ML23068A467
| ML23068A467 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/14/2023 |
| From: | NRC/NRR/DANU |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML23068A467 (7) | |
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Nuclear Reactor Regulation Enabling Deployment of Advanced Reactors Vision and Strategy The NRC staff developed vision, strategy, and implementation action plans to ensure the agency's readiness to review and regulate a new generation of non-light-water reactors. Subsequently, the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) was enacted in 2019 (Public Law 115-439).
This legislation, in part, required the NRC to develop a technology-inclusive regulatory framework for advanced reactors, including next-generation light- and non-light-water reactors.
Modernizing the Regulatory Framework The NRC staff has taken significant steps to establish a modern framework to support the effective, efficient, and predictable review of advanced reactor license applications in accordance with NEIMA. The NRC staff has implemented several risk-informed and performance-based licensing strategies, including endorsement of codes and standards, development of analytical tools, resolution of key policy issues, preparation of several proposed rulemakings, and creation of key guidance documents to support advanced reactor application development and review.
Streamlining the Licensing Process Several rulemakings are under Other rulemakings under Anticipated 10 CFR Part 53 Rulemaking Schedule development address physical development, including the new security, emergency preparedness, 10 CFR Part 53, which will provide, and issuance of a generic if finalized, performance-based, environmental impact statement for risk-informed, and technology- advanced reactors. If finalized, these inclusive regulatory frameworks rulemaking efforts will for optional use by applicants for provide regulatory stability, new commercial advanced predictability, and clarity in the reactors. licensing of advanced reactors.
The draft proposed 10 CFR Part 53 rule includes two optional frameworks:
- Framework AThis is a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA)-led approach for developing portions of the licensing basis. Functional design criteria are established based largely on the results of the PRA to ensure high-level safety and design requirements are satisfied.
- Framework BThis includes a traditional use of risk insights, in which principal design criteria are established in the initial stages of design and licensing and subsequent design activities are performed to ensure that these criteria are met. This framework will include an alternative evaluation for risk insights (AERI) approach, which would not require a PRA for less complex and lower consequence facilities.
Resolving Policy Issues to Prepare for the Evolving Advanced Reactor Landscape Functional Containment Population-Related Siting Considerations The NRC staff developed a new methodology for The NRC staff is revising guidance to provide an alternative establishing design-specific functional containment population-density siting criterion that is directly related to performance criteria that rely heavily on identification the potential radiological consequences estimated from and analyses of licensing-basis events for non-light- analyzing a range of possible design-specific events. This water reactors. This approach was approved by the approach was approved by the Commission and is Commission and is described in SECY-18-0096. described in SECY-20-0045.
Fusion Regulatory Framework Micro-reactors The NRC staff has assessed the characteristics and The NRC staff is proactively identifying policy issues to hazards associated with proposed fusion energy support safety-focused, cost-effective, and timely systems and developed options for a regulatory reviews of micro-reactor technologies. The NRC staff is framework based on a byproduct material, utilization considering issues associated with factory-fabricated facility, or hybrid approach. The NRC staff presented modules, factory fueling, and transportation to present these options to the Commission for consideration in to the Commission for consideration.
Guidance and Oversight ARCAP and TICAP The Advanced Reactor Content of Application Project The development of key guidance is underway to support both early advanced (ARCAP) contains application guidance that is technology inclusive, risk informed, and performance based. The ARCAP reactor applicants that plan to apply under the existing 10 CFR Part 50 and is broad and encompasses the industry-led Technology-10 CFR Part 52 frameworks, as well as future applicants that may use 10 CFR Part 53. Inclusive Content of Application Project (TICAP). Both projects build on the Licensing Modernization Project to support the establishment of key aspects of the licensing basis. There are nine ARCAP interim staff guidance (ISG) documents and one TICAP draft regulatory guide (RG) that are in development to support near-term applicants under 10 CFR Part 50 or 10 CFR Part 52.
ARCOP The Advanced Reactor Construction Oversight Project (ARCOP) will contain guidance and oversight methods that embody a risk-informed, technology-inclusive construction oversight program for advanced reactors. With the advanced reactor landscape evolving rapidly, the NRC staff will ensure adequate protection of the safety of nuclear facilities with an oversight program that will be flexible and scalable such that the oversight for each licensee is appropriate and commensurate with the facilitys characteristics and structures, systems, and components important to safety.
Analytical Tools and Codes and Standards Enhancing non-light-water reactor technical and Endorsement of Codes and Standards regulatory readiness Consensus codes and standards are integral to the regulatory process and promote safe operation of nuclear plants while improving the effectiveness and Activities are underway to ensure sufficient computer code capability for the efficiency of regulatory oversight. The following codes and standards have been NRC staff to perform independent analyses of advanced reactor designs. endorsed or are under consideration to support advanced reactor licensing:
The NRC uses computer codes and tools to perform confirmatory, sensitivity,
- Non-light-water reactor probabilistic risk analysis standard and uncertainty analyses to investigate design margins commensurate with
- Endorsed by the NRC with staff exceptions and clarifications in RG 1.247 the risk and safety significance of the phenomena applicable to specific for trial use designs. The NRC staff has identified a suite of tools comprising NRC,
- ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,Section III, Division 5, High-Temperature U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and internationally developed codes and Reactors is continuing to develop these tools and close any gaps in capability. The
- Endorsed by the NRC with exceptions and limitations in RG 1.87, NRC staff has developed reference plant models to demonstrate the Revision 2 capabilities of these tools to analyze non-light-water reactor designs.
- ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,Section XI, Division 2, Requirement for Reliability and Integrity Management
- Endorsed by the NRC with conditions in RG 1.246 Looking forward The NRC staff continues to assess the information, experimental data, and
- Seismic design standards that the NRC staff is currently considering endorsing include the following:
analytical tools needed to support non-light-water reactor reviews and to
- ANSI/ANS 2.27-2020 develop its own computer codes while leveraging DOE capabilities.
Contact Information More information on efforts to establish a framework to support the effective and efficient review of advanced reactor license applications can be found at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced.html For more information or any questions, please contact Amy Cubbage or Scott Tonsfeldt at Amy.Cubbage@nrc.gov or Scott.Tonsfeldt@nrc.gov