ML23284A421
| ML23284A421 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000610 |
| Issue date: | 10/11/2023 |
| From: | Edward Helvenston NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL |
| To: | Michael Wentzel NRC/NRR/DANU/UAL2 |
| References | |
| EPID L-2023-NFN-0008 | |
| Download: ML23284A421 (1) | |
Text
W. Kenned UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 October 11, 2023 MEMORANDUM TO: Michael Wentzel, Branch Chief Advanced Reactor Licensing Branch 2 Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM: Edward Helvenston, Project Manager /RA/
Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF THE SEPTEMBER 18, 2023, PARTIALLY CLOSED MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TO DISCUSS MATERIAL CONTROL AND ACCOUNTING TOPICS FOR THE MOLTEN SALT RESEARCH REACTOR (EPID NO. L-2023-NFN-0008)
On September 18, 2023, a partially closed meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of Abilene Christian University (ACU) at NRC Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland and via webinar. The purpose of this meeting was to allow pre-application discussion of ACUs plans for developing a special nuclear material (SNM) control and accountability (MC&A) program for a future operating license (OL) application for ACUs proposed molten salt research reactor (MSRR) project. The meeting was partially closed to allow for discussion of potentially security-related information. The meeting notice and agenda, dated August 30, 2023, are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML23242A224. The ACU presentation used in the meeting is also available in ADAMS at ML23269A097. A list of meeting attendees is provided as an enclosure to this summary.
During the meeting, ACU provided a brief presentation on the MSRR project, with a focus on aspects of the MSRR that could inform the MC&A requirements for the facility. ACU discussed the MSRR fuel type and form, and the flow paths for fuel salt around the facility. ACU noted that its current intent is to obtain the MSRR fuel and salt from the U.S. Department of Energy and to obtain all fuel necessary for the lifetime of the facility upfront, prior to the start of MSRR operation. ACU also noted that the MSRR is expected to operate for less than approximately 5 megawatt-years over a 20-year operating life, so the burnup of the MSRR fuel will remain very low.
ACU also described its preliminary plans regarding its approach to MC&A for the MSRR. ACU stated that it is considering a method described in ORNL/SPR/150504, Domestic Safeguards
Material Control and Accountancy Considerations for Molten Salt Reactors, published February 2021, which is based on a material balance of inputs and outputs to a reactor. ACU noted that this approach is similar to existing light-water reactor (LWR) approaches and essentially involves measurement points around a reactor box. ACU and the NRC staff noted that for a molten salt reactor such as the MSRR, uncertainties with this approach would be greater than for LWRs, and actual material measurements (rather than just item counts of fuel assemblies and computer code estimation of inventories as is done for LWRs) would be needed. ACU and the NRC staff also noted that the fuel salt sampling that is planned at the MSRR would result in removal of SNM from the MSRR and this would need to be accounted for in an MC&A methodology (although the samples would be small). The NRC staff noted that the uncertainties associated with MC&A for the MSRR using the planned methodology would likely be greater than what has traditionally been considered acceptable for LWRs; however, the NRC staff would consider the inherent differences in LWR versus molten salt reactor technologies in determining the appropriate review approach for a MSRR MC&A methodology.
The NRC staff noted that portions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 74, Material Control and Accounting of Special Nuclear Material, would apply to the ACU MSRR. The regulations in 10 CFR Part 74 would not require ACU to submit an MC&A program for the MSRR; however, an MSRR OL application should describe ACUs plans for how relevant parts of 10 CFR Part 74 would be met during MSRR operation. The staff noted that, while primarily intended to provide guidance for fuel cycle facilities, NUREG-2159, Acceptable Standard Format and Content for the Fundamental Nuclear Material Control Plan Required for Special Nuclear Material of Moderate Strategic Significance, Revision 1 (ML22143A963), could also provide general guidance on information that may be appropriate to provide related to MC&A in an MSRR OL application.
As this was the first meeting on MC&A for the MSRR, ACU and the NRC staff discussed future opportunities for engagement in this area. ACU indicated that it may be helpful for it to develop a white paper providing further information on its plans for MC&A, which it could submit to the NRC staff for feedback.
CONTACT: Edward Helvenston, NRR/DANU/UNPL (301) 415-4067 Docket No.: 50-610
Enclosure:
List of Attendees Distribution List (GovDelivery):
Abilene Christian University
ML23284A421 NRC-001 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NRR/DANU/UAL2/BC NAME EHelvenston MWentzel DATE 10/11/2023 10/11/2023 List of Attendees Name Organization Edward Helvenston U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
James Rubenstone NRC Glenn Tuttle NRC Greg Oberson NRC Boyce Travis NRC Beth Reed NRC Lance Kingsbury NRC Carolyn Wolf NRC Lester Towell Abilene Christian University (ACU)
Rusty Towell ACU Tim Head ACU Benjamin Beasley ACU Alexander Adams ACU Steven Biegalski Georgia Institute of Technology Leigh Lloveras Breakthrough Institute Charlyne Smith Breakthrough Institute Michael Montecalvo TerraPower Enclosure