ML21201A257
| ML21201A257 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/11/2021 |
| From: | Christopher Hanson NRC/Chairman |
| To: | Carper T, Markey E, Pallone F US HR (House of Representatives), US HR, Comm on Energy & Commerce, US SEN (Senate), US SEN, Comm on Environment & Public Works, US SEN, Subcomm on Clean Air, Climate Change & Nuclear Safety |
| Mroz S | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML21201A254 | List: |
| References | |
| CORR-21-0058 SRM-LTR-19-0383-1 | |
| Download: ML21201A257 (39) | |
Text
STATUS REPORT ON THE LICENSING ACTIVITIES AND REGULATORY DUTIES OF THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION For the Reporting Period of April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021
Table of Contents - High Level Summary........................................................................................ 3 1-1 Average Timeliness Percentage for Licensing Actions Categorized Under the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act................................................................................................. 3 1-2 Reactor Oversight Inspection Hours and Percent Complete........................................................ 4 1-3 FTE at the End of Q3 FY 2021 vs. Budgeted FTE........................................................................ 5 1-4 Budget Authority, FTE Utilization, and Fees................................................................................. 5 - Status of Specific Items of Interest................................................................. 8 2-1 Transformation.............................................................................................................................. 8 2-2 Workforce Development and Management.................................................................................. 9 2-3 Accident Tolerant Fuel................................................................................................................ 10 2-4 Digital Instrumentation and Control............................................................................................. 11 2-5 Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 3 and 4........................................................................... 13 2-6 NuScale Small Modular Reactor Design Certification................................................................. 16 2-7 Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies................................................................................... 16 2-8 Oklo Power LLC Combined License Application for the Aurora Compact Fast Reactor............ 19 2-9 Reactor Oversight Process......................................................................................................... 20 2-10 Backfit.......................................................................................................................................... 21 2-11 Risk-Informed Activities............................................................................................................... 22 2-12 Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic......................................................................................... 25 - Summary of Activities.....................................................................................27 3-1 Reactor Oversight Process Findings........................................................................................... 27 3-2 Licensing Actions........................................................................................................................ 28 3-3 Licensing Amendment Request Reviews................................................................................... 30 3-4 Research Activities...................................................................................................................... 31 3-5 Fees Billed................................................................................................................................... 34 3-6 Requests for Additional Information............................................................................................ 35 3-7 Workforce Development and Management................................................................................ 37 3-8 Inspection Activities..................................................................................................................... 38 3-9 Backfit.......................................................................................................................................... 38
3
- High Level Summary 1-1 Average Timeliness Percentage for Licensing Actions Categorized Under the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act 0F1 1 No licensing actions categorized under the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act were completed in Quarter (Q) 2 FY 2021 for the new reactor business line.
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Average Timeliness Percentage
(<100% = Completed Before Schedule Date)
Operating Reactors Established Schedule New Reactors Established Schedule Fuel Facilities Established Schedule
4 1-2 Reactor Oversight Inspection Hours and Percent Complete 1F2 2 Planned direct inspection hours refers to the number of hours associated with completion of the NRCs nominal number of inspection samples established for the baseline inspection program, which is a conservative target. This contrasts with the minimum number of hours that would be necessary to complete the set of inspection activities that constitutes completion of the ROP baseline inspection program for the calendar year. In CY 2020, despite falling short of the planned/nominal number of inspection hours (due to circumstances such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on planned inspection activities), the NRC performed the minimum number of inspection hours associated with program completion. In CY 2021, the NRC is projected to complete a larger number of direct inspection hours than were completed in 2020. Therefore, despite the possibility that the NRC may not complete 100% of the nominal number of hours planned for CY 2021 (as was also the case in 2020), the NRC expects to complete well above the minimum number of hours associated with the program completion in CY 2021.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 160000 Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Cumulative Percent of Planned Direct Inspection Hours Complete Direct Inspection Hours Calendar Year (CY) 2020 Total Direct ROP Inspection Hours CY 2021 Total Direct ROP Inspection Hours Percent Complete of Total CY 2021 Planned ROP Direct Inspection Hours Percent Complete of Total CY 2020 Planned ROP Direct Inspection Hours
5 1-3 FTE at the End of Q3 FY 2021 vs. Budgeted FTE 1-4 Budget Authority, FTE Utilization, and Fees U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) FY 2021 Budget Authority June 30, 2021 (Dollars in Thousands)
Fund Sources FY 2021 Budget2F3 Percent Obligated Percent Expended Advanced Reactors
$19,345 78%
56%
Commission Funds
$12,813 41%
41%
Fee-Based Funds
$824,145 69%
56%
General Funds
$1,158 71%
59%
International Activities
$14,234 57%
47%
University Nuclear Leadership Program /
Integrated University Program
$21,951 22%
0%
Official Representation
$25 13%
13%
Total
$893,670 67%
54%
NRC Control Points FY 2021 Budget Percent Obligated Percent Expended Nuclear Reactor Safety
$454,486 69%
60%
Nuclear Materials and Waste Safety
$103,435 69%
59%
3 FY 2021 Budget reflects the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and includes the enacted budget and carryover allocated. The budget values in this column differ from the previous report due to carryover allocated since the previous report.
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 Other Office of General Counsel Office of the Chief Information Officer Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer Office of the Chief Financial Officer Office of Administration Region IV Region III Region II Region I Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FTE Budgeted FTE On Board FTE
6 Fund Sources FY 2021 Budget2F3 Percent Obligated Percent Expended Decommissioning and Low-Level Waste
$22,771 70%
63%
Corporate Support
$291,028 67%
46%
University Nuclear Leadership Program /
Integrated University Program3F4
$21,951 22%
0%
Total
$893,670 67%
54%
FTE Utilization, Hiring, and Attrition Total Year to Date (YTD) FTE Utilization Projected End of Year FTE Total Utilization Quarter 3 Hiring Quarter 3 Attrition YTD Hiring YTD Attrition 2015.2 2759.2 28 49 88 133 FY 2021 Fees Estimated, Fees Billed, and Fees Collected Through Q3 4 This row is labeled as "University Nuclear Leadership Program / Integrated University Program" because the FY 2021 Explanatory Statement identified this control point as the Integrated University Program, but Division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 replaced the Integrated University Program with the University Nuclear Leadership Program.
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 2020 2020 2020 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 Total Estimated
$184,705 $186,637 $188,441 $358,451 $360,365 $362,740 $536,916 $539,666 $542,232 $589,811 $713,166 $715,597 Total Actual Billed
$173,954 $176,311 $178,804 $341,492 $343,999 $347,212 $516,038 $518,512 $521,388 Total Actual Collected $106,004 $182,806 $187,853 $255,718 $348,313 $353,991 $455,270 $521,876 $526,474
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000 Amount (Dollars in Thousands)
7 Total 10 CFR Part 170 Fees Billed (Dollars in Millions)
FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 Q1-Q3
$245.3
$205.7
$139.0
8
- Status of Specific Items of Interest provides the status of specific items of interest including a summary of the item, the activities planned and accomplished under each item within the reporting period, and projected activities under each item for the next two reporting periods.
2-1 Transformation The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC) transformation initiative currently encompasses a broad set of activities intended to advance the agency towards the vision of being a more modern, risk-informed regulator. There are four focus areas: (1) recruiting, developing, and retaining a strong workforce; (2) improving decision-making through the acceptance of an appropriate level of risk without compromising the NRCs mission; (3) establishing a culture that embraces innovation; and (4) adopting new and existing information technology resources.
During this reporting period, the NRC marked the one year anniversary of the start of the Nuclear Regulator Apprenticeship Network (NRAN). NRAN is an 18-24 month long program designed to develop entry-level staff into well-rounded regulators in forecasted skill need areas to maintain the Agencys mission. The inaugural cohort of 23 recent graduates began in June 2020. The agency is considering future cohorts starting in 2022.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Transformation Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Launched new training module for the agencys Be riskSMART framework and included it in the agencys training management system.
04/30/21 04/30/21 Conducted a survey of NRC staff on organizational culture to assess progress made since the initial survey in March 2020.
04/30/21 04/30/21 Held second Town Hall with the Executive Director for Operations (EDO), as suggested by our culture surveys, to engage all staff in dialogue and address topics of interest to staff.
05/18/21 05/18/21 Briefed the Commission on staffs transformation activities (public meeting) (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)
Package No. ML21050A177).
06/30/21 06/22/21 Conducted second innovate-a-thon to engage with all staff in innovation activities.
07/01/21 06/18/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Transformation Activities Projected Completion Date Update internal and public websites to include specific transformation related accomplishments.
08/31/21
9 Projected Transformation Activities Projected Completion Date Distribute external stakeholder transformation surveys to gather insights on how transformation changes have enhanced our ability to meet our mission in a more effective and efficient manner.
09/30/214F5 Launch the Mission Analytics Portal Event Reporting module. This module will provide NRC licensees an alternative electronic submission method for reports required under 10 CFR 50.72.
09/30/21 Conduct a series of first-line supervisors workshops to engage in dialogue on the agencys progress on transformation and identify actions they can take to encourage use of transformation tools, while mitigating the effects of change fatigue.
