ML20206S614
| ML20206S614 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/03/1998 |
| From: | Seale R Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| RTR-NUREG-CR-6523, RTR-REGGD-01.178, RTR-REGGD-1.178 ACRS-SL-0461, ACRS-SL-461, NUDOCS 9905210177 | |
| Download: ML20206S614 (7) | |
Text
_
).
p n.:
SL-0461 1
/
UNITED STATES PDP.
/
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION c
3 -
.Q I
ADVISORY COMMITTEE oN REACTOR SAFEGUARDS o
waswmarow, o. c.zossa 7
June 3,1998 The Honorable Shirley Ann Jackson Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001
Dear Chairman Jackson:
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
REPORT - FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-SECOND MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS, APRIL 30 -
MAY 2,1998, AND OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE During its 452nd meeting, April 30 - May 2,1998, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) discussed several matters and completed the following report and letter. in addition, the Committee authorized Dr. Larkins, Executive Director, to transmit the memoranda noted below:
REPORT Elevation of CDF to a Fundamental Safety Goal and Possible Revision of the Commission's Safety Goal Poliev Statement (Report to Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman, NRC, from R. L. Seale, Chairman, ACRS, dated May 11,1998.)
LETTER Proposed Final Amendment to 10 CFR Part 55. " Initial Licensed Operator e
Examination Reauirements" (Letter to L. Joseph Callan, Executive Director for Operations, NRC, from R. L. Seale, Chairman, ACRS, dated May 8,1998)
MEMORANDA Proposed Generic Letter. " Modification of the NRC Staffs Recommendations for the Post-Accident Samolina System" (Memorandum to L. Joseph Callan, Executive Director for Operations, NRC, from John T. Larkins, Executive Director, ACRS, dated May 8,1998)
Proposed Human Performance Plan and Proposed Final Standard Review Plan Section and Reaulatory Guide for Risk-Informed Inservice Inspection of Piping i
DOICFM D 02:GIFAL O
9905210177 990603 046 PDR C0ttifiod 37
g 4
L' The Honorable Shirley Jackson 2-
'(Memorandum to L. Joseph Callan, Executive Director for Operations, NRC, from l
" John T. Larkins,, Executive Director, ACRS, dated May 12,1998) j i
HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY ISSUES CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE -
1.
Human PMformance Plan The Committee heard presentations by and held discussions with representatives of the NRC staff concoming the latest revision of the Human Performance Plan.
'Tho' ACRS Members and the staff discussed the need to quantify human performance in order to compare activities, the skills and tools needed to solve k$entified problems, and the development of a process to identify and prioritize risk-significant activities.
Conclusion Since the Committee did not receive the revised Human Performance Plan in time for sufficient review, it deferred its comments until after the June 3-5,1998 ACRS meeting.
2.
Elevation of the Core Damaos Froouency (CDF) to a Fundamental Safety Goal and Proposed Modifications to the Safety Goal Policy Statement The Committee heard presentations by and held discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regard:ng the draft Commission paper, " Modifications to the Safety Goal Policy Statement." In this paper, the staff recommends that the Safety Goal Policy Statement be modified to make it consistent with current practices and to provide clarifications on the role of Safety Goals in the regulatory process. The staff also discussed the issues associated with elevating the core damage frequency to a fundamental Safety Goal.
Conclusion i
The Committee provided a report to Chairman Jackson, dated May 11,1998, on j
this matter.
3.
HASCAL Atmospheric Dispersion Dose Assessment Computer Code
' The Committee heard presentations by and held discusa!ons with representatives of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory regarding the Hazard Assessment System for Consequence Analysis (HASCAL) code, which can be used to perform dose assessments, given a release of radioactive materials to the atmosphere. It is based on the RASCAL code, which is employed by the NRC, but includes the
n
(
The Honorab's Shirley Jackson 3
. addition of an atmospheric dispersion model for source term evaluations. A description of the key code models was provided, and a computer-generated demonstration of the code's capabilities was shown to the Committee.,
Conclusion This briefing was for information only. No Committee action was required.
4.
