ML20129E713
| ML20129E713 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/16/1985 |
| From: | Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Taylor J ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20129E718 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8506060570 | |
| Download: ML20129E713 (2) | |
Text
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-[3 g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20666 p
h*, if May 16, 1985 c n AN Mr. John Taylor, Vice President Nuclear Division Electric Power Research Institute 3412 Hillview Avenue P.O. Box 10412 Palo Alto, California 94303
Dear Mr. Taylor:
My fellow Commissioners and I wish to thank you for the very interesting and encouraging briefing which you and Sol Burstein gave us on February 7, 1985.
The_ Commission strongly encourages EPRI's efforts to take a fresh look at light water technology in order to develop simplified and standardized designs. Many of your points were well taken: that a smaller plant might better meet some of the needs of the utilities today, as well as contribute to a simpler design; that increasing the design margins in such areas as high pressure residual heat systems, lower power density cores, and enhanced natural circulation capabilities, to name only a few, could contribute to greater ease of operation; and that reliability of materials, equipment and systems could be improved by recognizing some of the lessons learned from 25 years of light water reactor operating experience.
We emphasize our strong interest in reasonably mature standardized plant designs, plant simplification where practical, and design envelopes which include not only the NSSS, but also balance of plant systems, siting considerations, and physical layout to the extent practical. The Commission's 1985 Planning and Program Guidance document stressed our commitment to standardization within the nuclear industry.
A copy of our Proposed Policy for Regulation of Advanced Nuclear Power Plants is attached. We thought that you might be interested in the Commission's proposed approach to such regulatory efforts. As you know, the Commission is also preparing two policies which bear significantly on the EPRI effort. These are the Severe Accident Policy and the Standardization Policy. Issuance of the Severe Accident policy is expected this Spring, and finalization of the Standardization Policy is scheduled for later in the year.
8506060570 850516 PDR COMMS NRCC CDRRESPONDENCE PDR
, o The Commission continues to believe.that your program is proceeding on the right track. For your information, it is our present intention to define more clearly the resources committed to standardization during our deliberations on the proposed Standardization policy. Since this policy will have such an important affect on your effort, we look forward to your thoughts on this paper when it-is issued for public comment.
In closing, I would like to re-emphasize our encouragement for, and continuing interest in, your work, and to reiterate our intention to work with you and to devote the NRC resources necessary to ensure productive results.
Sincerely,
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Nunzio J. Palla'dino
Enclosure:
Policy Statement u__