12/01/215F6 2-2 Workforce Development and Management The NRC implemented a Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) process to improve workforce development to meet its near-and long-term work demands. The first step in this process is an Agency Environmental Scan that projects the amount and type of work anticipated in the next 5 years and identifies the workforce needs in order to perform that work. By analyzing the current workforce and comparing it to future needs, skill gaps can be identified. In the final step of the process, both short-and long-term strategies are developed to enable the agency to recruit, retain, and develop a skilled and diverse workforce with the competencies and agility to address both current and emerging needs and workload fluctuations. The SWP process occurs each FY.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Workforce Development and Management Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Completed SWP process steps for FY 2021.
06/30/21 06/30/21 Completed onboarding activities for 55 new and 5 returning Summer 2021 Student Interns.
06/30/21 06/30/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Workforce Development and Management Activities Projected Completion Date Obtain feedback from the SWP points of contact to identify lessons learned and prepare for the FY 2022 SWP process.
09/30/21 Complete updates to the Agency Environmental Scan to support FY 2022 SWP activities.
12/31/21 Utilize insights from the SWP process to inform recruitment activities for the 2022 Nuclear Regulator Apprentice Network and Summer Student Intern programs and make initial selections.
12/31/21 5 The projected completion date was previously reported as August 31, 2021. Additional time is needed to pilot the survey with a small group of internal and external stakeholders prior to wider dissemination.
6 First-line supervisors workshops were postponed from August and September 2021 due to other activities related to the re-entry to facilities being planned for that timeframe.
10 2-3 Accident Tolerant Fuel The NRC continues to make significant progress in its preparation for licensing reviews of Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) designs for use in U.S. commercial power reactors. The NRC staff is executing the ATF project plan (ADAMS Accession No. ML19301B166), which is being revised to address the industrys increased focus on higher burnup and increased enrichment fuels. The NRC staff is currently reviewing four ATF fuel vendor topical reports. The first topical report is on a new type of doped fuel pellet called Westinghouse Advanced Doped Pellet Technology (ADOPTTM) Fuel (ADAMS Accession No. ML20132A014) and the second covers increased burnup limits for a fuel cladding material (ADAMS Package No. ML20003E125). The third discusses a slight increase in burnup limits for existing Westinghouse fuel designs (ADAMS Package No.ML20350B834) and the fourth involves increased fuel enrichment (ADAMS Package No. ML21035A073). The NRC staff is also reviewing a request from Framatome to amend the certificate of compliance (CoC) for the MAP transportation package.
The amendment seeks to authorize shipment of 17x17 fuel assemblies with enrichments above 5 weight percent uranium-235 (ADAMS Package No. ML21090A321).The NRC staff is preparing for several additional ATF submittals from fuel vendors in calendar year (CY) 2021.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
ATF Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Issuance of a severe accident phenomena identification and ranking table report by Energy Research Inc. that covers the performance of the reactor during severe accidents for the current ATF concepts, higher burnup fuel, and fuel with enrichment above five weight percent. The report also documents findings from the expert elicitation panels held in Q1 and Q2 of FY 2021. The report will be used by the NRC to support changes to the regulatory infrastructure for ATF, higher burnup, and fuel with enrichment above five weight percent uranium-235 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21113A277).
05/31/21 04/23/21 Held second Higher Burnup workshop. This workshop relayed the state of development of higher burnup and increased enrichment technical and regulatory issues. It also provided a public forum for discussions between the NRC, industry, and other stakeholders (ADAMS Package No ML21176A040).
07/31/21 06/10/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected ATF Activities Projected Completion Date Issue new revision of the ATF Project Plan. This new revision will take account of both industry and NRC changes in approaches and schedules since the last issuance in October 2019.
09/30/21
11 Projected ATF Activities Projected Completion Date Complete source term calculations for the maximum industry-proposed burnup limits. These calculations will inform the need to revise Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.183, Alternative Radiological Source Terms for Evaluating Design Basis Accidents at Nuclear Power Reactors, for the higher maximum burnup levels that the industry may be requesting.
10/31/21 2-4 Digital Instrumentation and Control The NRC staff continues to complete digital instrumentation and control (DI&C) infrastructure improvements to address commercial grade dedication of digital equipment protection against common cause failure (CCF). Further, the NRC staff continues to review and prepare for anticipated digital modernization license amendment requests (LARs). These activities support NRCs vision to establish a modern risk-informed regulatory structure with reduced uncertainty that will enable the expanded safe use of digital technologies.
During the reporting period, the NRC staff approved the Nuclear Energy Institutes (NEI) request for a fee exemption for the endorsement review of NEI 17-06, Guidance on Using IEC 61508 SIL Certification to Support the Acceptance of Commercial Grade Digital Equipment for Nuclear Safety Related Applications. NEI 17-06 is intended to clarify how licensees can use Safety Integrity Level (SIL) certification in their commercial grade dedication programs. These commercial dedication programs would provide increased access to digital equipment from international vendors. The staff also continued to have public interactions with NEI regarding its proposed additional CCF guidance contained in NEI 20-07, Guidance for Addressing Software Common Cause Failure in High Safety-Significant Safety-Related Digital I&C Systems.
Several licensees are now planning for significant digital upgrades. The NRC staff has communicated to industry that pre-application engagement can be vital to enabling efficient and effective reviews of LARs, and the staff conducted pre-application meetings to better understand the scope and schedule for LARs for two upcoming major digital modifications: 1)
Turkey Point Power Plant Units 3 and 4 in September 2021, and 2) Limerick Generating Station Units 1 and 2 in September 2022.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Digital Instrumentation and Control Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Review NEI 17-06, Guidance on Using IEC 61508 SIL Certification to Support the Acceptance of Commercial Grade Digital Equipment for Nuclear Safety Related Applications, and consider endorsement through issuance of an RG.
Staff decision on fee exemption requested by NEI (ADAMS Package No.
04/30/21 04/15/21 Conduct two public meetings to discuss initial staff feedback on NEI 17-06 and review schedule update (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML21160A233 and ML21161A271).
06/23/21 06/23/216F7 7 These meetings were scheduled after the fee exemption was approved. Therefore, they were not included in the last report. The first public meeting was held on May 14, 2021 and the second was held on June 23, 2021.
12 Digital Instrumentation and Control Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Pre-submittal review of NEI 20-07, Guidance for Addressing Software Common Cause Failure in High Safety-Significant Safety-Related Digital I&C Systems Conduct public meetings to discuss resolution of NRC staffs feedback provided in response to 01/12/21 public meeting (ADAMS Accession No. ML21131A229).
04/30/21 04/21/21 Conduct public meeting with NEI to discuss NRC staff feedback related to NEI 20-07 Draft C and its relationship to current NRC policy related to CCF (ADAMS Accession No. ML21162A073).7F8 05/18/21 05/18/218F9 Significant Digital Modernization LAR Milestones.
Conduct third pre-application meeting with NextEra for digital modernization project at Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21088A014).
04/08/21 04/08/21 Conduct fourth pre-application meeting with NextEra for digital modernization project at Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21148A172).
06/09/21 06/09/219F10 Conduct third pre-application meeting with Exelon for a digital modernization project at Limerick Generating Station (ADAMS Accession No. ML21176A133).
07/30/21 06/29/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Digital Instrumentation and Control Activities Projected Completion Date Pre-submittal Review of NEI 20-07, Guidance for Addressing Software Common Cause Failure in High Safety-Significant Safety-Related Digital I&C Systems Conduct public meeting with NEI on its proposed path forward for NEI 20-07 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21173A308).
07/01/21 Review NEI 17-06, Guidance on Using IEC 61508 SIL Certification to Support the acceptance of Commercial Grade Digital Equipment for Nuclear Safety Related Applications, and consider endorsement through issuance of an RG.
Conduct a public meeting to provide final NRC staff comments to NEI.
09/30/21 Significant Digital Modernization LAR Milestones 8 The meeting summary includes a copy of NEI-20-07 with NRC staff with comments on specific sections of the document.
9 This meeting was scheduled after NEI 20-07 Draft C was received on May 7, 2021. Therefore, it was not included in the last report.
10 After the April public meeting, NextEra informed the NRC that the submittal will be delayed to September 2021.
The need for an additional meeting was not included in the previous report.
13 Projected Digital Instrumentation and Control Activities Projected Completion Date Issue license decision to Entergy for LAR to upgrade the core protection calculator at Unit 3 of the Waterford Steam Electric Station.
08/24/21 Conduct fifth pre-application meeting with NextEra for digital modernization project at Turkey Point Units 3 and 4.
09/30/21 Conduct fourth pre-application meeting with Exelon for a digital modernization project at Limerick Generating Station.
09/30/21 Staff decision on acceptability of the NextEra submittal for digital modernization project at Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 within 60 days of submission by licensee.
11/30/2110F11 2-5 Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 3 and 4 The NRC issued two combined licenses (COLs) to Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) and its financial partners on February 10, 2012, for two AP1000 units to be built and operated at the Vogtle site near Augusta, GA. SNCs public milestone for commercial operation of Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle) Unit 3 has shifted to an in-service date in the second quarter of 2022. The NRC staff adjusted the agencys activities and associated milestone dates to reflect the revised initial fuel loading date. In addition, the NRC staff continued licensing and inspection activities to support the NRC staffs evaluation to determine whether the acceptance criteria in the COL are met. SNC has indicated that Vogtle Unit 4 is now slated to start commercial operations by the first quarter of 2023.
