ML23291A052

Summary of the August 31, 2023, Higher Burnup Workshop IV

ML23291A052
Person / Time
Issue date:	10/26/2023
From:	King D Licensing Processes Branch
To:	Gerond George Licensing Processes Branch
References
Download: ML23291A052 (1)

Text

October 26, 2023 MEMORANDUM TO:

Gerond A. George, Chief Licensing Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:

Daniel G. King, Project Manager

/RA/

Licensing Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

SUMMARY

OF THE AUGUST 31, 2023, HIGHER BURNUP WORKSHOP IV On August 31, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held the Higher Burnup Workshop IV, an observation meeting, with the nuclear industry and other stakeholders.

This workshop included presentations by the NRC staff and representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Idaho National Labs (INL), and the DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The meeting had two purposes: (1) to exchange information between the NRC and industry on higher burnup (HBU), increased enrichment (IE), and accident tolerant fuel (ATF) activities; and (2) to provide an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions of the NRC staff. The meeting notice is available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML23242A114. The NRC and industry meeting slides are available at ADAMS Accession Nos. ML23241A011 and ML23262A757, respectively.

A recording of the meeting is available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-wziE84R-A Andrea Kock, Deputy Office Director for Engineering in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) gave the opening remarks. The first presentation given by the NRC staff provided an overview of the ATF, IE, and HBU Roadmap to Readiness (ADAMS Accession No. ML23158A294) graphic, in relation to the ATF Project Plan (ADAMS Accession No. ML21243A298). The NRC staff provided the graphics assumptions, general descriptors, and purpose as they guided external stakeholders through each ATF technology licensing pathway.

The next NRC staff presentation provided an overview and status update on the IE Rulemaking, required by Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)-SECY-21-0109 (ADAMS Accession No. ML22075A103). Subsequently, on September 8, 2023, the Increased Enrichment of Conventional and Accident Tolerant Fuel Designs for Light-Water Reactors Regulatory Basis Document for Public Comment (ADAMS Accession No. ML23032A504) was issued for a 75-day public comment period on https://www.regulations.gov/ under docket NRC-2020-0034. Next, the NRC staff provided a presentation regarding the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and

Safeguards (NMSS) new fuels atlas and infographic (ADAMS Accession No. ML23135A021).

The presentation highlighted the fuel cycle, focusing on the regulatory framework that would be contained in the regulatory planner, an organizational tool delineated by fuel type.

Next, NEI presented on the Drive to Deploy ATF with Increased Enrichment and Higher Burnup, discussing industry strategic aspirations, key accomplishments, lead test assembly timelines, shipment plants, and recent NEI led ATF surveys and studies. Specifically, NEI discussed industry responses to The Future of Nuclear Power: 2023 Baseline Survey (ADAMS Accession No. ML23242A166), which was conducted in anticipation of Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2023-02, Scheduling Information for the Licensing of Accident Tolerant, Increased Enrichment, and Higher Burnup Fuels (ADAMS Accession No. ML23123A166). The next presentation was provided jointly by representatives of EPRI, Constellation, DOE INL, and DOE ORNL. It provided an update on the Collaborative Research on Advanced Fuel Technologies for Light-Water Reactors, the Issue Tracking Matrix, and the Consensus LOCA

[Loss-of-Coolant Accident] Test Plan.

