ML102500562

Summary of License Renewal Meeting Between NRC and NEI to Discuss Current License Renewal Topics and Process Improvements

ML102500562
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/23/2010
From:	Matthew Homiack NRC/NRR/DLR/RPOB
To:	Nuclear Energy Institute
Homiack M, NRR/DLR, 415-1683
References
Download: ML102500562 (9)

Text

September 23, 2010 ORGANIZATION:

Nuclear Energy Institute

SUMMARY

OF THE LICENSE RENEWAL MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE TO DISCUSS CURRENT LICENSE RENEWAL TOPICS AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) met on August 25, 2010, to discuss current license renewal topics and activities. Enclosed are a list of the meeting participants and the agenda. The NRC staffs slide presentation for the meeting is available in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System under Accession No. ML102420032. A summary of the meetings discussions follows.

1. Electronic Document Distribution The NRC staff informed NEI representatives of the NRCs move to electronic distribution of licensing correspondence related to individual license renewal application reviews. The NRC staff stated that it is also planning to begin electronic distribution of general license renewal information. For this purpose, the NRC staff requested that the NEI representatives provide their email addresses so that they could be added to the list for electronic distribution.

2. License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG)

The NRC staff informed NEI representatives that the final LR-ISG-2009-01, Aging Management of Spent Fuel Pool Neutron-Absorbing Materials other than Boraflex, was approved on April 27, 2010. The NRC staff also provided an overview of this guidance. The NRC staff also mentioned that it had issued, on June 14, 2010, a new revision to the LR-ISG process, and explained that this revision was not issued for public comment due to the minor extent of changes to the document. In addition, the NRC staff mentioned that it is considering the future development of LR-ISG on two areas: (1) cavitation erosion, and (2) aging management line items in NUREG-1801, Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL)

Report, that apply only to either boiling-water reactors or pressurized-water reactors, but should apply to both types of design. The NRC staff stated that it is currently developing schedules for these potential new LR-ISGs and would provide them at a later time, once they are finalized.

3. NRC Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2007-16, Revision 1, Implementation of the Requirements of 10 CFR 54.37(b) for Holders of Renewed Licenses The NRC staff stated that the final RIS revision was issued on April 28, 2010, and described the major changes from the previous version. The NRC staff also informed the NEI representatives that the responses to comments received on the draft RIS revision were issued in conjunction with the final RIS revision.

4. NRC Inspection Procedure 71003, Post-Approval Site Inspections for License Renewal The NEI representatives asked the NRC staff whether it is still planning to issue a revision to this inspection procedure, and if so, when it would be issued. The NRC staff stated that it is currently developing the revision and suggested that the revision could be the subject of a future meeting.

5. License Renewal Applicant Identification and Disposition of Time-Limited Aging Analyses (TLAAs)

The NRC staff stated that it is currently issuing a large number of requests for additional information on metal fatigue TLAAs. A summary of the issues was provided, and the NRC staff suggested a future meeting to further discuss this topic. The NRC staff explained that the purpose of the future meeting would be to clarify the information that should be included in the license renewal application so that the number of requests for additional information could be reduced.

6. Inaccessible Low-Voltage Power Cables The NRC staff provided some background on operating experience and aging management of inaccessible low-voltage power cables, provided an overview of the current NRC staff activities to address aging management for license renewal, and described the changes proposed for the related aging management program in the future GALL Report, Revision 2.

Regarding the proposed GALL Report revisions, the NEI representatives commented that operating experience and corrective actions should be considered to extend the recommended testing frequency.

7. Steam Generator Issues The NRC staff raised an issue from international operating experience concerning cracking of steam generator divider plates. The NRC staff explained that there may be a related safety issue for some designs of U.S. plants and asked the NEI representatives how U.S.

plants are analyzing the issue. The NEI representatives stated there is no domestic operating experience on cracking of steam generator divider plates and asked the NRC staff to provide documentation on the foreign operating experience. The NRC staff stated that, if possible, it would make this information publicly available, and suggested that this topic could the subject of a future meeting.

8. Renewed License Holder Implementation of the Updated GALL Report The NRC staff suggested that future license renewal applicants should address, to the extent practical, the recommendations in the draft GALL Report, Revision 2. Otherwise, the NRC staff explained, an applicant should expect requests for additional information on the new recommendations. If affected, the NRC staff suggested that applicants should speak with NRC staff project managers regarding implementation of the draft GALL Report revision.

9. Status of the GALL Report Update The NRC staff stated that it has received public comments from a number of groups and is currently finishing its evaluation of these comments. The NRC staff also stated that it plans to document all the comments received, and the NRC staffs responses, in NUREG-1950.

In addition, the NRC staff provided the upcoming milestones for issuance of the updated GALL Report: September 22, 2010, for providing the report to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS); October 22, 2010, for the ACRS sub-committee meeting; and November 2010 for the ACRS full-committee meeting. The NRC staff also mentioned that the next chance for the public to see the report is when it is provided to the ACRS.

10. Draft GALL Report Aging Management Program XI.M41, Buried and Underground Piping and Tanks The NRC staff stated that public meetings on this area have been successful and that it is planning to hold a follow-up meeting to the August 24, 2010, meeting to further discuss public comments on this draft aging management program. The NRC staff also mentioned that it is reviewing current license renewal applications against the key elements of the draft program. The NEI representatives commented that it is appreciative of the progress made by the NRC staff on this program. Concerning application of the draft program to applications currently under review, the NEI representatives commented that it is difficult to meet changing regulatory expectations and, as a result, it has seen a negative impact on review schedules.

11. Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) Update The NRC staff stated that the public comment period has closed and it is currently evaluating the comments received. The NRC staff mentioned that the final GEIS update is tied to a rulemaking, so there will be an effective date for implementing the document.

License renewal applicants submitting applications just before the effective date would likely see requests for additional information on some of the new information. Regarding the schedule, the NRC staff stated that it is planning to submit the rulemaking package to the Commission in fall of 2011. In addition, the planned completion date for summer of 2011 will be extended, and the NRC staff said that it hoped to provide a firmer schedule at a future quarterly meeting with NEI.

12. New Topics

a. Contentions The NRC staff mentioned that contentions are being raised on a variety of issues, such as environmental, severe accident mitigation alternatives, safety culture, and seismic qualification.

b. Integrated Regulatory Review Service The NRC staff stated that the NRCs license renewal program will be reviewed as part of the upcoming International Atomic Energy Agencys Integrated Regulatory Review Service. In this review, the NRCs nuclear regulatory approach for license renewal will be compared against the international safety standards and good practices of the periodic safety review.

c. Electrical Issues The NEI representatives asked the NRC staff for two clarifications on electrical issues:

(1) the intertie device in the switchyard, and (2) whether the metal enclosed bus program can be used for managing aging of iso-phase bus. Regarding the first issue, the NRC staff stated that it plans to make clarifications in the upcoming GALL Report, Revision 2.

On the second issue, the NRC staff clarified that either a plant-specific program or the GALL Reports metal enclosed bus program may be used to address aging management of the iso-phase bus. However, the NRC stated, exceptions to the GALL Report must be taken when crediting the metal enclosed bus program.

13. Public Participation No member of the public attended the meeting.

/RA/

Matthew J. Homiack, General Engineer Program Operations Branch Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosures:

As stated cc w/encls: Reactor License Renewal Stakeholder Group Listserv

ML102500562 OFFICE PM:RPOB:DLR LA:DLR BC:RPOB:DLR PM:RPOB:DLR NAME MHomiack IKing JRobinson MHomiack DATE 9/15/10 9/8/10 9/23/10 9/23/10

Letter to the Nuclear Energy Institute from Matthew Homiack, dated September 23, 2010

SUMMARY

OF THE LICENSE RENEWAL MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE TO DISCUSS CURRENT LICENSE RENEWAL TOPICS AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS DISTRIBUTION:

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ENCLOSURE 1 PARTICIPANT LIST License Renewal Meeting between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute to Discuss Current License Renewal Topics and Process Improvements August 25, 2010 PARTICIPANT AFFILIATION Michael Fallin CENG Michael Heath Progress Energy Richard Cliche NextEra Energy Kathryn Sutton Morgan Lewis Matthew Homiack NRC Tony Harris STARS Alliance Julie Keys Nuclear Energy Institute Ken Taplett STPNOC Chalmer Myer STARS Alliance Arden Aldridge STP Mike Semmler Westinghouse Linda Bugoci DTE Energy Cliff Custer FENOC Gary M. Adkins TVA Loyd Wright SCE Caroline McAndrews SCE Ky Nguyen SCE Ken Putnam NextEra Energy Ted Ivy Entergy Garry G. Young Entergy Jon Hornbuckle SNC Bud Auvil Structural Integrity David Alley NRC Raj Auluck NRC Abbas Mostala Energy Northwest Cliff Doutt NRC William Holston NRC Jay Robinson NRC Bill Rogers NRC Dave Bremer NPPD Bill Victor NPPD Sang Rhow NRC Nuc Nguyen NRC Ching Ng NRC James Medoff NRC Rachel Vaucher NRC Malanie Galloway NRC Arthur Cunanan NRC PARTICIPANT AFFILIATION Donald Brittner Andy Imboden Tim Lupold Roger Kalikian Mark Yoo Ken Brune Paula Cooper Dave Wrona Jerry Dozier Gene Kelly Brian Holian David Pelton Caroline Tilton*

Greg Pick*

Louis Lake*

Michael Modes*

NRC NRC NRC NRC NRC TVA NRC NRC NRC Exelon NRC NRC NRC NRC NRC NRC

• Participated by teleconference

ENCLOSURE 2 AGENDA License Renewal Meeting between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute to Discuss Current License Renewal Topics and Process Improvements August 25, 2010 Item Lead

1.

Introduction and Opening Remarks NRC

2.

Electronic Document Distribution NRC

3.

License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance NRC

4.

NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2007-16, Revision 1, Implementation of the Requirements of 10 CFR 54.37(b) for Holders of Renewed Licenses NRC/NEI

5.

NRC Inspection Procedure 71003, Post-Approval Site Inspections for License Renewal NEI

6.

License Renewal Applicant Identification and Disposition of Time-Limited Aging Analyses NRC

7.

Inaccessible Low-Voltage Power Cables NRC

8.

Steam Generator Issues NRC

9.

Renewed License Holder Implementation of the Updated Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report NRC

10. Status of the GALL Report Update NRC

11. Draft GALL Report Aging Management Program XI.M41, Buried and Underground Piping and Tanks NRC/NEI

12. Generic Environmental Impact Statement Update NRC/NEI

13. New Topics All

14. Public Participation All