ML23317A058
| ML23317A058 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/20/2023 |
| From: | Mary Johnson NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLRP |
| To: | Lauren Gibson NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLRP |
| References | |
| Download: ML23317A058 (8) | |
Text
November 20, 2023 MEMORANDUM TO: Lauren K. Gibson, Branch Chief Licensing Renewal Projects Branch Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM: Marieliz Johnson, Project Manager /RA/
Licensing Renewal Projects Branch Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SUMMARY
OF THE OCTOBER 31, 2023, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW On October 31, 2023, an observation public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) concerning possible efficiencies on the Subsequent License Renewal (SLR) review. Participants included personnel from the NRC, NEI, industry and members of the public.
The public meeting notice can be found in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No. ML23303A211. This meeting notice was also posted on the NRC public website.
Enclosed are the meeting agenda (Enclosure1) and list of participants in the meeting (Enclosure 2).
SUMMARY
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss with NEI and the public opportunities to increase efficiencies in the staffs review of SLR applications. This is a follow up meeting to the August 18, 2023, public meeting (meeting summary ML23256A290). The meeting started with Lauren Gibson presenting for the NRC (slides ML23303A189). She discussed the NRC goals CONTACT: Marieliz Johnsons, NRR/DNRL 301-415-5861
L. Gibson for this fiscal year, the decrease in anticipated review hours for the recently accepted applications, the number of hours spent by reviews over time and how the trend is going down.
She also talked about what has already been implemented to make the SLR application reviews more efficient, what the staff is currently working on, and the broad expected timelines for the SLR Efficiencies Project.
Then, Brett Titus from NEI gave a presentation (slides ML23303A192). His discussion was focused on NRC adopting a more graded approach for the SLR reviews. The graded approach proposed suggests that the focus of the review be on what has changed since the initial License Renewal, takes into consideration the routinely inspected programs subject to other regulatory requirements, and maximizes credit for adherence to guidance and standardization.
The approach consists of two groups of aging management programs (AMPs); (1) Licensee Program Adheres to the Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report and (2) Licensee Program Contains Plant-specific Considerations. Each group has 3 categories with different levels of review. The presentation included some initial suggestions for categorizing each AMP, but NEI explained the application would suggest how each AMP would be dispositioned.
Considerations for determining the level of review for each AMP may include its consistency with the GALL Report, the degree to which the program is being modified for SLR, existing regulatory oversight, and operating experience. Based on these considerations, several potential ways to reduce the NRC review were proposed, including reviewing only a sample of AMPs and adjusting the depth of review of operating experience and GALL Report consistency.
NRC explained that the review of only a sample of AMPs may be difficult to justify, as AMPs address unique and independent aging issues or plant systems, and it is not clear how the review of one AMP would allow the NRC to reach a safety finding on an unrelated AMP that was not reviewed. The regulations state that the Commission must find that each in-scope structure and component has been demonstrated to be adequately managed. However, the NRC also expressed that facets of the NEI approach may have merit, and some are already being considered by the NRC (such as greater leveraging of information from oversight inspections to inform the renewal review).
Also, NEI presented some environmental review efficiencies ideas, such as reducing the scoping process, fully leveraging the initial license renewal generic and supplemental environmental impact statements (GEIS and SEIS), and strict adherence to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) time and page limits per the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).
NRC communicated that some of the ideas have already been implemented, others are in progress or under discussion, and other items would require rulemaking. For example, the NRC used a limited scoping process for North Anna and Oconee's site-specific supplements. The staff continues to fully leverage the GEIS for initial license renewals. The staff has been meeting NEPA time and page limits and plan to continue meeting them. Bounding the discussion of climate change-related impacts by rule of reason and proportionality is being considered as part of LR GEIS, as well as the FRA working group. The staff also has an ongoing effort on incorporation of new reactor lessons learned, particularly holding virtual and in-person audits and Request for Confirmation of Information.
L. Gibson The next meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held in January. Until then, the NRC will continue to work on the improvements presented and will consider and explore the graded approach presented by NEI.
