ML21341A003

NRC Staff Presentation for December 7, 2021 Public Meeting to Discuss the Accident Tolerant Fuels Project Plan Comment Responses

ML21341A003
Person / Time
Issue date:	12/07/2021
From:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Wentzel M
References
Download: ML21341A003 (18)

Text

PublicMeetingtoDiscuss CommentResponsesonDraft ATFProjectPlan December7,2021 10:00am-11:00am

Introductions and Meeting Logistics Participants will be on mute until the presentation is complete.

The NRC will call on those with their hands up one at a time to provide feedback.

Todays meeting is an Observation meeting. The public will have an opportunity to participate prior to the end of the meeting.

No regulatory decisions will be made at todays meeting.

Welcome Bo Pham - Director, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Joe Donoghue - Director, Division of Safety Systems Presenter Michael Wentzel - Lead ATF Project Manager 2

• Tobeincludedintheattendancelist:accident_tolerant_fuel@nrc.gov

Purpose

• TodiscusstheNRCstaffresponsesto commentsreceivedonthedraftATFProject Plan.

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ATF Project Plan, Version 1.2

• Designedto:

- DescribestaffsstrategytoensurereadinessforATF,higher burnup,andincreasedenrichmentlicensingactions

- Increaseregulatorystabilityandcertainty

- EnhanceandoptimizeNRCreview

• Version1.2Timeline

- Updatestartedinearly2021

- DraftVersion1.2issuedJuly8,2021

- PublicmeetingtodiscussdraftonJuly22,2021

- NEIcommentlettersubmittedAugust5,2021

- FinalVersion1.2issuedSeptember30,2021 4

Changes Between Draft and Final

• Editorialchangestoenhanceclarity

• Changestoaddresscommentsreceived

• Additionalstreamliningtoimprovefocus

• RegulatoryFrameworkApplicabilityAnalysis (AppendixA)andtheLicensingPathway Diagrams(AppendixB)separatedfromthe plan 5

Comments on the Draft

• 41uniquecommentsreceived

- 2fromJuly22publicmeeting(ML21208A152)

- 39includedinAugust5letter(ML21221A130)

• NRCstaffresponsesissuedonNovember19, 2021(ML21314A531).

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IndustryComments 7

General Comments and Responses

• Comment:NRCshouldthoroughlyreviewand incorporateindustrycommentsintothis revision.

• Staffresponse:TheNRCstaffhasfully consideredtheindustryscommentsandhas madeupdatesthroughouttheATFProject Plan,asappropriate.

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General Comments and Responses (contd)

• Comment:NRCshouldprioritizeeffortsto genericallyevaluateenvironmentalimpacts

• Staffresponse:TheNRCstaffisdevelopinga plantoperformaboundinganalysisofthe environmentalimpactsassociatedwiththe deploymentofATFtechnologies,thedetailsof whichwillbemadeavailabletothepublic, oncefinalized.

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General Comments and Responses (contd)

• Comment:TheProjectPlanshouldbemoreresponsiveto theuseofriskinformedapplications.

• Staffresponse:TheATFProjectPlanwasrevisedtomake clearthattheNRCstaffwillcontinuetotakeariskinformed approachtonuclearfuellicensing;however,theProject Planisnotintendedtoconveyguidanceonhowtopursue riskinformedlicensingofATFconcept,higherburnup,and increasedenrichmentfuels.TheNRCstaffcontinuesto encouragevendorsandlicenseesconsideringarisk informedapproachtoengageearlywiththestafftoidentify andresolvetherelevanttechnicalandpolicyissues.

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General Comments and Responses (contd)

• Comment:NRCshouldclarifyitsinclusionofdoped pelletswithinAppendixA.

• Staffresponse:TheNRCstaffrevisedtheRegulatory FrameworkApplicabilityAnalysistabletoclarifythe inclusionofdopedpellets,asappropriate.Although theNRChaspreviouslylicensedfuelwithdoped pellets,itispossiblethattheagency'scurrent regulatoryframework(i.e.,guidancedocuments)may notbefullyapplicabletoallfuturedopedpellet concepts;therefore,theinformationinthedoped pelletscolumnwillberetained.

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General Comments and Responses (contd)

• Comment:NRCshouldclearlyindicatethatthe ProjectPlanisnotregulatoryguidance

• Staffresponse:TheNRCstaffagreesthattheATF ProjectPlanisnotintendedtoconveyregulatory requirementsorguidance.TheNRCstaffclarified thattheATFProjectPlanandtheRegulatory FrameworkApplicabilityAnalysistableshouldnot beinterpretedasnewregulatoryrequirementsor guidance.

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NextSteps 13

Next Steps

• FinalizeRegulatoryFrameworkApplicability AnalysisandLicensingPathwaydiagrams.

• Developschedulerelatedcommunicationto industrytohelpprioritizeagencyresources.

• Continuetolookforopportunitiestoengage stakeholders.

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Planning Information Needed

• Nominalreviewtimesusedforillustrationpurposesonly.

2022 2023 2024 2025 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Topical Report License Amendment Request(s)

• Licensingtimeframesaredependentonvendorapproachand plantspecificlicensingbases.

• Staffwouldbenefitfromadditionalplanninginformationto ensurethatresourcesarefocusedappropriately.E.g.:

- Numberoflicenseesbyfuelconcept

- Estimatedsubmittaldates HypotheticalLicensingTimeline*

NRC/IndustryDiscussion 16 16

PublicQuestions 17

Forfurtherinformation,pleasevisit https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/atf.html 18