ML23241A989
| ML23241A989 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hermes File:Kairos Power icon.png |
| Issue date: | 08/29/2023 |
| From: | Brooke Clark NRC/SECY |
| To: | |
| Wesley Held | |
| References | |
| NRC-2021-0193 | |
| Download: ML23241A989 (1) | |
Text
[7590-01-P]
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-7513; NRC-2021-0193]
Kairos Power LLC; Notice of Hearing
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Construction permit application; Notice of hearing.
SUMMARY
- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) will convene
an evidentiary session to receive testimony and exhibits in the uncontested proceeding
regarding the application from Kairos Power LLC (Kairos) for a construction permit (CP) to
construct a non-power test reactor termed Hermes in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This mandatory
hearing will consider safety and environmental matters relating to the requested CP.
DATES: The hearing will be held on October 19, 2023, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time
(ET). For the schedule for submitting pre-filed documents and deadlines affecting Interested
Government Participants, see Section VI of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this document.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0193 when contacting the NRC about the
availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly available information
related to this document using any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for
Docket ID NRC-2021-0193. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy
Schumann; telephone: 301-415-0624; email: Stacy.Schumann@nrc.gov. For technical
questions, contact the individuals listed in the For Further Information Contact section of this
document.
NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS):
You may obtain publicly available documents onli ne in the ADAMS Public Documents collection
at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select Begin Web-based
ADAMS Search. For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRCs Public Document Room
(PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to
PDR.Resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is
available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in this document.
NRCs PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly
available documents, is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please
send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8
a.m. and 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wesley W. Held, Office of the Secretary, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: 301-287-3591;
e-mail: Wesley.Held@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. BACKGROUND
The Commission hereby gives notice that, pursuant to Section 189a of the Atomic
Energy Act (AEA) of 1954, as amended (the Act), it will convene an evidentiary session to
receive testimony and exhibits in the proceeding regarding the Kairos application for a CP under
part 50 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), to construct a non-power test
reactor termed Hermes in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Kaiross application was submitted in two parts by letters dated September 29, 2021,
(Agencywide Documents Access and Managem ent System (ADAMS) Accession No.
ML21272A375) and October 31, 2021, (ML21306A131).
The NRC staffs Environmental Impact Statement and Safety Evaluation Report may be
viewed at ADAMS Accession Nos. ML23214A269 and ML23158A268, respectively. This
mandatory hearing will concern safety and environ mental matters relating to the requested
construction permit application, as more fully described below.
II. EVIDENTIARY UNCONTESTED HEARING
The Commission will conduct this hearing beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on October 19,
2023, at the Commissions headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. The hearing will continue on
subsequent days, if necessary.
III. PRESIDING OFFICER
The Commission is the presiding officer for this proceeding.
IV. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED
The matter at issue in this proceeding is whether the review of the Kairos CP application
by the Commissions staff has been adequate to support the findings found in 10 CFR 50.35,
50.40, 50.50, and 10 CFR 51.105. Those findings are as follows:
Issues Pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended
With respect to the CP: (1) whether the applicant has described the proposed design of
the facility, including, but not limited to, the principal architectural and engineering criteria for the
design, and has identified the major features or components incorporated therein for the
protection of the health and safety of the public; (2) whether such further technical or design
information as may be required to complete the safety analysis, and which can reasonably be
left for later consideration, will be supplied in the final safety analysis report; (3) whether safety
features or components, if any, which require research and development have been described
by the applicant and the applicant has identified, and there will be conducted, a research and
development program reasonably designed to resolve any safety questions associated with
such features or components; (4) whether on the basis of the foregoing, there is reasonable
assurance that- (i) such safety questions will be satisfactorily resolved at or before the latest
date stated in the application for completion of construction of the proposed facility, and (ii)
taking into consideration the site criteria contained in 10 CFR part 100, the proposed facility can
be constructed and operated at the proposed location without undue risk to the health and
safety of the public; (5) whether there is reasonable assurance (i) that the construction of the
facility will not endanger the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that construction activities
can be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations; (6) whether the applicant is
technically and financially qualified to engage in the proposed activities in accordance with the
Commissions regulations in chapter I of title 10 of the CFR; (7) whether the issuance of a
permit for the construction of the facility to the applicant will not, in the opinion of the
Commission, be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the
public; and (8) whether the application meets the standards and requirements of the AEA and
the Commissions regulations, and that notifications, if any, to other agencies or bodies have
been duly made.
