ML24031A627
| ML24031A627 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 99902094 |
| Issue date: | 01/31/2024 |
| From: | Edward Helvenston NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL |
| To: | Holly Cruz NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24031A626 | List: |
| References | |
| EPID L-2022-NFN-0008 | |
| Download: ML24031A627 (1) | |
Text
W. Kenned UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 January 31, 2024 MEMORANDUM TO:
Holly Cruz, Acting Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch 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 JANUARY 24, 2024, PUBLIC MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN TO DISCUSS TOPICAL REPORT ON REGULATORY APPLICABILITY (EPID NO. L-2022-NFN-0008)
Meeting Information:
Applicant: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Project No.: 99902094 Public Meeting Notice Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)
Accession No.: ML24012A035 NRC Staff Presentation Slides: ML24031A628 Meeting Attendees: See the enclosure for a list of meeting attendees.
CONTACT: Edward Helvenston, NRR/DANU/UNPL (301) 415-4067 Meeting Summary:
On January 24, 2024, a public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) via webinar. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss UIUCs request for additional information (RAI) responses dated December 11, 2023 (ML23345A238), related to the UIUC topical report (TR), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign High Temperature Gas-cooled Research Reactor: Applicability of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulations, Release 2, dated August 30, 2023 (ML23242A329). This was the second public meeting related to this TR; a previous public meeting was held on June 8, 2023 (ML23171A047), to discuss the NRC staffs preliminary questions on Release 1 of this TR, dated December 9, 2022 (ML22343A282). A list of meeting attendees is provided as an enclosure to this summary.
During the meeting, the NRC staff provided a presentation (ML24031A628) that included an overview of its understanding of UIUCs TR review request and UIUCs methodology discussed in the TR for determining the applicability of NRC regulations to the Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) that UIUC proposes to construct on its campus. The NRC staffs presentation provided discussion topics for the meeting related to UIUCs RAI responses and how UIUC applied the regulatory applicability methodology as discussed in the TR considering information including, for example, regulation headings and text; Federal Register notices; NUREG-1537, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors (ML042430055 and ML042430048); and the Kairos Power LLC (Kairos) TR KP-TR-004-NP-A, Regulatory Analysis for the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High Temperature Reactor (ML22159A356). In addition, the presentation discussed the background and development of two NRC regulations, Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.44, Combustible gas control for nuclear power reactors, and 10 CFR 50.68, Criticality accident requirements, as representative examples to inform discussion of UIUCs RAI responses and regulatory applicability methodology. These examples were relevant primarily to UIUCs response to RAIs 6 and 4, respectively.
Regarding 10 CFR 50.44 and RAI 6, UIUC and the NRC staff discussed UIUCs determination in its TR that 10 CFR 50.44(d) would not be applicable to the UIUC MMR. UIUC stated that, in light of information contained in the Kairos TR and other information possibly contained in Federal Register notices, it would consider whether its TR determinations related to 10 CFR 50.44 applicability should be revised.
Regarding 10 CFR 50.68 and RAI 4, UIUC and the NRC staff discussed UIUCs determination in its TR that the UIUC MMR would require an exemption from 10 CFR 50.68(b)(7). UIUC explained that, although 10 CFR 50.68 applies to nuclear power reactors, its intent would be to use modifications of the provisions in 10 CFR 50.68 in lieu of needing to comply with the applicable requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, Criticality accident requirements. The NRC staff described how 10 CFR 50.68 is based on typical light-water reactor fuel storage conditions, and acknowledged an alternative approach that addresses differences in MMR fuel storage conditions may be necessary. UIUC stated that it would consider whether it would be more appropriate to accomplish this through an exemption to 10 CFR 50.68 or to 10 CFR 70.24, and whether its TR should be revised accordingly.
UIUC and the NRC staff also discussed language in UIUCs TR and RAI responses which the NRC staff noted could suggest that UIUC considered regulation headings to supersede other sources of information regarding applicability of regulations (e.g., statements of consideration in Federal Register notices). The NRC staff noted that in some cases other information can be of greater importance for determining applicability of regulations. UIUC stated that it would consider whether such statements needed clarification.
UIUCs RAI responses did not include a TR revision. UIUC stated that following this meeting, it would submit to the NRC a revised TR (Release 3) that would incorporate information in its RAI responses as well as information from the meeting discussion.
UIUC noted that its TR did not include any requests for exemptions from NRC regulations and it was not requesting any exemptions at this time; any actual exemption requests would be provided later, for example, with a UIUC MMR construction permit and/or operating license application.
No regulatory decisions were made during this meeting.
Enclosure:
List of Attendees cc: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via GovDelivery
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF THE JANUARY 24, 2024, PUBLIC MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN TO DISCUSS TOPICAL REPORT ON REGULATORY APPLICABILITY (EPID NO. L-2022-NFN-0008)
DATED: January 31, 2024 DISTRIBUTION:
Public RidsNrrDanu Resource RidsOgcMailCenter RidsOpaMailCenter RidsOcaMailCenter EHelvenston, NRR PBoyle, NRR PTorres, NRR HCruz, NRR JBorromeo, NRR SJones, NRR DBeacon, NRR GOberson, NRR ADAMS Pkg. Accession No.: ML24031A626; Summary ML24031A627; Slides ML24031A628 NRC-001 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL:PM NRR/DANU/UNPL:BC(A)
NAME EHelvenston HCruz DATE 1/31/2024 1/31/2024 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Enclosure List of Meeting Attendees JANUARY 24, 2024, PUBLIC MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN TO DISCUSS TOPICAL REPORT ON REGULATORY APPLICABILITY Name Organization Edward Helvenston U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Paulette Torres NRC Steve Jones NRC Patrick Boyle NRC Dan Beacon NRC Greg Oberson NRC Michael Balazik NRC Holly Cruz NRC Scott Burnell NRC Les Foyto University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Tim Grunloh UIUC Jeff Perry Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC)
Mike Hamer USNC Kevin Pigg USNC Zachary Rad USNC Raheem Rashid MPR Associates Kaci Studer Member of the Public Ewa Muzikova Member of the Public Jan Boudart Member of the Public