During this reporting period, the NRC staff focused on the licensees response to quality issues (ADAMS Accession No. ML21176A200). On June 21, 2021, the NRC started a reactive inspection, sending a special inspection team to the site to assess nonconformances with electrical cable separation (ADAMS Accession No. ML21183A139). The results of that inspection will inform the future quality assurance and corrective action programs inspections.
With respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the NRC staff performed mission-critical inspections through a combination of remote inspections and targeted onsite inspections. The NRC maintains its inspection agility through consistent communication with the licensee and resource planning to ensure that the NRC can adapt to changes in the dynamic construction schedule.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 3 and 4 Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Conducted public meeting to discuss Vogtle Readiness Group activities (ADAMS Accession No. ML21130A017).
04/28/21 04/28/21 11 As of this reporting period, the NextEra submittal is expected by September 30, 2021.
14 Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 3 and 4 Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Issued safety evaluation for request for alternative, Alternative Requirements for American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)Section XI Examination Coverage of Weldolet Branch Connection Welds (VEGP 3&4-PSI/ISI-ALT-15)
(ADAMS Package No. ML21090A245).
04/29/21 04/09/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 3 and 4 Activities Projected Completion Date Publish a notice of the licensees intent to operate Vogtle 4 in the Federal Register to announce the opportunity for the public to request a hearing on the licensees conformance with acceptance criteria in the COL.
07/12/21 Issue safety evaluation for request for alternative, Alternative Requirements for ASME Section III Remediation of Containment Vessel Unistrut Welding (VEGP 3-ALT-16).
07/30/21 Provided the requisite findings are made, issue amendment regarding emergency plan changes.
09/30/2111F12 Once the NRC determines that all inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) have been met, issue the finding that all acceptance criteria contained in the Vogtle Unit 3 license have been met and that the licensee may operate the facility, in accordance with 10 CFR 52.103(g) (provided the requisite findings are made).
10/18/2112F13 NRC Inspections and ITAAC Reviews for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
A COL allows a licensee to construct a plant and to operate it once construction is complete if certain standards identified in the COL are satisfied. These standards are called ITAAC. The majority of ITAAC are from the design certification for the particular reactor technology that a plant uses. Throughout the construction process, NRC inspectors will perform inspections based on Inspection Manual Chapter 2503, Construction Inspection Program: Inspections of Inspections, Tests, Analyses and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) Related Work, and the NRC's Construction Inspection Program at the plant site to confirm that the licensee has successfully completed the ITAAC.
Additional information on the ITAAC process as well as closure for Vogtle Units 3 and 4 is available at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/oversight/itaac.html.
12 SNCs original application dated June 30, 2020, requested staff complete its review by June 2021. The staff found this submittal to be inadequate and provided SNC an opportunity to supplement the application. SNC provided a supplement on August 11, 2020. On September 1, 2020, the staff found SNCs supplemented application acceptable for review and notified SNC that it expects to complete its review by September 2021.
13 The projected completion date was modified from September 11 to October 18, 2021, due to the changes in the licensees construction schedule.
15 Unit Number of ITAAC Remaining Requiring Inspection Total Inspections Completed13F14 ITAAC Inspected14F15 ITAAC Inspections Closed15F16 Vogtle 3 98 39 17 3
Vogtle 4 129 5
5 1
ITAAC Reviews Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
The table below provides ITAAC closure notification reviews completed during the reporting period for Vogtle Units 3 and 4, including the date when the NRC received the ITAAC closure notice and the date when the review was completed.
Unit ITAAC No.
Received Date Approval Date Vogtle 3 2.1.02.09c 05/10/21 05/11/21 Vogtle 3 2.1.02.13a 05/01/21 05/03/21 Vogtle 3 2.1.02.13b 05/19/21 05/24/21 Vogtle 3 2.1.02.14 06/16/21 06/21/21 Vogtle 3 2.2.04.09a.ii 05/27/21 06/01/21 Vogtle 3 2.3.02.14 05/28/21 06/01/21 Vogtle 3 2.3.04.02.ii 03/26/21 04/02/21 Vogtle 3 2.3.06.11a 05/28/21 06/01/21 Vogtle 3 2.3.10.12 04/19/21 04/20/21 Vogtle 3 2.5.01.03a 04/28/21 05/04/21 Vogtle 3 2.5.01.03b 04/05/21 04/06/21 Vogtle 3 2.5.06.02 04/26/21 04/27/21 Vogtle 3 2.7.01.02a 04/10/21 04/14/21 Vogtle 3 2.7.03.03 06/24/21 06/28/21 Vogtle 3 2.7.07.02 04/23/21 04/26/21 Vogtle 3 2.3.04.05 06/04/21 06/10/21 Vogtle 3 2.3.07.05.i 06/13/21 06/17/21 Vogtle 3 2.3.29.02 06/18/21 06/24/21 Vogtle 3 C.2.5.04.04a 06/04/21 06/09/21 Vogtle 3 C.2.6.09.06 12/22/20 06/02/21 Vogtle 4 2.2.03.08c.iv.03 06/16/21 06/17/21 Vogtle 4 2.3.07.07b.ii 06/18/21 06/24/21 Vogtle 4 3.3.00.02a.ii.f 06/16/21 06/17/21 14 This column includes all inspections related to Vogtle Unit 3 and 4 completed during the reporting period; the column is not limited to ITAAC (e.g., quality assurance inspections).
15 ITAAC Inspected refers to the number of ITAAC that were inspected as part of ongoing inspections and does not indicate that all inspections were completed for those ITAAC.
16 ITAAC Inspection Closed refers to the number of ITAAC for which all associated inspections have been completed during the reporting period.
16 Vogtle Units 3 and 4 License Amendment Request Reviews Completed (Q3 FY 2021)
Number of License Amendment Request Reviews Forecast to be Completed in the Reporting Period Number of License Amendment Request Reviews that were Completed in the Reporting Period 0
0 2-6 NuScale Small Modular Reactor Design Certification On March 15, 2017, the NRC accepted the NuScale Power, LLC (NuScale) application for a small modular reactors (SMR) design certification review. The NRC staff completed the final Safety Evaluation Report on August 28, 2020, (ADAMS Package No. ML20023A318) and issued a standard design approval to NuScale on September 11, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20247J564). On January 14, 2021, the NRC staff provided the Commission with a draft proposed rule that proposes certifying the design for its consideration (ADAMS Package No.
ML19353A003). On May 6, 2021, the Commission approved the publication of the proposed rule (ADAMS Package No. ML21126A153) and on July 1, 2021, the proposed rule was published for public comment in the Federal Register (86 FR 34999). The public comment period expires on August 30, 2021.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
NuScale Small Modular Reactor Design Certification Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Published proposed rule for NuScale SMR design certification.16F17 07/02/21 07/01/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected NuScale Small Modular Reactor Design Certification Activities Projected Completion Date Public comment period ends for proposed rule for NuScale SMR design certification.
08/30/21 2-7 Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies The NRC is making significant progress in preparation for reviewing non-light-water-reactor (non-LWR) designs, consistent with the NRC staffs vision and strategy (ADAMS Accession No. ML16356A670). The NRC staff is currently executing the implementation action plans to achieve non-LWR safety review readiness.17F18 During this reporting period, the NRC staff issued several technical reports and draft guidance documents. The staff also continued its extensive stakeholder engagement, including holding several public meetings and workshops regarding various advanced reactor topics, development of the 10 CFR Part 53 proposed rule, and development of guidance for the content of advanced reactor licensing applications.
In addition, the NRC staff continues to release for public comment various subparts for the 10 CFR Part 53 preliminary proposed rule, including technical, licensing, and administrative 17 Additional information regarding this rulemaking is available at: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/rulemaking-ruleforum/active/RuleDetails.html?id=40.
18 The NRCs public Web site lists the implementation action plans and is updated periodically to show the status of these activities (https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/details.html#visStrat).
17 requirements on an iterative basis. During the reporting period, the NRC staff discussed the released sections of the preliminary proposed rule language with various stakeholders during public meetings held on April 8, May 6, and June 10, 2021 (ADAMS Accession Nos.
ML21154A129, ML21154A126, and ML21180A048, respectively). The NRC staff also briefed the ACRS on April 22, May 5, and May 20, 2021. Details of these ACRS meetings can be found on the NRCs public Web site (https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/acrs/agenda/index.html). On May 30, 2021, the ACRS sent an interim letter to Chairman Hanson on the preliminary proposed rule language for Part 53 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21140A354). The ACRS found that the overall structure of Part 53 provides a logical framework, is complete with respect to topics that must be covered, and addresses the lifetime of a power reactor. The ACRS expressed general agreement with the direction that Part 53 is taking and offered several recommendations for improvement to the NRC staff, particularly in the areas of technology inclusive safety and design and analysis requirements.