Enclosures:
- 1. Meeting Agenda
- 2. List of Attendees
- via email NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DNLR/NLRP: PM NRR/DNRL/NLIB: LA NRR/DNRL/NLRP: PM NAME MJohnson SGreen MJohnson DATE 11/13/2023 11/14/2023 11/20/2023 U.S. NUCLEAR REGUALTORY COMMISSION
SUMMARY
OF THE OCTOBER 31, 2023, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW Meeting Agenda Time Topic Organization 1:00 pm-1:15 pm Introductions All 1:15 pm-2:15 pm Discussion NRC and NEI 2:15 pm-2:30 pm Opportunity for public comments NRC and Public 2:30 pm Adjourn All Enclosure 1
U.S. NUCLEAR REGUALTORY COMMISSION
SUMMARY
OF THE OCTOBER 31, 2023, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW List of Attendees Participants with an asterisk (*) were present in the room. All others participated remotely.
Name Affiliation Andrew Siwy Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Andy Johnson NRC Angela Wu NRC Austin Im NRC Bernie Thomson NRC Brian Allik NRC Brian Harris NRR NRC Brian Smith* NRC Christopher Tyree NRC David Rudland* NRC Eric Bowman NRC Jessica Hammock NRC Jessie Quintero NRC John Moses NRC John Wise* NRC Kenneth Armstrong NRC Lauren Gibson* NRC Marieliz Johnson* NRC Mark Yoo NRC Neil Sheehan NRC Robert Taylor* NRC Scott Burnell NRC Seung Min NRC Steven Bloom NRC Tanya Smith NRC Ted Smith NRC Thomas Hipschman NRC Todd Keene NRC Tony Gardner NRC Tony Nakanishi NRC Vaughn Thomas NRC Andrew Mauer* Nuclear Energy Institute Brett Titus* NEI Martin ONeill NEI Tony Brown NEI Kalinowski Bob AEP Andrew J Burgess Ameren Rigel Davis Ameren Shane Grotewiel Ameren Thomas Casey Balch Paul Gunter Beyond Nuclear Enclosure 2
Stephen J. Meyer Certrec Lydia S Dworakowski Constellation Nuclear Fletcher, Iba S Ello Constellation Nuclear Robert J Froom Constellation Nuclear John Hilditch Constellation Nuclear Kurt R Lindeman Constellation Nuclear Kristin C Meek Constellation Nuclear Sarah Mongreig Constellation Nuclear Darani M Reddick Constellation Nuclear Joshua S Sarrafian Constellation Nuclear Michael R Smith Constellation Nuclear Allison C Stalker Constellation Nuclear Christopher D Wilson Constellation Nuclear Marty Murphy Curtisswright Deann Raleigh Curtisswright Keith J Miller Dominion Energy Paul Aitken Dominion Energy Pratt Cherry Dominion Energy Crystal Bowers Duke-Energy Paul F Guill Duke-Energy Rounette K Nader Duke-Energy Luke Obenauf Duke-Energy Daniel William Roberts Duke-Energy Chris Saville Duke-Energy Jeff Gromatzky Enercon Jeffrey Head Enercon Latoya Bennett Enercon Matt Brunton Enercon Rachel Turney Enercon Timothy L. Hancock energy-northwest Richard J. Rogalski energy-northwest Garry Young EPRI Andrew Zach epw Roger Rucker xcelservices Stephen Johnson Framatome Lippincott Annessa gses Alyssa M Reynolds Illinois Larry Lee Jensen Hughes Hunter Young Jensen Hughes Todd Evans luminant Taylor Smith luminant Scott Clausen morganlewis Ryan K. Lighty morganlewis Robert C. Gibson NPPD Russ L. Wenzl NPPD Richard T Giachetti sargentlundy Amy G. Aughtman Southernco Bradley Creek Southernco Bradford D. Deen Southernco N 400 (12) EC Southernco Brandon Kenneth Marlow Southernco 2
Jeffry Sharkey Southernco Glenn A. Waterworth Southernco Steven Dolley SP global Rafael Gonzales STPEGS Jonathan Delaune Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Peter John Donahue TVA Daniel Green TVA John Chris Hunsaker TVA Matthew Golliet Westinghouse Benjamin Mays Westinghouse Toutseng Hawj Xcel Energy Russell J Lidberg Xcel Energy Adam S Reinholz Xcel Energy Sara L Scott Xcel Energy W. M Smith Xcel Energy Stephen E Sollom Xcel Energy John D Whitfield Xcel Energy Paul B Young Xcel Energy April Rice Herbert Rideout Jeff Mitman Keith Perkins Leigh Lloveras Michael Keegan Mike Gallagher Richard Grumbir Steven Dort 3