NUREG/CR-6523. Prohabilistic Amident Con =aouence Uncertainty Analysis The Committee heard presentations by and held discussions with representatives of the NRC staff and its contractors regarding the Probabilistic Accident Conse-quence Uncertainty Analysis. The NRC and the European Commission (EC) cosponsored an uncertainty analysis of their respective probabilistic codes.
Conclusion This briefing was for information only. No Committee action was required.
5.
Severe Accident Mitioation Desian Alternatives The NRC staff briefed the Committee regarding the environmental aspects of postulated accidents involving radioactive materials and the radiological impacts of normal operation. The staff evaluated certain proposed severe accident mitigation design alternatives (SAMDA) that would prevent or mitigate the consequences of serious accidents. The staff's evaluation identified leading contributors to core damage frequency and risk, and through a systematic process, identified a set of design enhancements that can reduce risk contributors. The staff will perform a value impact statement to identify any enhancements that may be beneficial. The staff also developed a draft environmental Standard Review Plan (NUREG-1555) that contains guidance on describing the site vicinity for numerous environmental technologies, land use, water use, water quality, hydrology, geology, meteorology, air quality, terrestrial ecology, demography, and archaeology.
The staff stated that monitoring programs may be undertaken by the applicant or may exist as a result of a State or other agency's initiative to establish a baseline to continually monitor the environment to ensure that there is no adverse impact due to the proposed actions.
Conclusion This briefing was for information only. However, the Committee requested another briefing after the staff has resolved the public comments on NUREG-1555.
i The Honorable Shiriey Jr.ckson 4
6.
Prooosed Final Standard Review Plan (SRP) Section and Ranu! story Guide for Risk-informed Inservice Inspection (ISI) of Pioino The Committee heard presentations by and held discussions with representatives of the NRC staff and the industry regarding the proposed final Standard Review 4
Plan (SRP) Section 3.9.8 and Regulatory Guide 1.178 (formerly DG-1063) for risk-
)
informed inservice inspection (ISI) of piping at nuclear power plants. Representa-tives from the Westinghouse Owners' Group provided their views on these matters.
Conclusion Since the staff did not provide the documents in a timely manner to enable the Committee to perform a detailed review, the Committee deferred issuing a report i
on this matter. The Committee plans to continue its discussion of this matter during i
the June 1998 ACRS meeting. The ACRS Executive Director sent a memorandum to the EDO on May 12,1998, informing him of the Committee decision.
7.
' Use of Dynamic Benchmarkina for Preservina Thermal-Hydraulic Code Test Data The Committee heard a presentation by and held discussions with a representative of the Thermal Hydraulics Division of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) on the use of dynamic benchmarking to ensure the preservation of integral-and separate-effects tes! data. By use of dynamic benchmarking, key test data would be documented in the particular code of interest to be used as a continual benchmark as the code is updated and modified. This would be accomplished by the use of information subroutines that would be integrated into existing codes. The ACRS was asked to endorse this approach for use by the ANS in preparation of a draft guideline.
Conclusion This briefing was for information only. The Committee took under advisement the request for ACRS action on this matter.
8.
Proposed Final Amendment to 10 CFR Part 55. " Initial Licensed Operator Examination Reauirements" The Committee heard presentations by and held discussions with representatives of the NRC staff and the Nuclear Energy institute (NEI) on the proposed final amendment to 10 CFR Part 55 regarding initial licensed operator examination requirements. The staff stated that the proposed amendment would require all nuclear power facility licensees to prepare, proctor, and grade the written examinations and prepara operating tests that the NRC uses to evaluate the
'L The Honorable Shirley Jackson 5
' comp 6tence of individuals applying for operator licenses at those plants. The amendment requires facility licensees to submit each examination and test to the NRC for review and approval. The amendment preserves NRC's authority to i
prepare examinations and tests, as necessary, if the NRC has reasons to question a facility licensee's ability to prepare them in an acceptable manner. This amendment will allow the staff to permanently discontinue the use of contractor support for developing and administering sit & specific initial operator examinations.
The NEl representative stated that industry supports the proposed amendment.
