ML22322A167
| ML22322A167 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 11/28/2022 |
| From: | Cayetano Santos NRC/NRR/VPOB |
| To: | Victor Hall NRC/NRR/VPOB |
| References | |
| Download: ML22322A167 (3) | |
Text
MEMORANDUM TO:
Victor E. Hall, Director Vogtle Project Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:
Cayetano Santos Jr., Senior Project Manager Vogtle Project Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF NOVEMBER 15, 2022, COMMENT GATHERING PUBLIC MEETING ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM CONSTRUCTION AND OVERSIGHT OF VOGTLE AND SUMMER On November 15, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a virtual comment gathering public meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to gather insights from members of the public on lessons learned from construction oversight of Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 3 and 4 and Virgil C. Summer Units 2 and 3. The meeting notice and agenda are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML22298A218. A list of attendees is enclosed.
In August 2021, the NRC staff announced the start of this lessons learned initiative (ML21239A156). The NRC staffs opening remarks during the November 15, 2022, meeting provided some background information and identified potential focus areas to frame the discussions (ML22319A124). This public meeting was the second in a series for the purpose of collecting stakeholder experiences and lessons learned during the construction under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 52, Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants. The NRC staff looks to collect feedback in the seven areas listed in the meeting agenda.
Marc Nichol of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) described recommendations for improving regulatory efficiency, updating the construction reactor oversight process (cROP), and planning for small modular reactors (ML22319A005).
Tom Kozak of Kozak Innovative Safety Solutions, Inc. described notable successes in the implementation of 10 CFR Part 52 as well as lessons learned from the cROP, inspection program, and significance determination process (ML22319A123).
CONTACT: Cayetano Santos, NRR/VPO 301415-7270 November 28, 2022 Signed by Santos, Cayetano on 11/28/22
V. Hall Below is a summary of the general comments and discussions:
The NRC staff asked Mr. Nichol about the ease of finding information on the NRCs public website. Mr. Nichol stated that the NRCs advanced reactor web pages are more user-friendly than those for the Vogtle Units 3 and 4, especially for members of the public that are not as familiar with the NRCs website.
A member of the public asked Mr. Nichol if any of NEIs recommendations would apply to new reactors and those that may decide to use the 10 CFR Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities licensing process instead of the Part 52 process. Mr. Nichol responded that NEIs philosophical recommendations, such as ensuring flexibility and resiliency during construction, could also apply to the Part 50 process, but the details of how this would be achieved would be different. Mr. Nichol agreed that for new reactors there are potential advantages of using Part 50 over Part 52.
The NRC staff asked Mr. Nichol about NEIs recommendation regarding the use of the low safety significance issue resolution process for inspections. Mr. Nichol responded that more enforcement discretion should be used for issues of low safety significance.
In response to a question from the NRC staff, Mr. Nichol stated that rulemaking would be needed to implement some of NEIs recommendations while other recommendations could be implemented by revising NRC guidance.
The NRC staff asked Mr. Kozak about the NRCs plans, circa 2008, to use a traditional enforcement approach during construction. Mr. Kozak responded that the NRC staff had plans to develop guidance for enforcement policy but is not aware that any such document was ever developed. However, what was incorporated into the significance determination process did include aspects of what would have been included in enforcement guidance.
The NRC staff noted Mr. Kozaks help in developing Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2506, Construction Reactor Oversight Process General Guidance and Basis Document, when he was a member of the NRC staff and commented that IMC2506 is still helpful to current NRC staff in understanding the construction inspection program.
The NRC staff announced that if any member of the public would like to provide input to the staffs lessons learned initiative, please reach out to James Gaslevic (James.Gaslevic@nrc.gov) or Cayetano Santos (Cayetano.Santos@nrc.gov).
The staff did not receive any Public Meeting Feedback forms.
Docket Nos. 52026 and 52026
Enclosure:
List of Attendees cc: Listserv
Enclosure LIST OF ATTENDEES NOVEMBER 15, 2022, COMMENT GATHERING PUBLIC MEETING ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM CONSTRUCTION AND OVERSIGHT OF VOGTLE AND SUMMER Name Organization Cayetano (Tanny) Santos James Gaslevic Victor Hall William (Billy) Gleaves Christopher Welch Phil OBryan Garry Armstrong Tom Fredette John Hughey Michael Orenak Christopher Chwasz NRC/Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Denise Terry-Ward Luis Colon Fuentes Omar Lopez-Santiago Andrea Johnson Bradley Davis Jason Eargle JP Parent Nicole Coovert Jose Vasquez NRC/Region II Marc Nichol Nuclear Energy Institute Tom Kozak Kozak Innovative Safety Solutions, Inc.
Drew Kann Norman Lynn Mynatt Mary Miller Timothy Enfinger Richard Stadtlander Kelli Roberts Keith Dorsey Andrew Zach Martin ONeill Edwin Lyman Members of the Public
Memo ML22322A167 OFFICE NRR/VPO/VPOB NRR/VPO/VPOB NRR/VPO/VPOB NRR/VPO/VPOB NAME CSantos RButler VHall CSantos DATE Nov 18, 2022 Nov 25, 2022 Nov 28, 2022 Nov 28, 2022