ML20206L362

Subsequent License Renewal: Is 80 the New 60?

ML20206L362
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/24/2020
From:	Anna Bradford Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Betancourt L, NRR, 415-6146
Shared Package
ML20206L360	List: ML20206L361 ML20206L362 ML20206L363 ML20206L364 ML20206L365 ML20206L366
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Download: ML20206L362 (17)

Text

2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants Subsequent License Renewal:

Is 80 the new 60?

Anna Bradford, Director Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Subsequent License Renewal

• License renewal principles continue to be effective:

- Regulatory process ensures the CLB provides and maintains an acceptable level of safety

- Each plants licensing basis must be maintained

• Identification of aging management needs for the 60 to 80 year operating period

• Technical reviews ensure effective aging management 2

SLR Review Process and Inputs into NRC Licensing Decision Environmental Review (10 CFR 51)

SLR NRC Renewal Application Hearings* Decision Accepted 10 CFR 2 (10 CFR 50.29)

Safety ACRS Review Recommendation (10 CFR 54) (10 CFR54.25)

• If a Request for Hearing is Granted 3

SLR Guidance

• GALL-SLR Report (NUREG-2191):

Provides acceptable methods to manage aging effects Plant-specific alternatives may be proposed

• SRP-SLR (NUREG-2192):

Provides guidance to NRC staff reviewers to perform safety reviews of SLR applications 4

Technical Issues for Operations Beyond 60 Years

• Reactor pressure vessel neutron embrittlement at high fluence

• Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking of reactor internals and primary system components

• Concrete and containment degradation

• Electrical cable qualification, condition monitoring and assessment 5

SLR Applications Turkey Point Units 3 & 4 (FL) Peach Bottom Units 2 & 3 (PA) Surry Units 1 & 2 (VA)

Renewed License Issued Renewed License Issued Current expiration 2032 & 2033 December 2019 March 2020 Under review

• If approved, SLR adds an additional 20 years for up to a total operating life of 80 years.

6

SLR Prospective Applications 49 more units forecasted 7

SLR Continuous Improvement

• Lessons learned so far:

- Reviews can be completed in 18-months

- Pre-submittal meetings improve coordination

- Use of technology helped with effectiveness of audits

- More effective use of audits reduced requests for additional information

- Need for on-site audits minimized

- Maintained flexibility with milestones 8

SLR Risk-Informing Activities

• Identify in pre-submittal meetings areas that will require additional review resources

• Conduct acceptance reviews with an integrated team

• Eliminate the on-site operating experience audit 9

SLR Risk-Informing Activities

• Capture audit activities in a single Aging Management Audit

- Part 1: In-Office Technical Review

- Part 2: On-Site Audit

- Part 3: In-Office Audit Breakout Sessions 10

SLR Path Forward

• Assess electrical, mechanical and structural GALL-SLR ISGs public comments

• Issue PWR Vessel Internals GALL-SLR ISG for public comments

• Implement lessons learned and risk-informing activities in upcoming SLRAs reviews

• Continue public meetings on lessons learned and guidance updates 11

What Limits License Renewal to 20 Years?

• Atomic Energy Act limits licenses to 40 years

- Remaining time on current license plus license renewal period

• 10 CFR § 54.31(b) caps the additional period covered by renewed licenses at 20 years

- Statement of Considerations in 1991 contemplated revisiting as experience with licensee performance in managing age-related degradation during the renewal term is gained

- 94 licenses have been renewed with more than 320 reactor-years operation beyond their initial 40-year licenses

- 4 units with licenses to 80 years 12

Why License Renewal for 40 Years?

• 6 units have initial 40-year licenses

- Guidance in place to manage aging effects to 80 years

• 87 units have 60-year licenses

- 43 units beyond 40 years and eligible to apply for SLR

• Efficiencies:

- Applicants prepare one application for 40 years Promotes continuity in plant implementation of AMPs for 40 years

- NRC review of one application for 40 years Can focus on oversight of AMP implementation 13

What is Needed for 40-Year License Renewal?

• Staff at initial stages of identifying changes and challenges

- Legal/regulatory: 20-year license renewal limit, 40-year license limit

- Environmental review: GEIS covers 20 years

- Safety review: identification of aging effects and management programs currently for 80 years only (e.g., GALL-SLR)

- Inspections/oversight: need for additional oversight with elimination of 20-year LR application review?

• Possible public meeting in late 2020 to seek stakeholder input 14

Questions?

15

Acronyms

• ACRS - Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards

• AMP - Aging Management Program

• CLB - Current Licensing Basis

• GALL - Generic Aging Lessons Learned

• GEIS - Generic Environmental Impact Statement

• ISGs - Interim Staff Guidance

• NEI - Nuclear Energy Institute

• PWR - Pressurized Water Reactor

• SER - Safety Evaluation Report

• SLR - Subsequent License Renewal

• SRP - Standard Review Plan 16

Contact Information

• Anna Bradford, Director Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office Nuclear Reactor Regulation

• Address:

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mailstop O-11F1, Washington, DC 20555

• Email: Anna.Bradford@nrc.gov

• Phone: 1-301-415-1560 17