ML24040A183
| ML24040A183 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/12/2024 |
| From: | Victoria Huckabay Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML24040A183 (1) | |
Text
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024 Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center Rockville, Maryland
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Spent Fuel Reprocessing:
Past, Present, and Future Victoria Huckabay Disclaimer: This presentation does not present the views of the NRC
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Agenda Reprocessing and New Fuels History and Background in the United States Current Pre-Application Engagements Current Regulatory Framework and Path Forward
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Reprocessing and New Fuels
- Spent fuel reprocessing (or used fuel recycling) is defined as the chemical separation of fissionable uranium and plutonium from irradiated nuclear fuel
- The goal of reprocessing is to reduce the toxicity and volume of waste
- The output product can be used to fabricate new fuel, thus closing the reactor fuel cycle
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE History and Background Nuclear Fuel Services West Valley reprocessing plant in New York General Electric Morris reprocessing facility in Illinois Allied-General Nuclear Services Barnwell reprocessing plant in South Carolina The 1977 ban of commercial reprocessing was lifted in 1981; current national policy does not prohibit reprocessing
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE History and Background (contd)
Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) launched in 2006:
o Establish domestic reprocessing and burner reactor capability o
Take back spent fuel from foreign countries GNEP funding reduced by Congress in 2007-2008 GNEP efforts in the United States ended in 2009, but the U.S. Department of Energy moved forward with reprocessing research and development activities
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE History and Background (contd)
During 2008-2021, the NRC staff submitted several SECY papers which evaluated the regulatory framework for licensing a reprocessing facility, including:
o SECY-09-0082 Summarized the staffs regulatory gap analysis and staffs plans to develop the technical basis for a proposed rule o
SECY-13-0093 Recommended finalizing the draft regulatory basis and moving forward with development of a reprocessing-specific rule (10 CFR Part 7x) o SECY-21-0026 Requested Commissions approval to discontinue the rulemaking
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Pre-Application Engagements with Oklo, Inc.
Oklo plans to design, license, build, and operate a recycling facility for production of uranium/transuranic-bearing fuel o
Licensing Project Plan submitted in December 2022 Oklo will use an electrorefining-based separation technology The NRC held three public meetings with Oklo in 2023 Additional pre-application engagements on technical and licensing topics are anticipated in 2024
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Pre-Application Engagements with SHINE Technologies, LLC Regulatory Engagement Plan submitted in October 2023 SHINE plans to construct and operate a used nuclear fuel recycling pilot facility, with a throughput of up to 200 MTiHM/year Targeting used fuel that is more than 40 years old Co-decontamination (CoDCon) separation process a modified version of the plutonium uranium reduction extraction (PUREX) liquid-liquid separation process o
Increased proliferation resistance: plutonium is never separated from uranium
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Current Regulatory Framework and Path Forward 10 CFR Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities Other applicable regulations include, but are not limited to:
o 10 CFR Part 20 o
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Current Regulatory Framework and Path Forward (contd)
Guidance is available primarily in Division 3 Regulatory Guides (RGs) o Most RGs applicable to reprocessing facilities have not been updated since the early 1970s There is no standard review plan for review of reprocessing facility applications RG 3.26, Standard Format and Content of Safety Analysis Reports for Fuel Reprocessing Plants, has not been revised since 1975
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Current Regulatory Framework and Path Forward (contd)
The NRC staff has been evaluating options for updating the regulatory framework for reprocessing facilities:
o Evaluation of needed updates to reprocessing RGs and the order of priority for those updates is ongoing o
Development of an annotated outline for a standard review plan for reprocessing facilities is in progress; the staff plans to solicit public feedback and hold a public meeting o
The NRC staff has not been directed to resume the rulemaking
RIC 2024 Hybrid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference MARCH 12-14, 2024
- nrcric2024 www.nrc.gov ADAPTING TO A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Questions?