ML18071A362
| ML18071A362 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/19/2018 |
| From: | Kristine Svinicki NRC/Chairman |
| To: | Shimkus J, Upton F, Walden G US Congress, US HR (House of Representatives) |
| R. Rihm, EDO | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18067A310 | List: |
| References | |
| CORR-18-0021, LTR-18-0085 | |
| Download: ML18071A362 (3) | |
Text
Response to Request for Information Representative Greg Walden, Representative Fred Upton, and Representative John Shimkus Letter dated March 8, 2018
- 1. What is your vision for this initiative and the nature of the Transformation Team?
This initiative is intended to enhance our ability to evaluate and regulate new and novel technologies. We will accomplish this through identification of potential transformative changes to the NRCs regulatory framework, culture, and infrastructure, to further enhance our effectiveness, and efficiency in how we regulate emerging technologies.
As we look to the future, it has become apparent that the introduction and use of new and novel technologies in the nuclear industry (accident tolerant fuels, new materials and new manufacturing approaches, big data, digital instrumentation and controls, and small modular and advanced reactor designs) will challenge our current regulatory framework. This initiative provides an opportunity to implement transformative changes to enable the safe and secure use of new technologies.
- 2. What are the expected milestones, deliverables, and end products of the Transformation Initiative?
The Transformation Team was established on January 25, 2018. Within 90 days, the team will:
a) Harvest innovation techniques, ideas, and methodologies to successfully implement transformation, including strategies to enhance and sustain a transformative organizational culture.
b) Develop and recommend a specific area(s) to initiate transformative change within NRC.
c) Develop a strategy to promote the success of the specific area(s) recommended for transformation.
The end product is a May Commission paper that describes the teams recommendations, with estimated schedules and resources required to implement the recommendations.
- 3. How will you define success for the initiative? For example, what, if any, metrics will be used to measure progress in reaching transformational change?
The transformation initiative will be an iterative process and metrics will be used to measure the success of those initiatives approved by the Commission. These measures, will be developed after the Commission provides direction on what actions will be implemented.
- 4. Provide a list of members of the Transformation Team, including their areas of expertise.
Team membership is as follows:
2 Name Title Team Focus Areas/Expertise Dan Dorman Acting Deputy Executive Team Lead Director for Materials, Waste, Research, State, Tribal, Compliance, Administration and Human Capital Programs Andrea Kock Acting Division Director, Deputy Team Lead Division of Materials Safety, Security, State, and Tribal Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Mohamed Shams Branch Chief, Division of Supervisor Licensing Projects, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Margaret Bupp Chief Counsel, Atomic Safety Legal and Licensing Board Panel Richard Chang Project Manager, Division of Ideas Screening/Big Data Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Zahira Cruz Project Manager, Division of Communications Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Candace De Messieres Reliability and Risk Analyst, Risk Insights Division of Risk Analysis, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Bernard Dittman Digital I&C Engineer, Division of Digital Instrumentation and Engineering, Office of Nuclear Controls Regulatory Research Lisa Dimmick Medical Team Leader, Division Medical/Change of Materials Safety, Security, Management/Idea Disposition State, and Tribal Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Robert Gladney Project Manager, Division of Communications/Project Decommissioning, Uranium Management/Change Recovery, and Waste Management Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Matthew Hiser Materials Engineer, Division of Accident Tolerant Fuel/New Engineering, Office of Nuclear Materials Regulatory Research Diane Jackson Branch Chief, Division of Safety Advanced Reactors Systems, Risk Assessment, and Advanced Reactors, Office of New Reactors
3 Laura Kozak Senior Reactor Analyst, R-III Regional POC/
Transformational Culture/Risk Insights Mike Mangefrida Senior IT Specialist, Big Data Governance & Enterprise Management Services Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer Tim Mossman Branch Chief, Division of Digital Instrumentation and Physical and Cyber Security Controls Policy, Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response Barbara Sanford Branch Chief, Associate Logistics/Communications/
Director for HR Operations and Advanced Reactors Policy, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer
- 5. Will NRC solicit feedback from outside stakeholders? If so, how will the Transformation Team consider and incorporate feedback into the staff recommendations?
Yes. The Transformation Team engaged (and continues to engage) both internal NRC and external stakeholders (e.g., the nuclear industry, non-governmental organizations, public and private organizations, and Federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration). The team is assessing and prioritizing each idea to develop recommendations for the Commission of potential area(s) to implement transformation. Following submission of the paper to the Commission, there will be additional stakeholder involvement as transformative changes are implemented.
- 6. How does this initiative connect to efforts to ensure timely, efficient licensing reviews for existing licensees, for new advanced reactor designs and other nuclear technologies, such as digital instrumentation and control or advanced computing technologies?
The agency has several ongoing efforts to enhance timely, efficient licensing reviews for current licensees and applicants. The transformational efforts will be complementary to these initiatives and the staff intends to continue these efforts while moving forward with any transformational change. The changes sought in the transformation initiative will further timely, efficient licensing reviews for new nuclear technologies such as advanced reactor designs, and other nuclear technologies such as digital instrumentation and controls and advanced computing technologies.