ML19274D794
| ML19274D794 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/23/1979 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Jeanne Johnston SENATE, APPROPRIATIONS |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19274D789 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7902260158 | |
| Download: ML19274D794 (1) | |
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UNITED STATES
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., k, hdCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TV _1_ A g wAsmucToN, D. C. 20555
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Tne Honorable J. Iiennett Johnston, Chairman
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.Subconaittee on Pcblic Works Concittee c:n Appropriations.
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Dear Mr. Chair;;;an:
At the end of Fk' 1978, the Nuclear Regulatory Connission had a carryover i
of 54.0M of unobligated and unconmitted funds, or approximately 2% of the FY 1978 obligational availability.
These funds resulted from a combination of dbobligatien of prior year funds due to underruns orr completed ccn:racts, pr:g amatic cFanges, and from actual obligations on active
,cen:racts that were lower than originally estimate'd.
The Commission has icentified the need to apply these carryover ~ funds to priority unfunded requirer.aents as sMwn in the enclosure.
The itens involved a' Iso represent area.s of specific Congressional interest as expressed in the Authorization Act fcr FY 1979 or lecislative history.
There is contractual urgency associated wi h scme of the items and we would appreciate your early
- casiceration c= -hesn.
Tr.e planned application of the unobligated balances provides for some of the Concressicnally-directed initiatives.
N?.C is currently performing an ager,cy-vide assessment of its planned progracs and their relative priorities ir. an e*fer: o determine an appropriate course of action for continuing scoport tc Corgressior. ally-directed initiatives and on program requirements Ita: Fave evo.ved since our budget was sent to the Congress a year ago.
Npf' plans to connalete its assessment in the next few weeks and submit its p-oposed reallocations to the appropriate Cormittees.
i Sincerely,
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Joseph M. Hendrie
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.7902260 158
s FY 1979 Unfunded itequirements.
ioqram OfI' ice:
llui. lear Reac to_r.
(Dollars in. Thousands)
Rygulittlon (NRR)
Unfunded Amount Purpose rog~ ram Supp~ ort - Operating Reactors 900 This funding, in addition to the resources currently av.iilabic,
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will accelerate HRR's program to reduce the backlog of licensing actions.
HRR intends to initiate competitive procurement pro-cedures in the private sector.to assist the NRR staf f in areas where there is currently insufficient technical review and project management capability available within NRR for timely processing.
Once the contractors 6re identified HRR will be able to assign sor that is unique to the contractors capabilities.
Specific licensin actions will be identified and scheduled for completion in the sco of work that will be developed by '.h Contkact Source Evaluation Pan With the resources requested, and assuming contractors can begin w by February 1979, NRR expects to c'omplete an additional 150 actions in FY 1979 over the 1,200 actions expected to be. complete with presently available funds.
This. increased effort'is consistent with the Congress.ional Conference Report of Appropriations which supported the need 'to expedite work on :the backlog of licensing actions.
ravel 160 NRR's FY 1979 travel funds are $890K which is $100K less than actua FY 1978 obligations.,The additional resources will be required due to increased travel for such activities as the Palo Verde pilot program.
The increased requirement for travel is in accordance with the new procedure as established in NUREG-0292 to conduct the technical review meetings with the applicants in the geaeral locatian of the proposed reactor site.
The purpose of this chance is to maximize public participation in the staff and utility vendor meetings.
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FY 1979 Unfunded Requircments l'r...n.un o r f i,,-
flu,:Icar liaterial (Dollar. In Thousands)
' ai6jy a}61 5a re9.uard9..(tit 1SS].
Unfunded Amount
'. Purpose l't'ntp.im Silpporl til,ih I ovel H.v.l e Management t
650 This funding will be used by HMSS in FY 1979 lor ef forts leading to complblion of development of the computer model for waste form / packaging in hedded salt, and for the model for site sultahility in bedded salt, and for initiation of repository design criteria in bedded sali..
The bas. c l.libust.of.the protiram will be to develop an informabion' base for setting standards and reviewing' appl %atiojs,,'or spent fuel disposal
. facilities.so NMSS '.dll lh '.,h 6 pbsitibn ln implement final rcconinendations oh thc f nte rngoncy lieview riroup on Nuclear Waste Manaaendhtf[{ed to i t i t cur th.at these funds will bajoppl 5.!ir1 proilram in FY 1979 for Technical Support;in Developnent (il fluclear Was te fianageinent Cri terle at the Lawrence I. lvermore
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Alsothis$650,000 partially provides for FY 1979 Author.lzation Act inlliative in lil1SS "t o increas NRC's ef forts to holp solve lhe critical problems of was disposal and management as soon as possible."
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fincTear, Rc ula tory _Research (RES)
!!,ucl ea r J Roactor Regulation }NRR}
buclear~fWtFrTal"Saf et y and SaTEgnards (NMSS)
Unfunded Amount Purpose ogram Supp, ort _
Nuclear Prollferation Resistant Alternative Technologies 000 It is proposed that $800 thous 1nd of uncbligated carryover funds be made available to provide research/ technical assistance in support of the NRC review and evaluation of NASAP/INFCE reactor and fuel cycle concepts and any follow-on al ternative technologies.
The proposed funding will be used te establish research/ technical hssistancc programs for those reactor and fuel cycle concepts for which the NRC currently has no funding committed, and to provide additional support, i f necessary, for those reactor and fuel. cycle concepts Which currently have an NRC funding commitmentlj!.),!
Objectives and detailed work scopes' to which'the proposed funding will be applied will be developed by NRR, NMSS, and RES in close coordination with E00's NASAP/INFCE Working Groun.
The research work will be managed by RES in close coordinate.With NRR and HMSS.
The principal focus of efforts hithiti this entire program would be to evaluate various aspects -- including licensability, safety, and safeguards, environmental and proliferation resistance.- of proposed reactor and fuel cycle concepts that differ from established
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LWR and uranium fuel cycle features le.g., documents' containing preliminary information on several pro-11feration resist' ant reactor and fuel cycle concepts will be submi tted by DOE under NASAP,by the end of January 1979 for NRC staf f review).
Initial work scopes w'111 be r.eviewed by the NASAP/
i INFCE Working Group and sent' to, the E00 for approval in February, i,
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FY 1979 Unfunded Requirements Irogram orftec:
floclear Regula tory ~
(Dollars in Thousands) itei,eaish~(REK1 Unfunded Amount Purpose Program. support..
Improved Reactor Safety 400 Initiate the Improved Reactor Safety Research Plan in FY 1979.
A total funding level of $800K in FY 1979 (5400K from unobligated carryover and $400K from reallocation of FY 1979 appropriated RES funds) is necessary to initiate studies related to concepts
, having the highest potential for ' reducing risks involved in potential reactor accidents.
Specifically, errorts will be initiated in FY 1979 to evaluate alternate containment concepts and alternate decay heat removal systems.
In. addition, the development of improvements to value/ impact methodology will he initiated in order to better quantify assessments of proposed improved safety concepts.
The reductions to our FY 1980 funding request for Improved Reactor Safety by the'0MB will be to limit our effort to the continuation of those studies started in FY 1979 and some further scoping studies, i
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