The NRCs public Web site lists the open and resolved technical and policy issues related to SMRs and non-LWRs and is updated periodically to show the status of the issues (https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/smr.html#techPolicyIssues). The NRC holds periodic stakeholder meetings to discuss non-LWR topics of interest. A list of the meetings that the NRC has conducted to date can be found on the NRCs public Web site (https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/details.html#stakeholder). The NRC also holds frequent public meetings regarding the Advanced Reactor Content of Application Project.
A list of these meetings and related preliminary draft guidance documents to support the meetings can be found on the NRCs public Web site (https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/details.html#advRxContentAppProj).
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Issued reports on Siting and Licensing Computer Codes, and Computer Code Methodology for Nuclear Fuel Cycle Analysis (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML21085A484 and ML21088A047).
05/31/21 03/31/21 Published draft NUREG for public comment with proposed fuel qualification methodology to provide guidance for non-LWR developers on qualification of fuel under the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) (available at 86 FR 34794 and ADAMS Accession No. ML21168A063).
06/30/21 06/20/21 Issuance of a series of technical reports by NUMARK Associates, Inc. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory on materials, chemistry, and component integrity addressing molten salt chemistry, salt compatibility with high temperature materials, high temperature corrosion, and graphite (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML21116A231 and ML21109A123).
18F19 06/30/21 06/17/21 19 Although both contractor reports are dated May 2021, the June 17, 2021 completion date reflects when the reports were made publicly available in ADAMS.
18 Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Issued a draft white paper to provide information to advanced reactor developers on the benefits of robust preapplication engagement in order to optimize both safety and environmental application reviews (ADAMS Accession No. ML21145A106).19F20 09/30/21 05/25/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies Activities Projected Completion Date Provide a report to the appropriate congressional committees for completing a rulemaking to establish a technology-inclusive regulatory framework for optional use by commercial advanced nuclear reactor technologies in new reactor license applications, and ensuring that the agency has adequate expertise to support the evaluation of commercial advanced reactor license applications, in accordance with the NEIMA, Section 103(e).
07/14/21 Publish draft RG for endorsement of the ASME Section III, Division 5 Standard for public comment.
07/31/2120F21 Issue a draft white paper to provide information to advanced reactor applicants regarding the applicability of existing regulations to non-light water reactors.
07/31/21 Issue draft Material Control and Accounting guidance for Category II facilities (NUREG-2159) for public comment.
08/31/2121F22 Release preliminary proposed rule language for 10 CFR Part 53 technical requirements.
08/31/2122F23 Issue a paper to the Commission providing the Alternative Physical Security Requirements for Advanced Reactors draft proposed rule for its consideration.
09/27/21 Issuance of a report by the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses addressing information gaps and potential information needs associated with transportation and storage of fresh and spent advanced reactor fuel types.
09/30/21 Issuance of a scalable human factors engineering technical review strategy report by Brookhaven National Laboratory.
09/30/21 20 Rather than issue a final white paper previously projected for completion on September 30, 2021, the NRC staff decided to issue a draft white paper on May 25, 2021, which it plans to incorporate into future guidance for advanced reactor applications.
21 This activity was previously projected for completion by June 30, 2021 but additional time was required for internal review.
22 Issuance delayed from the previous projected date of May 31, 2021, due to additional time required for internal review.
23 Preliminary proposed rule language for 10 CFR Part 53 technical requirements was released on April 26 and June 2, 2021. One additional subsection is planned to be released by August 31, 2021. All currently released 10 CFR Part 53 preliminary proposed rule language can be found in ADAMS Package No. ML20289A534. This activity only reflects publicly released preliminary proposed Part 53 technical requirements for early stakeholder engagement. The staff will continue to publish preliminary proposed rule language on licensing and administrative requirements and may continue to release revised iterations of the technical requirements in CY 2021.
19 Projected Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies Activities Projected Completion Date Publish a draft RG for endorsement of the ASME Section XI, Division 2, Reliability and Integrity Management Standard for public comment.
09/30/21 Issue a draft white paper to provide NRC guidance for a technology-inclusive content of application methodology for advanced reactors.
10/31/21 Issue a draft white paper to provide guidance for the content and NRC staff review of an advanced reactor application.
10/31/21 Issue several draft white papers to provide guidance for specific chapters or topics of information to be included in an advanced reactor application to support the Advanced Reactor Content of Application Project guidance.
10/31/21 Issue a paper to the Commission providing a draft Advanced Nuclear Reactors Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) and the associated draft proposed rule for its consideration.
11/30/21 Issue a paper to the Commission providing the Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Small Modular Reactors and Other New Technologies final rule for its consideration.
12/30/2123F24 Publish a trial use RG to provide guidance on the acceptability of non-LWR probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs).
12/31/21 2-8 Oklo Power LLC Combined License Application for the Aurora Compact Fast Reactor The NRC continues engagement with Oklo related to their advanced reactor design and the associated custom COL application24F25 that was submitted to the NRC on March 11, 2020 (ADAMS Package No. ML20075A000). The proposed Aurora design uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a power conversion system, where it is used to generate electricity.
The NRC staff planned to complete the review of the Oklo COL application in a two-step process (ADAMS Accession No. ML20149K616). On November 17, 2020, the NRC staff issued a letter to Oklo (ADAMS Accession No. ML20308A677) extending the Step 1 review in the areas of maximum credible accident methodology, safety classification of structures, systems, and components (SSCs), and scope of the quality assurance program. Because Oklos quality assurance program is closely tied to its safety classification of SSCs, these issues have been combined and are no longer being tracked separately. In the letter, the NRC staff stated that Oklos responses to requests for additional information, audit documents, and audit discussions enhanced the staffs understanding of Oklos novel approach to the Aurora safety case but did not provide sufficient information to define the scope of the full Step 2 technical review. The NRC staff completed its review of one of the key aspects of the licensing basis, the applicability of regulations, and issued a letter documenting Step 1 closure on this topic on November 17, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20300A593). To close the Step 1 review, Oklo proposed to leverage two topical reports, Maximum Credible Accident Methodology Topical Report and 24 This activity was originally projected to be completed by September 30, 2021. The Commission granted a 3-month extension for NRC staff to prepare the final rule package for ACRS to review. The NRC staff is scheduled to brief the ACRS Subcommittee on September 21, 2021 and the full Committee on November 4-5, 2021. The final rule package is due to the Commission by December 30, 2021.
25 A custom COL application provides both the design information that would be provided by a certified design and the site-specific information provided with a COL application.
20 Performance-Based Licensing/Classification Topical Report, to document the staffs review of methodologies for MCA and classification of SSCs. Oklo submitted the topical reports on July 2, 2021 (Letter Submitting the Reports (ADAMS Accession No. ML21184A001), Topical Report on Maximum Credible Accident Methodology (ADAMS Accession No. ML21184A002), and Topical Report on Performance-Based Licensing Methodology (ADAMS Accession No. ML21187A001)). The NRC staff will perform acceptance reviews of the topical reports and if found acceptable, will commence the detailed technical reviews and preparation of safety evaluation reports. The NRC staff will consider Step 1 closed only after the MCA and SSC issues are resolved and then reassess resource needs and the overall COL review schedule and communicate this to Oklo by letter.
The NRC staff holds periodic public meetings to discuss the review of the COL application for the Oklo Aurora design. A list of the meetings can be found on the NRCs public Web site (https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col/aurora-oklo/public-meetings.html).
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Major activities were deferred during this reporting period due to a need for more information from the applicant.
Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Oklo COL Review Activities Projected Completion Date Complete Acceptance Review of two topical reports submitted in July 2021.
08/30/21 Complete technical reviews and preparation of safety evaluations of the two topical reports.
TBD pending acceptance reviews 2-9 Reactor Oversight Process The ROP is a risk-informed, performance-based oversight program that contains provisions for continuous self-assessment and improvement. The staff developed recommendations for proposed changes to the ROP in SECY-19-0067, Recommendations for Enhancing the Reactor Oversight Process, (ADAMS Accession No. ML19070A050). The staff requested to withdraw this paper because new information and additional staff activities are relevant and were not considered in developing the basis for several of the recommendations in the paper.
The Commission approved the staffs proposal. The staff intends to reevaluate the basis for the previous recommendations and reengage internal and external stakeholders, including regional inspection staff, members of the public, and the nuclear industry, on these and any other proposed changes to the ROP, as appropriate. The staff also continues to assess and improve the ROP as part of its normal work practices through the NRCs transformation activities, stakeholder correspondence, feedback from ROP public meetings, and the annual ROP self-assessment program.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Reactor Oversight Process Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Briefed the Commission on the results of the Agency Action Review Meeting (ADAMS Package No. ML21050A176).
06/10/21 06/10/21
21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Reactor Oversight Process Activities Projected Completion Date Complete Comprehensive Baseline Inspection Program Review.