After these presentations, an NRC/Industry discussion was held. EPRI representatives asked if the alternatives considered in the IE Rulemaking, would encompass a broad range of technologies. The NRC staff noted that the regulatory basis provides a broad range of alternatives, which are currently under consideration. Communication with external stakeholders, like EPRI, on this topic was considered during the development. EPRI commented, for planning, the next HBU Alternative License Strategy pre-submittal meeting is tentatively planned for October 2023. NEI representatives then requested clarification on the intended enrichment of the IE Rulemaking regulatory basis. The NRC staff noted that per SRM-SECY-21-0109, the rulemaking would apply to high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel (HALEU), up to 20.0 weight percent uranium 235. Framatome representatives then asked if the IE Rulemaking replaced or included the Performance-Based Emergency Core Cooling System Acceptance Criteria, known as the Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.46c rulemaking, as outlined in SECY-10-0033 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15238A947). The NRC staff noted that the referenced rule was provided to the Commission. Thus, there is no intent to replace this rule; however, this was considered during development of the IE Rulemaking regulatory basis. NEI representatives then requested intentions for public engagements, following the IE regulatory basis being issued. The NRC staff noted that a public meeting would occur in October 2023, during the 75-day public comment period. The NRC staff then asked about industry needs for regulatory clarity and predictability moving forward after issuance of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.183, Revision 1, Alternative Radiological Source Terms for Evaluating Design Basis Accidents at Nuclear Power Reactors (ADAMS Accession No. ML23082A305).

NEI representatives recommended increased coordination in the development of RG 1.183, Revision 2. Then noted, that the issuance of RG 1.183, Revision 1, is a critical milestone for ATF and power uprates for pressurized water reactors interested in 24-month cycles. The NRC staff then requested if industry has intention on updating responses to RIS 2023-02, regarding future licensing activities, noting the implication on future NRC budget and resource allocations.

The NEI representatives responded that much of the information is business sensitive but could be shared during routine project manager interactions with the licensee. Further, NEI representatives committed to discuss with its stakeholders during the October 2023 Industry ATF Working Group meeting, noting that NRC has procedures to accept business sensitive information. After that question, a short break was held.

After the break, the NRC staff provided a presentation on non-LOCA release fractions at HBU.

Next, an NRC staff member from the Office of Research (RES) provided a presentation on source terms at HBU utilizing MELCOR code. The NRC staff demonstrated containment source

term development from the associated phenomena identification and ranking table process, experimental basis, modeling with MELCOR, accident analysis scenarios, to conclusions and analysis. The next presentation on assessing the impact of HBU conditions on fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal (FFRD) was provided jointly by DOE INL and DOE ORNL. Utilizing VERA and BISON code, DOE characterized the ranges of operating conditions experienced by HBU rods and quantified FFRD susceptibility. The NRC staff then provided a presentation on performing transportation evaluations of ATF with IE and HBU. The National Environmental Policy Act evaluations, aligned with 10 CFR Part 51.52, Environmental Effects of Transportation of Fuel and Waste - Table S-4 were discussed, for IE and HBU. The NRC staff noted that on August 28, 2023, NUREG-2266, Environmental Evaluation of Accident Tolerant Fuels with Increased Enrichment and Higher Burnup Levels - Draft Report for Comment (ADAMS Accession No. ML23240A756) was issued.

After these presentations, an NRC/Industry discission was held. The NRC staff requested clarification from DOE INL and DOR ORNL representatives on sensitivity assumptions for power peak calculations, noting the difference in local and average burnup. DOE ORNL representatives indicated that axial power was determined with VERA, without this sensitivity assumption. Though unlikely to change results, specifics were outside the scope of the study.

EPRI provided a comment on NRCs Non-LOCA Release Fractions for HBU presentation, noting testing data and physics codes could likely be provided from industry to assist in mitigating the challenges identified. A Dominion Energy representative then commented that Draft Regulatory Guide (DG)-1389, Proposed Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide 1.183, Alternative Radiological Source Terms for Evaluating Design Basis Accidents at Nuclear Reactors (ADAMS Accession No. ML21204A065) provides useful operational tools, but industry is interested in more generic gap fractions. Specifically, expansion of generic values for a 17-by-17 fuel array. The NRC staff acknowledged all comments, then held a public comment period.

There were two public comments received during the public comment period. First a member of the public asked the NRC staff about the consequences of specific cladding material, leading to development of hydrogen. Next a member of the public, asked a similar question regarding Zircaloy cladding impacts on hydrogen, the impact of the subsequent reaction on the fuel rods, and the availability of such information. The NRC staff noted that we frequently interact with international and government groups to maintain awareness of research and potential issues.

