ML23335A033

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Presentation to Health Physics Community on Navigating the Future Oversight of Fusion Systems
ML23335A033
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Issue date: 11/30/2023
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Navigating the Future Oversight of Fusion Systems Duncan White Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards November 30, 2023

U.S. Strategic Approach to Fusion:

Bold Decadal Vision

  • Objectives:

o Realize an operating fusion pilot plant on a decadal timescale and prepare the path broadly to fusion commercialization and scale-up.

o Leverage fusion technologies to realize transformative civil, defense, and space capabilities and dominance.

o Identify strategic interagency collaborative opportunities.

  • Key Basis Documents:

o National Academies of Sciences: Bringing Fusion to the U.S. Grid o U.S. Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committees long range strategic plan 2

Participating Agencies

  • Department of Energy o Lead agency in fusion energy R&D and coordinating the path to commercialization
  • Department of State o Coordination on international collaborations and cooperation
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission o Fusion regulatory framework, licensing, and public engagement on public safety
  • Department of Commerce o Export control and standards
  • National Science Foundation o Partnerships on staffing & training and workforce development
  • Department of Education o Partnerships on fusion-related educational curricula
  • Supporting Agencies: Department of Defense and NASA 3

Legislation and Commission Direction

  • On April 13, 2023, the Commission issued SRM-SECY-23-0001 Options for Licensing and Regulating Fusion Energy Systems (ML23103A449) directing the staff to implement a byproduct material approach to regulating near-term fusion energy systems o Modify existing 10 CFR Part 30 to include a Fusion Energy Systems framework o Develop a new volume of NUREG-1556, Consolidated Guidance About Materials Licenses, dedicated to Fusion Energy Systems o If a design presents hazards sufficiently beyond near-term technologies, staff should notify the Commission and make recommendations for appropriate action.

Oversight of fusion systems will be performed by both NRC and Agreement States 4

Characteristics of Near-Term Fusion Systems

  • Safety focus of near-term fusion systems will be the control, confinement, and shielding of radioactive material present rather than on the performance and control of the device.
  • Near-term fusion systems are expected to have:

o Active engineered features to achieve a self-sustaining fusion reaction o No fissile material present and a self-sustaining neutron chain reaction is not possible o Energy and radioactive material production from fusion reactions cease without any intervention in off-normal events or accident scenarios o Active post shutdown cooling of the fusion device structures containing radioactive material is not necessary to prevent a loss of radiological confinement o Credible accident scenarios from any radionuclides present at the licensed facility are expected to result in low doses to workers and less than 1 rem effective dose equivalent to a member of the public offsite 5

U.S. Academic/Commercial Fusion Landscape

  • Fusion Regulation and Regulatory Guidance Needed Now o Several academic/commercial fusion research and development facilities currently licensed by Agreement States o 25 commercial companies currently pursuing fusion in U.S. for energy, heat, propulsion, etc.

o Over $6 billion dollars in private investment o Two commercial companies currently constructing proof of concept fusion system facilities o Tokamak (magnetic) design currently under construction, operational by 2025 (CFS)

License application submitted to Agreement State o Field reverse configuration with magnetic confinement (magneto-inertial) design currently under construction, operational by 2025 (Helion)

Earlier prototype licensed by Agreement State, application for current design expected in 2024 Signed two purchase agreements to provide electricity by 2030 6

Fusion Basics Deuterium - Tritium (D - T)

Deuterium -

Deuterium (D - D)

Deuterium - Helium 3 (D - 3He) 7

Fusion Basics Breeding Blanket Deuterium (2H) Neutron (1n) 1. Shielding:

moderate and Captured in absorb neutrons breeding blanket to shield magnets

2. Heat Capture:

14.1 MeV generate power

3. Tritium breeding:

Make more Exhaust tritium for fuel (Lithium +

neutron) 3.5 MeV Tritium (3H) Helium (4He) 8

Lawson Criteria To initiate a fusion reaction, you must confine the energy long enough in a fuel that is dense enough at a temperature that is high enough. The relationship that quantifies this is called the Lawson criterion.

Sources:

Horvath, A., Rachlew, E. Nuclear power in the 21st century:

Challenges and possibilities. Ambio 45, 38-49 (2016).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-015-0732-y Figure 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawson_criterion 9

Fusion is Hard: Status of the Technology and Performance Challenges 10

Three General Approaches to Fusion Magneto - Inertial Pulsed Inertial Magnetic Pulsed Continuous 11

https://www.iter.org/mach https://www.iter.org/mach https://www.iter.org/mach https://www.iter.org/mach https://www.iter.org/mach https://www.iter.org/mach Commonwealth Fusion Systems

- Devens, MA

SPARC Facility at Commonwealth Fusion Systems https://cfs.energy/technology/sparc

https://www.helionenergy.com/technology/

Challenge - Diversity of Designs and Hazards under One Framework Fusion Reactions (Fuel)

  • Deuterium - Tritium (DT) Design Elements
  • Deuterium - Helium 3
  • Shielding
  • Deuterium - Deuterium (DD)
  • Breeding Blankets
  • System Controls (cryogenic, etc.)
  • Access Control, etc.