09/30/2125F26 2-10 Backfit The NRCs backfitting rules are codified in 10 CFR 50.109, 70.76, 72.62, and 76.76. The backfitting rules define backfitting as the modification of or addition to systems, structures, components, or design of a facility; or the design approval or manufacturing license for a facility; or the procedures or organization required to design, construct or operate a facility; any of which may result from a new or amended provision in the Commissions regulations or the imposition of a regulatory staff position interpreting the Commissions regulations that is either new or different from a previously applicable staff position.26F27 The rules require, in the absence of an applicable exception, an analysis showing that the backfit would result in a substantial increase in the overall protection of the public health and safety or the common defense and security and that the increased protection warrants the direct and indirect costs of implementation. There are similar requirements, referred to as issue finality, that apply when there are new or amended requirements for licenses, permits, and design approvals and certifications issued under 10 CFR Part 52.
The Commission clarified its backfitting and issue finality policy as well as its policy on forward fits, which are requirements or staff interpretations of requirements imposed as a condition of agency approval of a licensee request that result in the modification of or addition to systems, structures, components, or design of a facility, in NRC Management Directive 8.4, Management of Backfitting, Forward Fitting, Issue Finality, and Information Requests (ADAMS Accession No. ML18093B087). The NRC completed draft NUREG-1409, Backfitting Guidelines, Revision 1, in March 2020 and issued a notice of availability in the Federal Register for public comment (ADAMS Accession No. ML18109A498). This revision would provide additional guidance for the NRC staff on how to implement the Commissions backfitting and issue finality regulations and policies and forward fitting policy, including how to process violations that are contested based on claims of unjustified backfitting. The NRC received approximately 250 individual comments from members of the public, licensees, and industry representatives. The NRC staff evaluated the comments, updated the draft NUREG, and provided the Commission with the staffs proposed NUREG-1409, Revision 1 (Final Report) (ADAMS Package No. ML21006A431). This revised document is currently before the Commission for its consideration.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Backfit Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date None N/A N/A 26 Completion of the Comprehensive Baseline Inspection Program Review was previously scheduled for August 31, 2021. Additional time is needed to reach finalize the scope and objectives of the review.
27 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1). Substantially similar definitions are provided in § 70.76, Backfitting, § 72.62, Backfitting, and § 76.76, Backfitting for non-reactor facilities.
22 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Backfit Activities Projected Completion Date Develop recommendation on whether a proposed technical specification, pertaining to degraded voltage protection (DVR) at the Oconee Nuclear Station, is required under 10 CFR 50.36(c)(3), in accordance with the NRCs backfit rule.27F28 07/31/21 Submit to the Commission the Fitness-for-Duty Drug Testing Program Requirements Final Rule, which would constitute a generic backfit via rulemaking.
09/15/21 2-11 Risk-Informed Activities The NRC staff continues to make progress to advance the use of risk insights more broadly to inform decisionmaking. There are numerous activities ranging in scope from agencywide initiatives, such as the Be riskSMART initiative, which is part of the transformation efforts discussed in section 2-1, to the advanced reactor risk-informed activities listed in section 2-7, to individual undertakings in program and corporate offices.28F29 The NRC staff continues to implement and track the use of the agencywide Be riskSMART risk-informed decisionmaking framework to inform a broad range of decisions spanning technical, legal, and corporate arenas.
For example, the NRC staff continues to review and approve applications to adopt advanced risk management programs such as 10 CFR 50.69, Risk-informed categorization and treatment of structures, systems and components for nuclear power reactors and Risk-Informed Technical Specifications Initiative 4b,29F30 that provide for operational flexibilities that enhance safety by ensuring that power reactor licensees and the NRC prioritize the most risk significant issues.
Activities Planned and Completed for the Reporting Period (Q3 FY 2021)
Risk-Informed Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Completed assessment of the August 2020 derecho event at the Duane Arnold Energy Center and issued report with recommendations for additional regulatory actions based on risk insights from the event (ADAMS Package No. ML21084A010).30F31 04/30/21 03/30/21 28 On January 28, 2021, the EDO directed the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) to determine whether a proposed technical specification is required for DVR protection at Oconee under 10 CFR 50.36(c)(3), in accordance with the backfit rule. The NRC staffs assessment of this issue is due to the EDO in July 2021.
29 The NRC maintains a listing of risk-informed activities that is updated annually at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/risk-informed/rpp.html.
30 A description of these and other operating reactors risk-informed initiatives is available at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/risk-informed/rpp/reactor-safety-operating.html 31 A public meeting was held on May 27, 2021 with industry representatives to exchange risk insights and other information that could further enhance licensees responses to similar severe weather events (ADAMS Accession No. ML21172A263).
23 Risk-Informed Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Issued draft Interim Staff Guidance (ISG), Supplemental Guidance for Radiological Consequence Analyses Using Alternative Source Terms, for public comment (86 FR 27657). Once finalized, this ISG is intended to provide guidance to the staff on using risk insights in deterministic evaluations.
05/21/21 05/21/2131F32 Issued Revision 2 of RG 1.205, Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection for Existing Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants (ADAMS Accession No. ML21048A448).
05/31/21 05/28/2132F33 Conducted tabletop exercises of past fuel cycle facility licensing basis questions that have arisen during inspections using the drafted risk-informed process that was developed as part of the very low safety significance issues resolution initiative.
06/15/21 04/28/21 Briefed ACRS on draft Revision 2 of RG 1.205, following the public comment period (ADAMS Accession No. ML21161A350).
06/30/21 05/05/21 Implemented one of two of the longer-term recommendations on building a smarter fuel cycle inspection program (ADAMS Accession No. ML20183A242).33F34 06/30/21 03/30/21 32 A decision to issue the draft ISG for public comment, including the schedule and milestones, was made after the last report was submitted and therefore is new in this report.
33 This item was not included in the previous projected activities list because of uncertainty in the extent of public comments and ACRS feedback that would have to be addressed prior to issuance of the RG.
34 In the previous report, staff indicated that while all the inspection procedures identified for revisions have been issued, the staff planned to implement the following two longer-term recommendations from the smarter fuel cycle inspection report the third quarter of FY 2021: 1) performing an in-depth assessment of the scope of resident inspector guidance and 2) incorporating into the inspection program the results of the Operating Experience Program and the Fuel Cycle Inspection Assessment Program. Although the staff implemented the first of these longer-term recommendations during this reporting period, the NRC staff now plans to implement the second longer-term recommendation concerning the Operating Experience Program and the Fuel Cycle Inspection Assessment Program in Q2 FY 2022. The implementation of the second longer-term recommendation was delayed due to expansion of the scope of the Operating Experience Program beyond just the Fuel Cycle Inspection Program to include all of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) responsibilities and activities.
24 Risk-Informed Activities Projected Completion Date Completion Date Conducted public meeting to discuss the status, results of tabletop exercises, and path forward on the nuclear materials low safety significance issue resolution initiative (ADAMS Accession No. ML21162A066).
06/30/21 06/15/21 Considered the expansion of the Risk Informed Process for Exemptions (RIPE) and decided to expand RIPE to additional reactor licensees by allowing the use of risk insights obtained from probabilistic risk assessments developed to support TSTF-425, Surveillance Frequency Control Program (ADAMS Accession No. ML21180A012).
06/30/21 06/30/21 Projected Activities for the Next Two Reporting Periods (Q4 FY 2021 and Q1 FY 2022)
Projected Risk-Informed Activities Projected Completion Date Issue final safety evaluation report for the first topical report related to Holtecs spent fuel storage systems. The topical report involves a generic and risk-informed approach on heat load zone configurations.
This approach, if approved and adopted for a given Holtec design, will reduce the number of future license amendments.
07/30/2134F35 Complete review of LAR to revise the emergency plans for SNC fleet to change emergency response organization staffing composition and extend staff augmentation times. These LARs are significant in that they result from the risk-informed aspects of the 2019 revision of NUREG-0654, the definitive emergency preparedness evaluation guidance.35F36 09/30/21 Identify potential need for changes in guidance to the definition of term gross-rupture, which could result in operational and licensing efficiencies for spent fuel storage systems through engagement with external stakeholders.
09/30/2136F37 Evaluate expansion of RIPE in other nuclear reactor licensing actions such as topical reports and continue outreach with other interested parties to expand RIPE in areas outside of the operating and new reactor business lines.
09/30/21 35 This activity was originally projected to be completed by April 30, 2021. Additional time was required to consider future implementation of the topical report.
36 This activity was originally projected to be completed by March 23, 2021. However, the licensee submitted new information for consideration. Thus, the completion date has been changed to September 30, 2021.
37 This activity was originally projected to be completed by June 30, 2021. However, additional preparatory meetings were conducted from January to April to share operating experience and research results so that the technical meetings that occurred in June would be as successful as possible. To account for the additional information gleaned from these meetings, the expected completion date was moved to September 30, 2021.
25 Initiate exploratory activities for applying the RIPE concept to review nuclear materials licensing requests.
09/30/2137F38 Complete the revision of 10 materials inspection procedures (IPs) associated with Inspection Manual Chapter 2800. The NRC staff developed risk modules in each IP, with each module focusing on the risks of the relevant types of radioactive materials and their usage.
