ML101400163

G20100292/LTR-10-0213/EDATS: SECY-2010-0263 - Stephen Mecca Ltr Request for Meeting on the License Renewal of the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center Research Reactor - Response

ML101400163
Person / Time
Site:	Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission
Issue date:	08/04/2010
From:	Leeds E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Mecca S State of RI, Atomic Energy Comm, Nuclear Science Ctr
Kennedy W, NRR/DPR, 415-2784
Shared Package
ML101400082	List: ML101400163
References
CORR-10-0053, EDATS: SECY-2010-0263, G20100292, LTR-10-0213
Download: ML101400163 (3)

Text

August 4, 2010 Stephen Mecca, Ph.D., Chairman Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center 16 Reactor Road Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882-1165

Dear Dr. Mecca:

This letter is in response to your May 4, 2010, letter to Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) about renewal of Facility Operating License No. R-95 for the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center reactor. In your letter, you raised concerns about the current license renewal process for research reactors, provided recommendations for improving the renewal process, and requested a meeting with the Commissioners. Subsequent to your letter, representatives of the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission met individually with the Chairman and each Commissioner on June 3, 2010. This letter responds to specific issues raised in your letter.

The NRC renews research reactor licenses using a process based on the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities. The requirements include 10 CFR 50.33, Contents of Applications; General Information, 10 CFR 50.34, Contents of Construction Permit and Operating License Applications; Technical Information, 10 CFR 50.36, Technical Specifications, and 10 CFR 50.51, Continuation of License. These regulations require that a license renewal application for a research reactor contain the complete safety basis for the facility and proposed technical specifications that are derived from the safety analysis report.

As you noted in your letter, this is different from the requirements for license renewal for nuclear power plants issued in 10 CFR Part 54, Requirements for Renewal of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants. Unlike nuclear power reactors, research reactors do not update their safety analysis reports every two years. Therefore, the NRC reviews the complete safety analysis during research reactor license renewal to ensure that the facility licensing basis remains valid and accurately documents the current status of the facility.

The NRC understands that the current license renewal process for research reactors can be demanding. That is one of the reasons the Commission directed the NRC Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation to develop Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) RTR-ISG-2009-001, Interim Staff Guidance on Streamlined Review Process for License Renewal for Research Reactors, in October 2009, to provide short term measures to streamline the license renewal process.

Although the development of the ISG included public meetings and a period of public comment (see 74 FR 28583) to allow stakeholders to provide their input on the license renewal process, it is clear from your letter that the ISG process may have had some unintended consequences.

S. Mecca Under the ISG, the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center reactor is a high-powered (licensed power of two megawatts or more) reactor and receives a full review against the guidance in NUREG-1537, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors, issued February 1996, and American National Standards Institute/American Nuclear Society 15-series standards. The Commission has directed the NRC staff to develop an enhanced research and test reactor (RTR) license renewal process. The NRC staff will solicit recommendations and comments from stakeholders, including the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission, to aid the NRC in the development of a more effective and efficient RTR license renewal process.

In your recent letter to Chairman Jaczko, you made several recommendations to improve the current license renewal process, including focusing the NRC review on aging-related issues.

The NRC appreciates and values your recommendations for improvement of current RTR license renewal process and will consider these recommendations during the development of the enhanced RTR license renewal process.

Until the enhanced process receives Commission approval, the NRC will continue to conduct RTR license renewal using the ISG. However, I am sensitive to your expressed concerns. With that in mind, I welcome you to contact William B. Kennedy of my staff, to discuss not only the timing of your response to our Request for Additional Information dated April 13, 2010, but also technical assistance that could be afforded to you through the Department of Energy Research Reactor Infrastructure Program.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Eric J. Leeds, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

PKG: ML101400082, Incoming: ML101320069, Response: ML101400163 OFFICE PRLB:PM PRPB:LA Tech Ed* PRLB:ABC OGC WKennedy GLappert gkl Kazariah-Kribbs AAdams aa BMizuno bm NAME wbk DATE 5/20/2010 5/24/2010 5/21/2010 5/24/2010 5/26/2010 D:DPR D:NRR OFFICE EDO OCM D:NRR TMcGinty tm ELeeds (BHolian for) RBorchardt (MVirgilio for)

NAME ELeeds el 05/27/10 6/1/10 08/02/10 08/04/10 DATE 6/4/10