Radiological Hazards

  • Activation Products
  • Radiation Protection
  • Neutrons
  • Training Fusion Technologies
  • Waste Management
  • Magnetic
  • Accountability, etc.
  • Inertial
  • Magneto-Inertial 22

Radioactive Material

  • Tritium o 10 - 20 grams for R&D o <500 grams for commercial 1 gram of tritium = 9620 curies o HT or HTO is important for dosimetry
  • Activation products o Quantity and Type unknown o Highly dependent on selection of materials o Area of extensive research o Mostly in structural materials
  • Dust o Quantity and type dependent on inner wall o Small metallic particles from plasma and inner vessel wall interactions o Contains tritium and activation products o Contributor to offsite doses 23

Scope of Fusion Rulemaking Activities Rulemaking:

  • Based on 11e.(3) definition in AEA of byproduct material (statutory)

- Radioactive material for research, commercial or medical purposes

- Accelerator-produced

  • Limited-scope rulemaking in Title 10, Part 30 of Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 30) to cover only near-term, known fusion energy system designs

- Definitions

- Content-of-application requirements specific to fusion - Use standard Part 30 processes where applicable

- Other fusion-specific requirements, as needed, to address specialized topics

  • Agreement State regulations required to be compatible 24

Preliminary Proposed Rule Language Definitions in Parts 20 and 30 Approach for New and Amended Definitions

  • Focus on byproduct material and associated radiation

- Emphasis on containing, processing, or controlling radiation and radioactive materials

  • Limited to specific components - not facility-wide
  • No impact on current licensees
  • Enhance regulatory clarity and predictability 25

Preliminary Proposed Rule Language Content of Application in Part 30 Approach for Content of Application

  • Supplement existing Part 30 regulations to address fusion system specific application o General description of fusion system o Operating and emergency procedures o Organization structure related to radiation safety o Training o Inspection and Maintenance o Material Inventory 26

Preliminary Proposed Rule Language Content of Application in Part 30 Approach for Content of Application - continued

  • Alternative Approach o Radiation safety description of fusion system o Encourage pre-application communications
  • Regulations are intended to apply to fusion systems during research and development or commercial deployment
  • Issuance of license 27

Preliminary Proposed Rule Language Changes to Part 20 Approach for disposal of fusion systems byproduct material

  • New construction materials potentially resulting in activation products consisting of different radionuclides and in different quantities than previously considered

- Waste streams not considered in the development of the Part 61 tables may require disposal

- Staff considering whether applications should include an assessment of the disposal pathway as part of the decommissioning funding plan

  • Allow waste from fusion systems to be disposed at existing LLW disposal sites
  • Use risk-informed approach based on site-specific intrusion assessment at LLW disposal facility to allow disposal of novel waste streams

- Does not require changes to Part 61

- Does not require changes to other sections and appendices in Part 20

- Consistent with LLW rulemaking currently underway 28

Scope of Fusion Rulemaking Activities

  • Licensing Guidance:

o New NUREG-1556 licensing volume o Well established structure - 21 volumes o Focus on topics that distinguish fusion from other uses of radioactive materials o Address range of fusion technologies o Technology-inclusive o Scale safety requirements o Use standard content from guidance documents to the extent possible o NRC, Agreement State, and DOE o No other licensing guidance development anticipated o Agreement State guidance required to be compatible

  • Other Related Activities:

o Technology-specific implementation o Inspection guidance o Training for NRC and Agreement State staff o Public Outreach 29

Challenges - Regulatory and Guidance Development Several regulatory and safety issues need to be addressed during the rulemaking and guidance development process

  • Sharing design approvals across the National Materials Program
  • Composition of materials used in fusion systems o Area of active research to minimize production of activation products and minimize radiation damage o Radionuclides and quantities affect source term for emergency preparedness evaluation, decommissioning costs, waste disposal, maintenance and inspection protocols, etc.
  • Radiation safety o Shielding of high energy neutrons and production of photons and x-rays o Dosimetry considerations for gaseous tritium v. tritiated water (HTO) v. special tritiated products o Worker protection during maintenance of vacuum vessel o Tritium handling systems and containment of tritium contamination 30

Engagement and Outreach Leverage Existing Diverse Stakeholder Engagement Timeframe Communication Avenues

  • Start of official rulemaking Engagement
  • State-Tribal
  • Middle of draft development
  • Agreement States Communication letters
  • After publication of proposed
  • Tribal Nations
  • Government-to- rule (official public comment
  • CRCPD Government meetings period)
  • Public Meetings Meetings as needed
  • Federal Agencies
  • User Groups
  • Fusion Industry Association
  • Professional Associations Leverage Existing Regulatory Build Capabilities and
  • Utilities Experience Knowledge
  • Universities
  • Agreement States
  • Workshops
  • International community
  • Office of Regulatory Research (RES)
  • Seminars
  • Non-Government
  • Department of Energy (DOE) Organizations
  • ARPA-E
  • Training
  • Standards Development
  • Staff rotations/details Organizations (ASME, ANS)
  • International 31

Thank You!

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