Additional information on NRC interactions on ATF, IE, and HBU can be found at:

https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/power/atf/interactions.html. Staff from RES then noted that the NRC maintains awareness of hydrogen absorption and embrittlement, ensuring that operations remain safe.

Joseph Donoghue, Director of the Division of Safety Systems in NRR made closing remarks.

No regulatory decisions were made in the meeting.

Enclosure:

List of Attendees

Enclosure List of Attendees Higher Burnup Workshop IV August 31, 2023 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

First Name Last Name Zena Abdullahi Reed Anzalone Philip Benavides Andrew Bielen Kristy Bucholtz Christopher Brown Jesse Carlson Alice Chung Alex Collier James Corson Elijah Dickson Joseph Donoghue Kenneth Erwin Hossein Esmaili Mike Franovich Richard Fu Gerond George James Hammelman Kevin Heller Shana Helton Kevin Hsueh Lois James Meena Khanna Daniel King Andrea Kock Scott Krepel John Lehning Chris Markely Damaris Marcano Joseph Messina Steven Muller Tony Nakanishi Ngola Otto Donald Palmrose Bo Pham Jason Piotter Kevin Roach U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

First Name Last Name Carla Roque-Cruz MaryJane Ross-Lee Michael Salay Ashley Smith Jeffery Smith Nicholas Smith Rao Tammara Chris Van Wert Gokul Vasudevamurthy Kimberly Webber Josh Whitman Kent Wood Non-NRC First Name Last Name Organization (if provided)

Don Algama Department of Energy (DOE)

John Alvis DOE Idaho National Labs (INL)

Robert Armstrong INL Nima Ashkebiussi Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

Uriel Bachrach Westinghouse Electric Company (Westinghouse)

Kevin Barber Westinghouse Philippe Bellanger Framatome Inc. (Framatome)

Jan Bergman Curtis Wright Corporation Michael Boone Westinghouse Jan Boudart Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS)

Fabiola Cappia INL Nathan Capps DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)

Johnathan Chavers Southern Nuclear Company (SNC)

Paul Clifford Framatome Aladar Csontos NEI Kris Cummings Cecile Dame MPR Associates Madeline Feltus DOE Nathaniel Hall South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (STPEGS)

Jason Harp ORNL Matt Hendrickson Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE)

Neil Herman BWXT Technologies Inc.

Jerald Holm Framatome Susan Hoxie Key William Gassmann Constellation Nuclear Lisa Gerken Framatome Donna Gilmore Frank Goldner DOE Andrea Jennetta S&P Global Colby Jensen INL Zeses Karoutas Westinghouse Non-NRC First Name Last Name Organization (if provided)

Thomas Kindred SNC Jeffrey Kobelak Westinghouse Aylin Kucuk David Kraft NEIS Dave Kropaczek DOE ORNL David Luxat Sandia National Laboratories Steven Maheras DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

Alex Marchivich Dominion Energy Kacey Mcgee PNNL Brian Mount Dominion Energy Brenden Mervin Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

Kurshad Muftuoglu EPRI Carole Naugle Framatome Stephen Novascone INL Stephen OHearn Dominion Energy Kevin Quick Framatome Deann Raleigh Curtis Wright Corporation Jeff Reef Framatome Jason Schulthess INL John Strumprell Framatome Charlyne Smith Breakthrough Institute (BTI)

Fred Smith EPRI Ava Traverso Daniel Wachs INL Kalene Walker Gordo Wissinger Framatome

ML23291A052 (Meeting Summary)

NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LLPB PM NRR/DORL/LLPB LA NRR/DORL/LLPB BC NRR/DORL/LLPB PM NAME DKing DHarrison GGeorge DKing DATE 10/17/2023 10/23/2023 10/25/2023 10/26/2023