Conclusion The Committee issued a letter to the Executive Director for Operations, dated May 8,1998, on this matter.
RECONCILIATION OF ACRS COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Committee discussed the response from the NRC Executive Director for Operations dated April 23,1998, responding to ACRS comments and recommendations included in the ACRS report dated March 12,1998, concerning the proposed final Standard Review Plan sections and regulatory guides for risk-informed, performance-based regulation for inservice testing, graded quality assurance, and technical specifications.
The Committee decided that it was satisfied with the EDO's response.
OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE During the period from April 2-30,1998, the following Subcommittee meetings were held:
Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment - April 16,1998 The Subcommittee on Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment continued its review of matters related to elevation of core damage frequency to a fundamental Safety Goal and possible revisions to the Commission's Safety Goal Policy Statement.
t Reactor Fuels. Onsite Fuel Storace. and Decommissionina - April 23-24,1998 The Subcommittee discussed the basis for the proposed NRC fuel failure criterion i
for high-burnup conditions, and the adequacy of NRC fuel codes to predict fuel behavior under accident conditions.
e L.
.W>
l The Honorable Shirley Jackson
'6 C
l Plannina and Procedures - April 29,'1998 The Planning and Procedures Subcegie.inee discussed proposed ACRS activities, practices, and procedures for conducting Committee business and organizational and personnel matters relating to ACRS and its sts#..The ACRS completed plans for. the Quadripartite Meeting to be held in Japan on October 5-9,1998. The
(
members will prepara papers for presentation at this meeting that will be reviewed
- )
and finalized at the July 8-10,1998 ACRS meeting.
LIST OF FOLLOW-UP MATTERS FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS The Committee considered the proposed final Standard Review Plan Section 3.9.8 and Regulatory Guide 1.178 (formerly DG-1063) for risk-informed inservice inspection of piping. Since the Committee did not receive the documents in time for a suficient review, it decided to continue its review during the June 3-5,1998 ACRS meeting.
Since the Committee did not receive the Human Performance Plan in time for sufficient review, its' comments will be available after the June 3-5,1998 ACRS meeting.
The Committee requested another briefing on SAMDA after the staff has resolved the public comments on NUREG-1555.
PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR THE FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-THIRD ACRS MEETING The Committee agreed to consider the following during the 453rd ACRS meeting, June 3-5,1998:
AP600 Desian - The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the Westinghouse Electric Company and the NRC staff regarding Chapters 3,6,14,16, and 17 of the AP600 Standard Safety Analysis Report, as well as the PRA, regulatory treatment of the nonsafety systems, Test and Analysis Program performed by Westinghouse in support of the AP600 design, and the associated NRC staff evaluation.
Human Performance Plan - The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding issues / concerns raised by the i
ACRS members on the revised Human Performance Plan.
d
t L
The1HenaraMrShirleyJackson 7
T.Li., m,.
- Core 'Research Ceoebilities - The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussioQspith representatives of the NRC staff regarding its proposal for core research capabilitTes.
,n.-
db/RTHe'nded Power Uorate Apolication (Open/ Closed) - The Committee will hear
~
- presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the General Electric Cor65hrip'(CE), the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant licensee, and the NRC staff regarding the GE power uprate plan for operating BWRs, and the application from the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant for a power level increase of 6.3 percent.
Aaencv-Wide Plan for Hioh-Bumuo Fuel - The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the Agency-wide plan for high-burnup fuel.
Operatino Plan for the NRC Technical Trainino Proorams - The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the Operating Plan for the NRC technical training programs and related matters.
Proposed Modifications to 10 CFR 50.59. Chances. Tests and Exoeriments - The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the status of staff activities associated with the proposed modifications to 10 CFR 50.59.
Proposed Final Standard Review Plan (SRP) Section and Reaulatory Guide for Risk-Informed Inservice insoection of Pioina - The Committee will hear presentations by and
- hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the proposed SRP Section and Regulatory Guide for risk-informed inservice inspection of piping at nuclear power plants, as well as the issues and concerns raised previously by the ACRS on this matter.
Sincerely, R.L.Seale Chairman