ML071060102

Summary of the License Renewal Meeting Held Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute to Discuss Generic License Renewal Topics, Lessons Learned from the Audit Process, and License Renewal Process

ML071060102
Person / Time
Site:	PROJ0690
Issue date:	04/30/2007
From:	Hoffman S NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/RLRB
To:	Nuclear Energy Institute
Hoffman, S T, NRR, 415-3245
References
Download: ML071060102 (8)

Text

April 30, 2007 ORGANIZATION: Nuclear Energy Institute

SUMMARY

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

License Renewal Task Force met on March 21, 2007, to discuss generic license renewal topics, lessons learned from the audit process, and license renewal process improvements. provides a listing of the meeting participants and Enclosure 2 contains the meeting agenda. A summary of the discussions follows:

1. Update - 2007 renewal application submittals The next three licensees submitting renewal applications discussed the status of their applications. All applications are on schedule. The Indian Point application is scheduled for submittal by the end of April 2007, Vogtle by the end of June 2007, and Beaver Valley by the end of August 2007.

2. Response to NEIs September 5, 2006, letter regarding Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) report aging management program (AMP) XI.E6 NEIs September 5, 2006, letter to the NRC submitted a white paper proposing changes to GALL Report AMP XI.E6 for electrical cable connections (ADAMS Accession No. ML062770100). The NRC staff reviewed NEIs submittal and responded in a letter dated March 16, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML070400349). The NRCs letter will be discussed during the next monthly telephone conference.

3. Impact of continuing resolution on license renewal The continuing resolution that funded the NRC in Fiscal Year 2007 at Fiscal Year 2006 levels was lifted. Budget restraints due to the continuing resolution impacted renewal application reviews resulting in delays in performing critical audit activities and public information and environmental scoping meetings. The NRC staff is assessing the impact of these delays on applications currently under review and the cascading affects on the next few submittals. The staff will discuss the schedule impacts with the applicants and issue revised schedules.

4. Industry license renewal implementation guidance NEI is considering whether to prepare industry guidance for post-renewal implementation of license renewal commitments and integration of renewal activities into existing plant programs and activities. If developed, NEI may share the guidance with the NRC but does not see the need for formal NRC review and approval. The guidance would also include licensee preparation for the NRCs post-approval inspection discussed under Item 5.

5. Post-approval renewal inspection procedure (IP-71003) and implementation of Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 54.37(b) (10 CFR 54.37(b))

As discussed in previous telephone conferences and meetings, the NRC staff is revising Inspection Procedure IP-71003, Post-Approval Site Inspection for License Renewal. The staff and NEI agreed that there needs to be dialogue on the scope of these inspections and the staffs expectations to enable the holders of renewed licenses to properly prepare. The staff is reviewing the procedure internally and expects to have a draft ready for discussion with the industry and interested stakeholders in three to six months. As planned, the staff subsequently held an internal NRC review meeting on revising the procedure that involved experienced renewal inspection personnel from the NRCs four regional offices.

The NRC staff is preparing a Regulatory Information Summary (RIS) documenting the positions taken in its October 11, 2006, letter to NEI (ADAMS Accession No. ML062700236) on implementing the requirements of 10 CFR 54.37(b). The RIS will identify which of the license renewal interim staff guidance positions are compliance that holders of renewed licenses must implement. The RIS will also document the definition of newly identified as used in conjunction with §54.37(b).

6. Lessons learned from recent safety review audits There were no safety review audits since the last monthly conference call. The NRC staff did indicate it was investigating a process improvement regarding the audit report. The audit report, which is currently quite large and contains information that is also included in the safety evaluation report, would be shortened and would incorporate the detailed audit question and answer database submitted on the docket by the applicant. The question and answer database would, along with the audit plan and safety evaluation report inputs, document the results of the audit. Agreement is still needed to change the audit report format by the NRCs Office of General Counsel and the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. This topic will be discussed in a future telephone conference or meeting.

7. New issues The staff indicated that formal requests for information to support the environmental reviews for license renewal would be issued starting with Wolf Creek Generating Station. In the past, the staff has indicated information it needed to complete its review during site audits, and the information was subsequently sent to the NRC and docketed by the staff. The staff endeavors to elevate the formality of this exchange of information.

8. Public participation No member of the public chose to participate in the meeting.

/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

ML071060102 DOCUMENT NAME:C:\\FileNet\\ML071060102.wpd OFFICE PM:RLRB:DLR LA:DLR BC:RLRC:DLR BC:REBB:DLR BC:RLRB:DLR NAME SHoffman IKing KChang RFranovich RAuluck DATE 04/17/07 04/24/07 04/23/07 04/17/07 04/30/07

List of Participants License Renewal Meeting Between the NRC Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute March 21, 2007 PARTICIPANTS AFFILIATIONS 1.

Pao-Tsin (P. T.) Kuo U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 2.

Kenneth Chang NRC 3.

Stephen Hoffman NRC 4.

Rajender Auluck NRC 5.

Rani Franovich NRC 6.

K. Robert Hsu NRC 7.

Yeon-Ki Chung NRC 8.

Jim Riley Nuclear Energy Institute 9.

Mike Detamore PPL Susquehanna 10.

Jerome Fields PPL Susquehanna 11.

Duane Filchner PPL Susquehanna 12.

Abbas Mostala Energy Northwest/Columbia Generating Station 13.

Joe Frisco Energy Northwest 14.

Dave Kunsemiller FENOC/Beaver Valley 15.

Mike Banko FENOC 16.

Greg Halnon FENOC 17.

Cliff Custer FENOC 18.

Garry Young Entergy 19.

Mark Giles Entergy 20.

Alan Cox Entergy 21.

Richard Schallen Strategic Teaming and Resource Sharing (STARS) 22.

Chalmer Myer Southern Nuclear Company 23.

Mike McFarlane Southern Nuclear Company 24.

Fred Polaski Exelon 25.

Steve Hale FPL 26.

Ken Putnam FPL 27.

Gene Eckholt NMC/Prairie Island 28.

Bob Vincent NMC/Palisades 29.

Rich Gallagher Dominion 30.

Michael Heath Progress Energy 31.

Bill Victor NPPD/Cooper 32.

Massoud Tefezzoli AREVA 33.

Alex Polonsky Morgan Lewis 34.

Bill McCaughey ATL International 35.

Anne Lovell Tetra Tech 36.

Jon Cudworth Tetra Tech 37.

Deann Raleigh LIS, Scientech ENCLOSURE 1

Agenda U.S. NRC Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute Meeting March 21, 2007 Topic Lead

1. Update - 2007 renewal application submittals NEI/applicants

2. Response to NEIs Sept. 5, 2006, letter regarding NRC GALL Aging management program XI.E6

3. Impact of continuing resolution on license renewal NRC

4. Industry LR implementation guidance NEI

5. Post-approval renewal inspection procedure (IP-71003)

NRC and implementation of 10 CFR 54.37(b) 6 Lessons learned from recent safety review audits NRC/NEI

7. New issues NRC/NEI

8. Public participation All ENCLOSURE 2

Letter to Nuclear Energy Institute, from Stephen Hoffman, dated April 30, 2007

SUMMARY

OF THE LICENSE RENEWAL MEETING HELD BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE DISTRIBUTION:

HARD COPY:

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Nuclear Energy Institute Project 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., N.W., Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Frederick W. Polaski Manager License Renewal Exelon Corporation 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348 Mr. David Lochbaum Union of Concerned Scientists 1707 H St., NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006-3919 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. 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