Issues Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969
With respect to the CP: (1) determine whether the requirements of Sections 102(2)(A),
(C), and (E) of NEPA and the applicable regulations in 10 CFR part 51 have been met;
(2) independently consider the final balance among c onflicting factors contained in the record of
the proceeding with a view to determining the appropriate action to be taken; (3) determine,
after weighing the environmental, economic, technical, and other benefits against environmental
and other costs, and considering reasonable alternatives, whether the construction permit
should be issued, denied, or appropriately conditioned to protect environmental values; and
(4) determine whether the NEPA review conducted by the NRC staff has been adequate.
V. SCHEDULE FOR SUBMITTAL OF PRE-FILED DOCUMENTS
No later than September 28, 2023, unless the Commission directs otherwise, the NRC
staff and the applicant shall submit a list of its anticipated witnesses for the hearing.
No later than September 28, 2023, unless the Commission directs otherwise, the
applicant shall submit its pre-filed written te stimony. The NRC staff submitted its pre-filed
testimony on August 23, 2023.
The Commission may issue written questions to the applicant or the NRC staff before
the hearing. If such questions are issued, an order containing such questions will be issued no
later than September 15, 2023. Responses to such questions are due September 28, 2023,
unless the Commission directs otherwise.
VI. INTERESTED GOVERNMENT PARTICIPANTS
No later than September 13, 2023, any interested State, local government body, or
Federally recognized Indian Tribe may file with the Commission a statement of any issues or
questions that the State, local government body, or Indian Tribe wishes the Commission to give
particular attention as part of the uncontested hearing process. Such statement may be
accompanied by any supporting documentation that the State, local government body, or Indian
Tribe sees fit to provide. Any statements and supporting documentation (if any) received by the
Commission using the agencys E-filing system 1 by the deadline indicated above will be made
part of the record of the proceeding. The Commission will use such statements and documents
as appropriate to inform its pre-hearing question s to the NRC staff and applicant, its inquiries at
the oral hearing, and its decision following the hearing. The Commission may also request, no
later than September 15, 2023, that one or more particular States, local government bodies, or
Indian Tribes send one representative each to the evidentiary hearing to answer Commission
questions and/or make a statement for the purpose of assisting the Commissions exploration of
one or more of the issues raised by the State, local government body, or Indian Tribe, in the
pre-hearing filings described above. The decision whether to request the presence of a
representative of a State, local government body, or Indian Tribe at the evidentiary hearing to
make a statement and/or answer Commission questions is solely at the Commissions
discretion. The Commissions request will specify the issue or issues that each representative
should be prepared to address.
Many of the procedures and rights applicable to the inherently adversarial nature of
NRCs contested hearing process are not available in this uncontested hearing. Participation in
the NRCs contested hearing process is governe d by 10 CFR 2.309 (for persons or entities,
including a State, local government, or Indian Tribe seeking to file contentions of their own) and
10 CFR 2.315(c) (for an interested State, local government, or Federally-recognized Indian
Tribe seeking to participate with respect to contentions filed by others). Participation in this
1 The process for accessing and using the agencys E-filing system is described in the February 9, 2022, notice of hearing (87 FR 7503) that was issued by the Commission for this proceeding. Participants who are unable to use the electronic information exchange (EIE), or who will have difficulty complying with EIE requirements in the time frame provided for submission of written statements, may provide their statements by electronic mail to hearingdocket@nrc.gov.
uncontested hearing does not affect the right of a State, a local government, or an Indian Tribe
to participate in a separate contested hearing process.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of August, 2023.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
/RA/
Brooke P. Clark, Secretary of the Commission.