ML18198A045

July 19, 2018, Presentation Slides: Overview of Nrc'S Review of Holtec'S HI-STORE Cisf License Application

ML18198A045
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/19/2018
From:	David Brown, Cuadrado J, Michael Layton, John Mckirgan Division of Spent Fuel Management, Spent Fuel Licensing Branch
To:
References
Download: ML18198A045 (21)

Text

Overview of NRC's Review of Holtec's HI-STORE CISF License Application Michael C. Layton, Director Division of Spent Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety & Safeguards John McKirgan, Branch Chief, Spent Fuel Licensing Branch Jose Cuadrado-Caraballo, Project Manager David Brown, Project Manager July 19, 2018

Topics

• Overview of the NRC

- NRC's Mission, Organization, Responsibilities

• NRCs Review of Holtec HI-STORE CISF Application

- NRCs Safety Review

- NRCs Environmental Review

- NRCs Adjudicatory Hearing Process

• Expected Timelines for NRC's Review

• Conclusions

• Questions and Answers 2

NRC's Mission NRC Mission:

To license and regulate the Nation's civilian use of radioactive materials to protect public health and safety, promote the common defense and security, and protect the environment.

3

Examples of what NRC regulates

• Commercial nuclear power plants and non-power reactors

• Nuclear fuel cycle facilities

• Medical, industrial, and academic uses of radioactive material

• Transportation, storage, and disposal of nuclear materials and waste, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities from service 4

NRC does not...

• Own or operate nuclear facilities

• Regulate nuclear weapons or DOE defense facilities, such as Los Alamos

• Regulate WIPP

• Lobby for nuclear power 5

The NRC

• Five NRC Commissioners

- Appointed by the President; confirmed by Senate

- At most 3 of any one political party year terms

- Chairman designated by the President 6

7 What the NRC staff does

• Implements Commission regulations and policies

• Recommends public health and safety, environmental, and security regulations

• Evaluates license applications and amendments, and issue licenses

• Evaluates emergency preparedness and response

• Inspects applicants and licensees

• Advises the Commission on safety, environmental, and security matters

• Conducts research

• Investigations, Enforcement, and Allegations

• Communicates with the public 8

NRCs Role in Holtec's CISF

• Independent regulator

• Primary mission to protect public health and safety, protect the environment, and provide for common defense and security

• Must decide whether to grant or deny a license to Holtec for construction and operation of an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI)

• If license is granted and facility begins operation, NRC will inspect and oversee its operations to assure that Holtec complies with safety and security requirements 9

NRCs Decision Process for Holtec CISF Applicant Submits License Application NRC Accepts License Application NRC Begins NRC Begins Environmental Safety Review Review NRC Adjudicatory NRC Issues Hearings NRC Issues Safety Environmental Evaluation Report Impact Statement ASLB Issues Findings NRC license 10

Holtec HI-STORE CISF -

Lea County, New Mexico

• License application submitted to NRC on March 30, 2017

• Holtec International is the applicant; proposed site is in Lea County, New Mexico

• Initial application for 40-year license to store 8,680 MTU (500 canisters) of commercial spent fuel; future plans to expand up to 100,000 MTU

• Proposed facility to use the HI-STORM UMAX Canister Storage System 11

Holtec HI-STORE UMAX 12

Holtec HI-STORE CISF 13

NRCs Safety Review

• NRC staff reviews the applicants Safety Analysis Report and other parts of the application.

- NRC uses experienced technical staff and independent contractors to review and evaluate the application

• As part of the review process, NRC staff may:

- Request additional information from the applicant

- Conduct independent confirmatory analyses, as needed

• NRC staff documents its conclusions in a publicly available Safety Evaluation Report (SER) 14

NRCs Safety Review:

What is required?

• NRC regulations require an ISFSI to meet safety requirements, such as:

- maintain confinement of radioactive material,

- provide adequate radiation shielding for workers and the public,

- prevent nuclear criticality, and

- maintain retrievability of spent fuel

• The ISFSI applicant must demonstrate that the proposed storage system design, when used at the proposed location, meets the requirements under the following conditions:

- Normal conditions of storage

- Off-normal (Unusual) Events (includes temperature and pressure extremes)

- Accidents (includes earthquakes, fires, floods, lightning, tornado, complete air flow blockage, and cask drop and tip-over) 15

NRCs Safety Review

• For a specifically-licensed ISFSI, NRC regulations require that the license application must also contain the following:

- A discussion of the applicants financial qualifications;

- An Emergency Plan;

- A Quality Assurance Program;

- A Physical Protection Plan;

- A Decommissioning Funding Plan; and

- A Training and Qualifications Program 16

NRCs Environmental Review

• As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and NRC regulations in 10 CFR Part 51, NRC must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for an away-from-reactor ISFSI

• The EIS is a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impacts of the proposed action

• The NRCs environmental review is an public process that provides opportunities for the public to participate, comment, and provide input.

17

NRC Hearings

• NRC will provide an opportunity to request an adjudicatory hearing before a 3-judge licensing board of NRC's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP)

• ASLBP is an independent adjudicatory arm of NRC that conducts hearings for the Commission

• Potential parties may request a hearing on contested aspects of the license application, including safety, security, and environmental issues 18

NRCs Final Licensing Decision

• If there is a hearing, NRC staff awaits ASLBs initial decision before issuing license

• If the ASLB finds in favor of the applicant, NRC staff may proceed to issue the storage license for an initial term not to exceed 40 years

• Upon issuance of the final license and technical specifications, licensee may begin construction and operation of the facility 19

Expected Timelines for NRCs Decision Process NRC Decision Stage Estimated Timeline for Completion Acceptance Review Completed February 28, 2018 NRC Safety Review and Approximately July 2020 Environmental Review NRC Hearings Depends on hearing procedures, number and scope of contested issues License Issuance Within 10 days after initial ASLB decision 20

Conclusions

• NRC has an established regulatory framework in place for licensing ISFSIs

• Any NRC decision on a proposed consolidated interim storage facility will only be made after:

- A comprehensive safety, security, and environmental review, and;

- An opportunity for public adjudicatory hearing

• NRC expects to complete its detailed review and make a licensing decision in approximately three years 21