12/31/21 2-12 Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic The NRC COVID-19 Coordination Team (including a COVID-19 Task Force and Working Group) continues to develop and implement precautionary measures in response to the pandemic to help protect the health and safety of our workforce consistent with guidance provided by the Federal Government, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as considerations of State and local conditions around NRC facilities. In addition, the NRC continues to protect public health and safety and the environment. The NRC is monitoring the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on NRC-licensed activities as well as actions taken in response to State, local, and site-specific conditions. The NRC is poised to take additional steps as warranted.
NRC Re-Occupancy of Facilities During this reporting period, occupancy limits at all NRC facilities remained at 25 percent and the agency remained in a maximum telework posture. The agency continues to closely monitor State and local conditions as well as guidance from the CDC, General Services Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Office of Management and Budget, and Office of Personnel Management as part of NRCs re-occupancy planning process in order to facilitate a healthy and safe re-entry of the NRC workforce. The NRC is coordinating its planning for expanded re-occupancy in accordance with directions and expectations set forth by the Presidents Management Council.
Licensing and Oversight Items of Interest The NRC staff has taken steps to identify areas of our regulations that are challenging during the pandemic, and the areas where temporary flexibilities, such as exemptions, would not compromise the ability of licensees to maintain the safe and secure operation of NRC-licensed facilities. The NRC staff continues to communicate the processes available to licensees for requesting these flexibilities in a transparent way through public communications, such as teleconferences, webcasts, and letters. In addition, these processes and the approved flexibilities are posted and updated on the NRC public Web site (https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/covid-19/).
During the reporting period, the agency provided notice of 218 public meetings to address a range of NRC issues. Due to health and safety concerns related to COVID-19, these meetings were held virtually via webcast or by teleconference. The NRC has also developed portions of its Web site devoted to the regulatory activities taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specific posts related to nuclear power plant licensees, nuclear materials licensees, and security and emergency preparedness have been developed to keep the public informed on 38 This activity was originally projected to be completed by June 30, 2021. The NRC staff, through the NMSS Low Safety Significance Issue Resolution (LSSIR) Working Group, is currently aligning on a path forward on the application of the RIPE concept to the review of nuclear materials licensing requests.
26 how the NRC is adapting its regulatory approach during the pandemic. Between April 1 and June 30, 2021, the NRC issued 10 licensing actions granting temporary flexibilities to maintain the safe and secure operation of nuclear reactor and nuclear materials licensees. A complete list of licensing actions approved by the NRC in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is available on the NRC public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/covid-19/.
Regulatory Activities Taken in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic During the Reporting Period Licensee Type Number of COVID-19 Requests Approved During the Reporting Period Average Number of Days to Review COVID-19 Requests38F39 Power Reactor 8
22 Non-Power Reactor 0
N/A Other (e.g., topical reports) 0 N/A Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities and Uranium Recovery 0
N/A Storage and Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel 0
N/A Fuel Cycle Facilities 0
N/A Medical, Industrial and Academic Uses of Nuclear Materials and Agreement States 2
4639F40 39 This average is calculated based on the date the request is received and the review is completed; review time may be longer in cases where a supplement to a request is received after the initial submission date.
40 During the reporting period, the NRC staff approved two COVID-19 related exemptions with 18-day and 64-day review periods. The second exemption request, which was received on April 16, 2021, extended a previously approved exemption, which had been approved until June 30, 2021. The staff issued the approval on June 29, 2021 before the previous exemption expired.
27
- Summary of Activities 3-1 Reactor Oversight Process Findings The table below provides the CY ROP findings for the YTD and 3-year rolling metrics.
Location Number of Findings CY 2018 CY 2019 CY 2020 CY2021 (YTD)
Nationally Total 478 440 291 15040F41 Region I Green 107 95 50 37 White 1
0 0
1 Yellow 0
0 0
0 Red 0
0 0
0 Greater Than Green Security 0
0 0
0 Total 108 95 50 38 No. of Units Operating During CY 25 24 2141F42 21 Region II Green 113 110 77 28 White 0
1 2
0 Yellow 0
0 0
0 Red 0
0 0
0 Greater Than Green Security 0
0 1
0 Total 113 111 80 28 No. of Units Operating During CY 33 33 33 33 Region III Green 110 96 51 27 White 2
1 0
0 Yellow 0
0 0
0 Red 0
0 0
0 Greater Than Green Security 0
0 0
1 41 The inspection reports for the second quarter of CY 2021 will continue to be finalized through August 15, 2021.
The report for the next reporting period will be updated to include any additional findings from the second quarter of CY 2021.
42 The reduction of three units for CY 2020 reflects the permanent shutdown of Pilgrim Nuclear Station on May 31, 2019; Three Mile Island, Unit 1, on September 20, 2019; and Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit 2 on April 30, 2020.
28 Location Number of Findings CY 2018 CY 2019 CY 2020 CY2021 (YTD)
Total 112 97 51 28 No. of Units Operating During CY 23 23 2242F43 22 Region IV Green 145 137 110 56 White 0
0 0
0 Yellow 0
0 0
0 Red 0
0 0
0 Greater Than Green Security 0
0 0
0 Total 145 137 110 56 No. of Units Operating During CY 18 18 18 18 3-2 Licensing Actions The tables below provide the status of licensing actions organized by licensing program.
Consistent with Section 102(c) of NEIMA, the licensing actions referenced in this section include requested activities of the Commission for which the NRC staff issues a final safety evaluation.
These totals do not include LARs, as they are addressed separately in section 3-3. Total Inventory refers to the total number of licensing actions that are open and accepted by the NRC at the end of the quarter. Licensing Actions Initiated During the Reporting Period are the number of licensing actions (regardless of acceptance) that are received by the NRC during the reporting period.
Operating Reactors Reporting Period Total Inventory Licensing Actions Initiated During the Reporting Period Licensing Actions Completed During the Reporting Period Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Generic Milestone Schedule43F44 Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Established Schedule44F45 Q4 FY 2020 238 23345F46 186 100%
98%
Q1 FY 2021 224 226 237 100%
92%
43 The reduction of one unit for CY 2020 reflects the permanent shutdown of Duane Arnold on August 10, 2020.
44 Consistent with previous reports, this excludes unusually complex and Fukushima-related licensing actions accepted or initiated prior to July 13, 2019.
45 The established schedule is the schedule communicated to the licensee and made publicly available at the completion of the acceptance review.
46 In the previous report, the 2 in 233 was inadvertently deleted.
29 Reporting Period Total Inventory Licensing Actions Initiated During the Reporting Period Licensing Actions Completed During the Reporting Period Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Generic Milestone Schedule43F44 Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Established Schedule44F45 Q2 FY 2021 264 135 105 100%
96%
Q3 FY 2021 226 49 71 100%
100%
New Reactors Reporting Period Total Inventory Licensing Actions Initiated During the Reporting Period Licensing Actions Completed During the Reporting Period Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Generic Milestone Schedule Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Established Schedule Q4 FY 2020 3
1 6
100%
100%
Q1 FY 2021 2
1 2
100%
100%
Q2 FY 2021 2
0 0
N/A N/A Q3 FY 2021 2
1 1
100%
100%
Fuel Facilities Reporting Period Total Inventory Licensing Actions Initiated During the Reporting Period Licensing Actions Completed During the Reporting Period Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Generic Milestone Schedule Percentage of Licensing Actions Completed Prior to the Established Schedule Q4 FY 2020 3
1 2
100%
100%
Q1 FY 2021 2
1 2
100%
0%46F47 Q2 FY 2021 2
4 4
100%
75%47F48 Q3 FY 2021 4
3 1
100%
100%
47 One licensing action was complex; the other was completed approximately 25 days after the established schedule.
Both licensing actions were completed within the generic milestone schedule.
48 One licensing action was complex, which resulted in it exceeding the established schedule by 27 days. The licensing action was completed within the generic milestone schedule.
30 3-3 Licensing Amendment Request Reviews The tables below provide the status of LARs organized by licensing program. Consistent with Section 102(c) of NEIMA, the LARs referenced in this section include requested activities of the Commission for which the NRC staff issue a final safety evaluation. The total inventory is the number of open LARs at the end of the quarter. LARs are included in the total inventory after they have been accepted by the NRC (the acceptance review period is generally 30 days after the application is submitted).
Operating Reactors Reporting Period Total Inventory LARs Submitted During the Reporting Period LAR Reviews Completed During the Reporting Period Percentage of LAR Reviews Completed Prior to the Generic Milestone Schedule48F49 Percentage of LAR Reviews Completed Prior to the Established Schedule49F50 Q4 FY 2020 362 125 145 100%
91%
Q1 FY 2021 354 84 94 100%
92%
Q2 FY 2021 276 36 107 100%
90%
Q3 FY 2021 249 56 66 100%
97%50F51 New Reactors Reporting Period Total Inventory LARs Submitted During the Reporting Period LAR Reviews Completed During the Reporting Period Percentage of LAR Reviews Completed Prior to the Generic Milestone Schedule Percentage of LAR Reviews Completed Prior to the Established Schedule Q4 FY 2020 3
1 3
100%
100%
Q1 FY 2021 1
0 2
100%
100%
Q2 FY 2021 1
0 0
N/A N/A Q3 FY 2021 1
0 0
N/A N/A 49 Consistent with previous reports, this excludes unusually complex and Fukushima-related LARs accepted or initiated prior to July 13, 2019.
