ML23024A030
| ML23024A030 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/24/2023 |
| From: | Catherine Nolan NRC/NSIR/DPCP/RSB |
| To: | Conklin W US Dept of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) |
| References | |
| Download: ML23024A030 (3) | |
Text
Mr. William Craig Conklin, Associate Director for Infrastructure Assessments and Analysis Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency U.S. Department of Homeland Security 1310 North Courthouse Road Arlington, VA 22201
SUBJECT:
ACCEPTANCE FOR DOCKETING OF THE MOLTEN SALT RESEARCH REACTOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY AND REQUEST FOR DHS CONSULTATION
Dear Mr. Conklin:
By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated August 12, 2022, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML22227A201), as supplemented by letter to the NRC dated October 14, 2022 (ML22293B816), Abilene Christian University (ACU) submitted an application for a construction permit (CP) to build a non-power reactor, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, and Section 104c of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. The non-power reactor is referred to as the ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) and the CP application anticipates that ACU will build the ACU MSRR in Abilene, Texas. On November 18, 2022 (ML22313A097), the NRC accepted ACUs CP application for docketing. Notice of this decision was published in the Federal Register on November 28, 2022 (87 FR 73051). The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the NRC staffs acceptance of this application, provide you with the application materials via e-mail (completed on Wednesday, January 4, 2023), and request a consultation consistent with terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the NRC, dated December 19, 2011 (ML1135505081).
Per the MOU, before issuing a license for a utilization facility, the NRC will request that DHS review and provide comments to the NRC on the vulnerabilities of the location of the proposed facility to a potential terrorist attack. DHS should note that the ACU MSRR CP application provides siting information as required by NRC regulations for the ACU MSRR site but does not contain the sites security plans. This information would typically be developed and provided by ACU to the NRC at a later date in support of an application for an operating January 24, 2023
W. Conklin license. A consultation review performed by DHS at this time will be used to inform ACUs development of these site security plans and NRCs review of the ACU MSRR CP application.
Should you or your staff have any questions, I can be reached by phone at (301) 415-1535 or by email at Catherine.Nolan@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Caty Nolan, Acting Chief Reactor Security Branch Division of Physical and Cyber Security Policy Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response Signed by Nolan, Catherine on 01/24/23
Ltr ML23024A030 OFFICE NSIR/DPCP/RSB NRR/DRO/IOEB NAME JPetrucelli CNolan DATE Jan 24, 2023 Jan 24, 2023