ML23355A076

Summary of Public Meeting with X-Energy, Llc., to Discuss Approach for Graphite Qualification for the XE-100 High Temperature Gas Reactor

ML23355A076
Person / Time
Site:	99902071
Issue date:	01/04/2024
From:	Hernandez J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Michael Wentzel Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
EPID L-2018-LRM-0076
Download: ML23355A076 (1)

Text

January 04, 2024 MEMORANDUM TO:

Michael Wentzel, Chief Advanced Reactor Licensing Branch 2 Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:

Jorge Hernandez, Project Manager

/RA/

Advanced Reactor Licensing Branch 2 Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

SUMMARY

OF THE NOVEMER 9, 2023, PUBLIC MEETING WITH X ENERGY, LLC. (X-ENERGY), APPROACH FOR GRAPHITE QUALIFICATION FOR THE XE-100 HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS REACTOR (EPID NO. L-2018-LRM-0076)

Meeting Information:

Applicant: X ENERGY, LLC. (X-energy)

Docket/Project No.(s): 99902071 Public Meeting Notice Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)

Accession No.: ML23310A111 Applicant Presentation Slides ADAMS Accession No.: ML23303A208 Meeting Attendees: See the enclosure for a list of meeting attendees.

CONTACT:

Jorge Hernandez, NRR/DANU 301-287-9096

Background:

By letter dated July 31, 2023 (ML23212B211), X-energy transmitted a regulatory engagement plan focused on material qualification of graphite and other graphite-related matters, along with the proposed schedule for the meetings.

Prior to this meeting, the following meetings have been held, in accordance with the aforementioned regulatory engagement plan:

August 24, 2023 (ML23271A128): partially closed meeting to discuss scope of graphite qualification and methodologies that will be included in the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (construction permit) for the Xe-100 reactor at the Dow Chemical Company facility in Long Mott, TX and referenced technical reports and the information that is planned to be provided in the Final Safety Analysis Report at the operating license application stage.

October 5, 2023 (ML23319A239): partially closed meeting to discuss X-energys modelling approach for the stress analysis of irradiated graphite components.

October 12, 2023 (ML23319A359): partially closed meeting to discuss development of X-energys proprietary computer model, named Irradiated Graphite Numerical Iterative Solver (IGNIS).

The meeting summaries are collected in ADAMS Package No. ML23271A128, Meeting Summary - X-energy Graphite Qualification Engagement Meetings Series (2023/2024).

Meeting Summary:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff conducted the meeting in accordance with NRC Management Directive 3.5, Attendance at NRC Staff-Sponsored Meetings (ML21180A271).

This meeting was the fourth meeting included in X-energys regulatory engagement plan for graphite components.

The X-energys staff presentation discussed the following topics:

Definition of the graphite core components and graphite core assembly Approach to define safety importance of graphite components within the context of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel (BPV)

Code,Section III, Division 5 Graphite components required safety functions Loading mechanisms and graded allowable limits, including definition of structural reliability classes and ASME service levels Integrated analysis to determine design loadings The NRC staff made the following questions/observations (including X-energys responses):

Regarding the radionuclide retention function the NRC staff asked X-energy how the graphite blocks are credited for retention. X-energy indicated that the required safety function remains with the fuel; however, the graphite components perform a defense-in-depth function for anticipated operational occurrences and will be modeled assuming no

settling on graphite components and still show conformance to specified acceptable system radionuclide release design limits.

During the meeting (included in the presentation slides) X-energy requested specific feedback regarding the definition of the graphite core components, the approach to define safety importance of graphite components, graphite component safety functions, learning mechanisms, graded allowable limits, and the proposed integrated safety analysis. The NRC staff did not provide feedback. The NRC staff's decision not to comment on these items should not be interpreted as acceptance; the NRC staff plans to work with X-energy on these issues during the future licensing document reviews.

No regulatory decisions were made as a result of this meeting.

Project No. 99902071

Enclosure:

List of Meeting Attendees cc: X-energy Xe-100 via GovDelivery

SUMMARY

OF THE NOVEMBER 9, 2023, PUBLIC MEETING WITH X ENERGY, LLC. (X-ENERGY), APPROACH FOR GRAPHITE QUALIFICATION FOR THE XE-100 HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS REACTOR (EPID NO. L-2018-LRM-0076) DATED: JAN 04, 2024 DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrDanuUal1 Resource RidsNrrDanuUal2 Resource RidsNrrDanu Resource AMuniz AChereskin DBeacon GOberson IJung JBass LKingsbury MGordon RIyengar VVoltaggio ADAMS Accession Number: ML23355A076 NRR-001 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UAL2/PM NRR/DANU/UAL2/BC NRR/DANU/UAL2/PM NAME JHernandez MWentzel JHernandez DATE 01 / 04 / 2024 01 / 04 / 2024 01 / 04 / 2024 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Enclosure List of Meeting Attendees For the November 9, 2023 Public Meeting With X Energy, LLC. (X-Energy), Approach for Graphite Qualification for the Xe-100 High Temperature Gas Reactor Open Meeting Name Organization Adrian Muniz U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Alexander Chereskin NRC Boyce Travis NRC Dan Beacon NRC Greg Oberson NRC Ian Jung NRC Jorge Hernandez Munoz NRC Joseph Bass NRC Matthew Gordon NRC Raj Iyengar NRC Vince Voltaggio NRC Chong Chen X-energy Doug Kalinousky X-energy Emna Sghaier X-energy FJ van Zanten X-energy Gwennael Beirnaert X-energy Jaime A Cano X-energy James Roll X-energy Jasmine Wang X-energy Jon Facemire X-energy Leigh Lloveras X-energy Maggie Staiger X-energy Michael I. Dudek X-energy Michael Saitta X-energy Sam Baylis X-energy Travis Chapman X-energy Steven Arndt Oak Ridge National Laboratory Bergman, Jana U.S. Department of Energy Carl Friesen U.S. Department of Energy Mark Natale U.S. Department of Energy Timothy Stuhldreher U.S. Department of Energy Yarwood, David U.S. Department of Energy Charlyne Smith Breakthrough Institute Leigh Lloveras Breakthrough Institute Steven Pope ISL Ali Nojoumi Memberof the Public Dominik Muszynski Memberof the Public Guan Yang Memberof the Public Zefeng Yu Westinghouse

2 Closed Meeting Name Organization Adrian Muniz NRC Alexander Chereskin NRC Dan Beacon NRC Greg Oberson NRC Ian Jung NRC Jorge Hernandez Munoz NRC Joseph Bass NRC Matthew Gordon NRC Raj Iyengar NRC Vince Voltaggio NRC Ali Nojoumi X-energy Chong Chen X-energy Doug Kalinousky X-energy Emna Sghaier X-energy FJ van Zanten X-energy Guan Yang X-energy Gwennael Beirnaert X-energy Jaime A Cano X-energy James Roll X-energy Jasmine Wang X-energy Jon Facemire X-energy Maggie Staiger X-energy Michael I. Dudek X-energy Michael Saitta X-energy Paul Loza X-energy Sam Baylis X-energy Travis Chapman X-energy Carl Friesen U.S. Department of Energy David Yarwood U.S. Department of Energy Mark Natale U.S. Department of Energy Timothy Stuhldreher U.S. Department of Energy