50 The established schedule is the schedule communicated to the licensee and made publicly available at the completion of the acceptance review.
51 One review of an LAR exceeded the established schedule by 180 days due to the NRC staff identifying an issue that resulted in the licensee submitting a supplement that changed the scope of the request. Given the change in scope, a supplemental Federal Register Notice was published, providing for a new 60-day public comment period and opportunity to request a hearing. The staff expects to complete its review in September 2021.
31 Fuel Facilities Reporting Period Total Inventory LARs Submitted During the Reporting Period LAR Reviews Completed During the Reporting Period Percentage of LAR Reviews Completed Prior to the Generic Milestone Schedule Percentage of LAR Reviews Completed Prior to the Established Schedule Q4 FY 2020 14 7
5 100%
80%
Q1 FY 2021 14 6
6 100%
100%
Q2 FY 2021 10 4
8 100%
75%51F52 Q3 FY 2021 9
7 8
100%
83%
Unusually Complex LARs52F53 The staff has identified certain LARs (accepted for review prior to July 13, 2019), as unusually complex. Consistent with the previous reports, these unusually complex submittals are not included in the internal performance measures as they do not lend themselves to realistic schedule forecasting. Rather, they are given escalated management attention to ensure progress is made toward resolving outstanding issues and completing the reviews in a timely manner.
Unusually Complex LAR Description Exclusive Justification Age (Months)
None N/A N/A 3-4 Research Activities53F54 Summary of New Research Projects During the reporting period, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research initiated research on or substantially revised the following projects:
Regulatory Research Supporting Aging Management of Chloride-Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking of Stainless-Steel Canisters (NMSS-2021-004)
Importance to the NRC Mission Enhance the NRCs understanding of important technical issues for the successful aging management of chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking of stainless-steel canisters in dry storage systems.
52 Two licensing actions had delayed issuance at the end of the year, which resulted in both items exceeding the established schedule by 2 percent (5 days).
53 There were no unusually complex LARs for new reactors, operating reactors, or fuel facilities during the reporting period. The previously-reported unusually complex Point Beach exemption request was withdrawn by the licensee on February 11, 2021 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21042A002).
54 This section provides information about projects that were started or completed during the reporting period that exceeded 300 staff hours or $500K of program support for the total duration of the project.
32 Regulatory Research Supporting Aging Management of Chloride-Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking of Stainless-Steel Canisters (NMSS-2021-004)
Planned Activities:
This activity will provide research support to risk-inform the licensing and oversight of stainless-steel canisters in dry storage systems. The following tasks are planned:
Obtain crack growth rate data under conditions relevant to the range of operating conditions for dry storage facilities to inform canister inspection frequencies, Assess the use of cold spray technologies for mitigation and repair of stainless-steel canisters, Develop a probabilistic assessment for chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking based on its likelihood and timing, and Support engagement with the Department of Energy and industry on efforts related to the inspection, mitigation, and repair of stainless-steel canisters.
Requesting Business Line Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation Estimated Completion FY 2023 Estimate of Total Research Resources 2.5 FTE and $620K over a 3-year period Holtec SMR Confirmatory Analysis and Licensing Support (NRR-2021-015)
Importance to the NRC Mission Conduct confirmatory analysis and support licensing review for the Holtec SMR-160 design application. Technical analysis of the reactor design will assist in understanding performance of integrated plant systems during design basis accidents to support safety assessment.
Planned Activities:
This activity includes conducting an NRC evaluation of the phenomena important to the operation of the Holtec reactor and performing research to support the design basis accident analysis and containment analysis reviews. The timing for this support will largely depend on when design information is provided to the NRC and the overall licensing schedule for the applicant.
Requesting Business Line New Reactors Estimated Completion FY 2025 Estimate of Total Research Resources 5.7 FTE and $200K over a 5-year period
33 Summary of Completed Research Projects54F55 During the reporting period, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research completed the following activities:
Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence Evaluation Methodology Guidance (NRR-2015-002)
Importance to the NRC Mission Provide a technical basis for determining the applicability of RG 1.190 for evaluating neutron fluence in the extended beltline region and help inform decisions concerning changes to calculational methodology guidance that may be needed.
Research Results or Findings The research analysis assessed the performance of nuclear transport calculations used to evaluate the impacts of fluence in the reactor pressure vessel extended beltline region.
The technical basis for the conclusion that RG 1.190 is applicable to evaluations of neutron fluence in the extended beltline region and can help inform decisions concerning changes to calculational methodology guidance is provided in the following reports:
Technical Letter Report (TLR), Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence Evaluation Methodology Guidance, (ADAMS Package No. ML17264A085).
TLR-RES-CIB-2021-08, Calculational Methods for Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence in Extended Beltline Locations, (ADAMS Accession No. ML21137A309)
TLR-RES-CIB-2021-09, Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence, DPA, and Uncertainty Quantification in Extended Beltline Locations, (ADAMS Accession No. ML21137A310)
Additional information on the technical basis will be included in the following report, which is expected to be issued by September 2021:
NUREG/CR-XXXX, Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence Evaluation Methodology for Extended Beltline Locations, (Oak Ridge National Laboratory report ORNL/SPR/2021-1998).
Duration of the Project 6 years Estimate of Total Research Resources 1.2 FTE and $1.8M over the 6-year period 55 The research project resources are estimates of staff hours and program support costs based on inspection of project records, including staffing plans and contract spending plans.
34 3-5 Fees Billed The tables below provide information on Part 170 fees billed for each fee class. For each fee class, the NRC staff compared the fees billed to the receipts estimated in the annual fee rule.55F56 Fee Class FY 2021 Part 170 Receipts Proposed -
Annual Fee Rule ($M)
Part 170 Billed in FY 2021 Q3 ($M)
Total Part 170 - Billed in FY 2021 ($M)
Fuel Facilities
$7.4
$1.6
$5.4 Generic Decommissioning
$0.5
$0.9
$2.5 Materials Users56F57
$1.0
$0.2
$0.7 Operating Power Reactors
$157.0
$39.3
$118.5 Research and Test Reactors
$3.7
$0.9
$2.0 Spent Fuel Storage / Reactor Decommissioning
$12.4
$2.7
$8.3 Transportation
$3.6
$0.8
$1.3 Uranium Recovery
$0.3
$0.1
$0.2 Significant Ongoing Licensing Actions The following table includes a comparison of the fees billed to projected resources for subsequent license renewal application reviews, Oklos Aurora COL application, and the SHINE Medical Technologies, LLC (SHINE) operating license application review.
Docket Project Name Projected Resources
($M)57F58 Fees Billed to Date
($M)58F59 Point Beach Units 1 and 2 05000266/05000301 Point Beach Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal Application Safety Review
$5.059F60
$1.3 Point Beach Units 1 and 2 05000266/05000301 Point Beach Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal
$1.4
$0.3 56 The FY 2021 Final Fee Rule was published on June 16, 2021 (86 FR 32146).
57 Materials UsersBilled as flat fee applications and included in the estimates and billed.
58 Projected resources are calculated based on the FTE estimates provided to applicants in the acceptance letters.
Dollar amounts are obtained by multiplying the hours estimate by the professional hourly rate.
59 The NRC bills its licensees/applicants in the first month of the quarter following the timeframe in which the work was performed. For example, NRC work performed in April, May, and June, would be invoiced to the licensee/applicant in July. Therefore, the total billed amounts listed in Table 3-5 reflects costs for NRC work performed through March 2021.
60 When the formal acceptance letter for the Point Beach subsequent license renewal application was sent to the licensee on January 15, 2021 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21006A417), the NRC estimated that it would take approximately $6.4M to complete the application review.
35 Docket Project Name Projected Resources
($M)57F58 Fees Billed to Date
($M)58F59 Application Environmental Review North Anna Units 1 and 2 05000338/05000339 North Anna Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal Application Safety Review
$5.060F61
$2.3 North Anna Units 1 and 2 05000338/05000339 North Anna Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal Application Environmental Review
$1.4
$0.8 Surry Units 1 and 2 05000280/0500028161F62 Surry Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal Application Safety Review
$4.9
$4.6 Surry Units 1 and 2 05000280/0500028162F63 Surry Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal Application Environmental Review
$1.463F64
$1.9 SHINE Medical Technologies, LLC 05000608 SHINE Medical Isotope Production Facility Operating License Application Review Safety and Environmental Reviews
$6.264F65
$4.3 Oklo Aurora 05200049 Oklo Aurora COL Application
-Safety Review
$0.565F66
$0.4 Oklo Aurora 05200049 Oklo Aurora COL Application
- Environmental Review
$0.2
$0.1 3-6 Requests for Additional Information The table below provides information on requests for additional information (RAIs) associated with licensing actions that are considered requested activities of the Commission for which the NRC staff issues a final safety evaluation, consistent with Section 102(c) of NEIMA. While Section 102(c) of NEIMA only applies to licensing actions accepted after July 13, 2019, the RAI data also include licensing actions accepted prior to July 13, 2019, to provide a complete inventory.
61 When the formal acceptance letter for the North Anna subsequent license renewal application was sent to the licensee on October 13, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20258A284), the NRC estimated that it would take approximately $6.4M to complete the application review.
