 54.37(b). The RIS will identify which of the LR-ISGs are compliance LR-ISGs that holders of renewed licenses must implement and will document the definition of newly identified as used in §54.37(b).

The NRCs Inspection Procedure IP-71003, Post-Approval Site Inspection for License Renewal, needs to be revised to include, in part, the definition of newly identified. The staff and NEI agreed that there needs to be a dialogue on the scope of these inspections and the staffs expectations to enable the holders of renewed licenses to properly prepare. The staff is currently evaluating a broader update of IP-71003 which will involve representatives from the four regional offices. After completing its assessments of IP-71003 changes, the staff will coordinate with the industry through NEI. Three plants with renewed licenses will reach 40 years of operation in 2009 and will need to have completed all license renewal commitments by that time and be ready for an IP-71003 inspection. NEI stated that improved guidance for the IP-71003 inspections needs to be developed in 2008 at least 6 months before an inspection to allow the licensee sufficient time to prepare. At NEIs request, this topic will become a standing agenda item for each conference call or meeting.

e. Development of level schedule for application submittals NEI had previously proposed developing a level schedule for submittal of license renewal applications (LRAs) to improve efficiency. As the decision on when to submit a renewal application is made by the individual utilities, NEI cannot establish a fixed submittal schedule. The NRC staffs budget is based on reviewing up to a maximum of twelve applications at any one time based on when they are submitted. Therefore, a fixed submittal schedule cannot be established and this NEI action item is closed.

2. New issues The NRC staff indicated that the Continuing Resolution that currently funds the NRC in Fiscal Year 2007 at Fiscal Year 2006 levels may impact completing the review of LRAs.

The extent of any impact is not known at this time.

/RA/

Stephen T. Hoffman, Senior Project Manager License Renewal Branch B Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 690

Enclosures:

As stated cc w/encls: See next page

ML070310258 DOCUMENT NAME:C:\\FileNet\\ML070310258.wpd OFFICE LA:DLR PM:RLRB:DLR BC:RLRB:DLR NAME SFigueroa SHoffman RAuluck DATE 02/01/07 02/07/07 02/07/07

ENCLOSURE 1 List of Participants for the Telephone Conference Call and Meeting Held Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute JANUARY 10, 2007 PARTICIPANTS AFFILIATIONS Pao-Tsin (P. T.) Kuo U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Rajender Auluck NRC Louise Lund NRC Kenneth Chang NRC Stephen Hoffman NRC Eric Benner NRC Rani Franovich NRC Linh Tran NRC Qi Gan NRC Dave Wrona NRC Peter Wen NRC Duc Nguyen NRC Dave McIntyre NRC Cathy Colleli NRC James Ross Nuclear Energy Institute Dave Kunsemiller Beaver Valley Steve Dort Beaver Valley Roger Rucker Beaver Valley Glen Rich Beaver Valley Alan Cox Entergy Rich Schaller Strategic Teaming and Resource Sharing (STARS)

Paul Crawley STARS Chalmer Myer Southern Nuclear Company Mike McFarlane Southern Nuclear Company Fred Polaski Exelon Al Fulvio Exelon Gene Eckholt Prairie Island Ken Albright Prairie Island Paul Aiken Dominion Tom Snow Dominion Dave Flyte PPL Susquehanna Roger Stewart Progress Energy Mike Fallin Constellation Ken Brune TVA Todd Mielke NMC Point Beach Bill Victor Cooper Dave Bremer Cooper Bob Sanderson Nine Mile Point Mike Semmler Duke Joe Pairitz Monticello Bob Kalinowski DC Cook Kathryn Sutton Morgan Lewis Richard Pinney New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Steven Dolley Platts Nuclear Deann Raleigh Scientech

ENCLOSURE 2 Teleconference Agenda Between the U.S. NRC Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute January 10, 2007 Topic

_ Lead

1. Open items from prior calls/meetings

a. Elimination of ISG process and use of generic NRC communication process

b. Providing advance contractor cost information NRC c.

Response to NEIs September 5, 2006, letter re., GALL NRC Aging Management Program XI.E6

d. Preparation of Regulatory Issue Summary for NRC 10 CFR 54.37(b) position/update of IP-71003

e. Development of level schedule for application submittals NEI

2. New issues NRC/NEI

3. Public participation All

Note to Nuclear Energy Institute, from Stephen Hoffman, dated February xx, 2007

SUMMARY

OF THE LICENSE RENEWAL TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL AND MEETING HELD BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE LICENSE RENEWAL TASK FORCE DISTRIBUTION:

HARD COPY DLR R/F E-MAIL:

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NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE Project No. 690 cc:

Ms. Christine S. Salembier, Commissioner State Liaison Officer Department of Public Service 112 State St., Drawer 20 Montipelier, VT 05620-2601 Mr. James Ross Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I St., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Frederick W. Polaski Manager License Renewal Exelon Corporation 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348 Mr. Clifford I. Custer Project Manager, License Renewal FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 4 Route 168 (Mail Stop SIM-2)

Shippingport, PA 15077 Mr. David Lochbaum Union of Concerned Scientists 1707 H St., NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006-3919 Mr. Paul Gunter, Director Reactor Watchdog Project Nuclear Information & Resource Service 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 340 Takoma Park, MD 20912 Mr. Hugh Jackson Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy &

Environment Program 215 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Washington, DC 20003 Mary Olson Nuclear Information & Resource Service Southeast Office P.O. Box 7586 Asheville, NC 28802 Mr. Garry G. Young Manager, License Renewal Services 1448 SR 333, N-GSB-45 Russellville, AR 72802 Robert A. Vincent Licensing Lead - License Renewal Project Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043 Lorrie Bell, Project Manager Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839 Roger Stewart Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.

3581 West Entrance Road RNP A9 Hartsville, SC 29550 Michael H. Crowthers, Supervisor Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street (GENPL4)

Allentown, PA 18101-1179