ML19287A005
| ML19287A005 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/08/2019 |
| From: | Joseph Holonich NRC/NRR/DORL/LPMB |
| To: | Dennis Morey Division of Operating Reactor Licensing |
| Holonich J | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19275G968 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML19287A005 (3) | |
Text
UNITED STATES WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555.0001 November 8, 2019 MEMORANDUM TO: Dennis C. Morey, Chief FROM:
SUBJECT:
Licensing Processes Branch Division of Operating Reactors Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Licensing Processes Branch Go~
Joseph J. Holonich, Senior Project Manager
~
Division of Operating Reactors
/J. ~
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation for :::
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SUMMARY
OF THE OCTOBER 24, 2019, WORKSHOP ON TOPICAL REPORT TRANSFORM On October 24, 2019, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a Category 3 public workshop on transforming the topical report (TR) review process. The purpose of the workshop was for the NRC staff to present to industry and stakeholders its proposed recommendations for improving the timeliness and efficiency of TR reviews. All the information for the workshop can be found in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Package Accession No. ML19275G968.
The workshop began with the staff presenting an overview of the short-term options it had considered in the TR transformation. The presentation identified six options that the NRC staff was considering for implementation in the next year and several options that were considered but not adopted. Also covered at the workshop were presentations on the experience with a pilot review using a simplified safety evaluation (SE), experience with the use of a Tiger Team to do a TR review, plans for a pilot to conduct a review using a limited scope SE, and information on the planned revision to the office instruction for TR reviews.
During the presentations, industry representatives and staff provided some comments on the proposals under consideration. One comment dealt with the flowchart showing how to determine if a simplified, limited, or standard SE should be used. The comment noted that the flowchart focused a simplified and limited SE on revisions to TRs but did not have a path for a new TR to use the other options. The NRC staff agreed that a new TR should not be excluded from the other options and agreed to look at a revision to the flowchart.
In the NRC staff presentation on the simplified SE pilot, the staff provided information on its experience in the pilot. The staff reported that although the review began with a limited scope, during the evaluation, the scope of the review expanded. This expansion pushed the envelope of what could be done under a simplified SE. The staff stated that this scope creep pushed the review to the maximum of what could be done in a simplified SE.
CONTACT:
Joseph Holonich, NRR/DLP 301-415-7297
The staff continued that during several calls with the vendor, it was agreed that the vendor wanted to limit the review to the areas that were provided with the additional scopes. However, the vendor decided that it would not pursue more scope expansion beyond what was already agreed upon. As a lesson learned from the pilot, the NRC staff reported the scope of a review using the simplified SE scope had to be kept within a certain area. Otherwise the use of an accelerated review with a simplified SE would not be possible.
In the staff presentation on the use of Tiger Teams, the staff provided information on what would make a TR eligible for the use of a Tiger Team. The staff explained that the TR had to have a subject that was well known. In addition, the review had to lend itself to the use of multiple team members.
The staff clarified that not all TRs could use a Tiger Team. For example, the NRC staff noted that the review of digital instrumentation and control (l&C) TRs were not conducive to Tiger Teams. This was because digital l&C TRs usually are done by a single reviewer. In addition, each digital l&C TR documents a unique design.
Another area of discussion was how TR reviews might be modified to eliminate requests for additional information (RAls) and instead go directly to a draft SE with open items. The participating NRC staff at the workshop commented that this approach could help vendors respond to areas where additional information was needed because there would be supporting information present in the draft SE that could provide context for the open item. Industry representatives agreed that having additional background information could provide a better context to understanding what was needed to address open items in a draft SE.
A comment from participating NRC staff was that the proposed options and flowchart seemed to be hard choices on the use of a simplified or limited SE. It was noted that during the TR evaluation it may be determined that a change to go to a more extensive review option from the initial review choice might be needed. The staff agreed that there should be flexibility to change review processes during a TR evaluation if it was warranted. The staff agreed to look at clarifying this as changes to the office instruction for TR reviews were being made.
A question was asked on the review process with no RAls. An industry representative asked what was meant when the staff said RAls would be issued if they only required a minimal effort.
The NRC staff explained that at this stage the proposals were conceptual and thus some implementing details still needed to be developed. The need to gain better insights into the implementing details was the reason pilots were being undertaken in several of the different change areas.
At the close of the meeting, industry participants stated that some of the time saving recommendations for shorter reviews would also help improve the already existent standard process. In addition, industry representatives stated that it would like to see the staff look for ways to reduce the 24-month standard to 18 months. Overall, industry felt that the meeting and proposals were helpful in improving the timeliness of TR reviews.
ML19275G968 (Package)
ML19287A005 (Summary)
OFFICE NRR/DORL/LLPB/PM*
NAME JHolonich DATE 11/08/2019 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LLPB/PM NAME JHolonich DATE 11/08/2019
- concurrence via e-mail NRC-0 01 NRR/DORL/LLPB/LA
- NRR/DORL/LLPB/BC DHarrison DMorey 11/07/2019 11/13/2019