62 The NRC staff issued the Surry Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal on May 4, 2021. Final billing totals for the safety review will be included in the next report and thereafter this item will be removed.
63 The NRC staff issued the Surry Units 1 and 2 Subsequent License Renewal on May 4, 2021. Final billing totals for the environmental review will be included in the next report and thereafter this item will be removed.
64 When the Surry subsequent license renewal application was accepted for review on December 3, 2018 (ADAMS Accession No. ML18320A236), the NRC estimated it would take approximately $6.3M to complete the application review.
65 The projected resource estimate was provided to SHINE by letter dated April 30, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20114E315).
66 When the Oklo COL application was accepted for review, the NRC indicated that the staff plans to complete the review in a two-step process. This table contains the projected resources to complete the identified Step 1 safety and environmental aspects of the review (ADAMS Accession No. ML20308A677), including reviews of any applicable topical reports.
36 Type of Facility or Activity Type Total Inventory of Open RAIs as of the End of Reporting Period Total Number of RAIs Issued in Reporting Period Total Number of RAIs Responded to in Reporting Period Total Number of RAIs Closed in Reporting Period66F67 Operating Reactors 357 112 128 229 Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities67F68 62768F69 60 52 0
Design Certifications for New Reactors69F70 N/A N/A N/A N/A Early Site Permits for New Reactors70F71 N/A N/A N/A N/A Combined Licenses for New Reactors 10 0
0 0
Fuel Facilities 42 12 4
92 Power Reactor Decommissioning 70 26 16 17 Research and Test Reactor Decommissioning 6
0 0
0 Spent Fuel 804 87 29 81 Materials 0
0 0
0 Pre-Application Activities for Advanced Reactors 471F72 4
0 0
67 RAIs are considered closed once the final safety evaluation, environmental assessment, or environmental impact statement is finalized except for RAIs associated with new reactor application reviews. Due to the phased approach taken over several years for new reactor application reviews, RAIs are closed throughout the review process once the staff has determined that no additional information is needed to resolve the issue.
68 For the purposes of RAI reporting, non-power production and utilization facilities include all operating research and test reactors and medical radioisotope facilities licensed under 10 CFR Part 50, including the ongoing review of the SHINE operating license application.
69 The Total Inventory of Open RAIs as of the End of Reporting Period column has been corrected to account for an error in the total inventory of open RAIs. Specifically, 531 RAIs were reported in the previous report but the number should have been 567 RAIs.
70 No design certification applications are currently under review by the NRC; therefore, there will be no RAI data to report until an application is submitted and accepted by the NRC for review.
71 No early site permit applications are currently under review by the NRC; therefore, there will be no RAI data to report until an application is submitted and accepted by the NRC for review.
72 The four RAIs listed concern the NRC staffs review of a topical report submitted by TerraPower, LLC.
37 3-7 Workforce Development and Management FY 2021 Staffing by Office72F73 FY 2021 Budget FTE Utilization 03/14/21 -
04/24/21 FTE Utilization 04/25/21 -
05/22/21 FTE Utilization 05/23/21 -
06/19/21 FTE Utilization as of 06/19/21 Delta (Q3 FTE Utilization -
FY 2021 Budget)
End of Year (EOY)73F74 Projection w/
Personnel Actions Delta (EOY Projection -
FY 2021 Budget)
Totals 2877.9 210.7 210.5 214.8 2015.2
-862.7 2759.2
-118.7 COMM 45.0 2.6 2.5 2.2 24.8
-20.2 32.7
-12.3 OIG 63.0 4.3 4.3 4.4 40.9
-22.1 55.5
-7.5 Totals Other Offices 2769.9 203.8 203.7 208.1 1949.5
-820.4 2670.9
-99.0 OCFO 93.0 6.6 6.5 6.8 64.6
-28.4 88.4
-4.6 OGC 92.0 6.7 6.8 7.1 65.3
-26.7 90.0
-2.0 OCA 10.0 0.8 0.8 0.8 7.9
-2.1 10.9 0.9 OCAA 7.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 4.9
-2.1 6.7
-0.3 OPA 13.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 9.5
-3.5 12.9
-0.1 SECY 17.0 1.4 1.4 1.3 12.9
-4.1 17.5 0.5 OIP 34.0 2.5 2.5 2.6 23.7
-10.3 32.8
-1.2 ASLBP 23.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 14.9
-8.1 20.0
-3.0 ACRS 24.0 1.8 1.9 1.7 17.8
-6.2 24.3 0.3 OEDO 23.0 1.8 1.8 1.9 16.9
-6.1 23.6 0.6 NRR 548.4 40.7 40.6 41.7 391.6
-156.8 536.1
-12.3 NMSS 298.3 22.6 22.7 23.4 217.8
-80.5 299.3 1.0 RES 197.0 15.1 15.1 16.2 141.5
-55.5 197.4 0.4 NSIR 152.0 11.6 11.5 11.8 112.1
-39.9 152.7 0.7 R-I 178.2 13.5 13.5 13.5 125.7
-52.5 171.3
-6.9 R-II 223.3 15.9 15.7 15.5 151.5
-71.8 204.8
-18.5 R-III 174.4 12.7 12.8 13.0 120.6
-53.8 165.2
-9.2 R-IV 164.0 12.5 12.4 12.5 118.4
-45.6 162.3
-1.7 OE 30.3 2.3 2.2 2.3 21.2
-9.1 29.6
-0.7 OI 35.0 3.0 2.9 2.8 28.3
-6.7 38.0 3.0 OCIO 167.0 11.3 11.5 12.0 108.7
-58.3 150.2
-16.8 ADM 123.0 8.7 8.8 9.0 83.8
-39.2 114.0
-9.0 SBCR 13.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 8.8
-4.2 12.3
-0.7 OCHCO 129.0 8.4 8.2 8.1 79.6
-49.4 108.6
-20.4 73 Some numbers might not add due to rounding.
74 Based on FTE utilization as of June 19, 2021.
38 FY 2021 Budget FTE Utilization 03/14/21 -
04/24/21 FTE Utilization 04/25/21 -
05/22/21 FTE Utilization 05/23/21 -
06/19/21 FTE Utilization as of 06/19/21 Delta (Q3 FTE Utilization -
FY 2021 Budget)
End of Year (EOY)73F74 Projection w/
Personnel Actions Delta (EOY Projection -
FY 2021 Budget)
CSU 1.0 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.5 0.5 2.0 1.0 3-8 Inspection Activities The table below shows the average number of hours of direct inspection per plant in CY 2021.
Average Reactor Oversight Process Direct Inspection Hours Nationwide Per Plant (unit)
Column 1 of ROP Action Matrix Column 2 of ROP Action Matrix Column 3 of ROP Action Matrix Column 4 of ROP Action Matrix 793 Hours 766 Hours 1189 Hours74F75 1261 Hours75F76 No Plants in Column 4 The table below shows the staff hours expended for inspection-related effort at operating power reactor sites by CY.
Items Description CY 2020 (Hours)
CY 2021 (YTD) (Hours)
- i.
Baseline Inspection 219,178 110,540 ii.
Plant-Specific Inspection 7,521 616 iii.
Generic Safety Issue Inspections 911 914 iv.
Performance Assessment 1,880 2,84976F77
- v.
Other Activities 86,074 41,698 vi.
Total Staff Effort 315,563 156,617 vii.
Total Staff Effort Per Operating Site 5,53677F78 2,79778F79 3-9 Backfit Facility-Specific Backfits No facility-specific backfits were issued during the reporting period.
75 As of June 1, 2021, Callaway Plant (1-unit Pressured Water Reactor (PWR)), Clinton Power Station (1-unit BWR),
James A. Fitzpatrick (1-unit BWR) and Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Unit 3 (2-unit PWR) are in Column 2 of the ROP Action Matrix. Surry Power Station Unit 2 (2-unit PWR) was in Column 2 in Q1 of CY 2021 and returned to Column 1 on April 1, 2021 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20365A007).
76 On March 3, 2021, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (1-unit BWR) entered Column 3 of the ROP Action Matrix in Q4 CY 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21055A008).
77 The increase in Performance Assessment hours is due to a change in tabulation of hours. The CY 2020 hours did not include hours assigned to ROP cycles other than 2020, while the CY 2021 hours includes ROP Cycle 2020 hours0.0234 days <br />0.561 hours <br />0.00334 weeks <br />7.6861e-4 months <br /> charged in 2021. Applying the same methodology to the CY 2020 hours would increase the number to 3,569 from 1,880.
78 Total staff effort is divided by 57 sites for CY 2020, due to Three Mile Island Unit 1, permanently ceasing operations on September 20, 2019.
79 Total staff effort is divided by 56 sites for CY 2021, due to Duane Arnold Unit 1 permanently ceasing operations in August 2020. Because Duane Arnold Unit 1 operated for the majority of CY 2020, it was included as an operating site in CY 2020.
39 Generic Backfits No generic backfits were issued during the reporting period.
Backfit Appeals Filed by Licensees and Applicants There were no backfit appeals submitted to the NRC during the reporting period.