ML24080A016

Presentation to the 6th Meeting of the NEA Expert Group on Small Modular Reactors, Rez, Czech Republic, March 26-28, 2024 Research on Human Factors Considerations for Remote and Automated Operation of Advanced Reactors: Preliminary Insights

ML24080A016
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Issue date:	03/28/2024
From:	Natalee Green, Stephanie Morrow NRC/RES/DRA/HFRB
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Dr. Niav Hughes Green and Dr. Stephanie Morrow Human Factors Psychologists Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NEA EGSMR 6 Meeting - March 26-28, 2024 Research on Human Factors Considerations for Remote and Automated Operation of Advanced Reactors: Preliminary Insights 1

NOTE The views expressed in this presentation are those of the presenters and do not necessarily represent an official position of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This presentation material is declared as a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.

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Roadmap

• Background

• NRCs HFE Guidance Development Process

• NRCs Human Factors Research supporting Advanced Reactor Concepts

• NRC Remote Operations Workshop

• Dimensions of Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) Framework

• Research Challenges

• Next Steps 3

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Background===

• Advanced nuclear reactor technologies present new opportunities and new challenges

• Novel approaches may include remotely operated facilities and increased reliance on automated operations for safety-significant systems, structures, and components (SSCs)

• Remote and automated operational concepts may have implications for human factors engineering areas, including human-system interactions, staffing, training, qualifications, and operator actions 4

Advanced reactor concepts include:

• All designs that are not light-water reactors (LWRs),

regardless of size

• All small modular reactor designs

• Microreactors

• Fusion reactor systems (per Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM) to SECY-20-0032).

NRCs Human Factors Engineering (HFE) Guidance Development Methodology

• User Needs Analysis User Feedback Technology Trends

• Technical Basis & Guidance Development Topic Characterization Technical Basis Development Guidance Development &

Documentation

• Peer Review

• Guidance Integration & Document Publication 5

Methodology Objective To develop valid, technically defensible, HFE guidance To establish a generalizable process To develop guidance in a cost-effective manner

Research Initiated with Idaho National Laboratory on Human Factors Considerations for Remote and Automated Operations

• Remote Operations Research Tasks

• Conduct NRC-Industry Workshop - Completed February 2024

• Document and Summarize Workshop Outcomes - In Progress

• Perform Technical Basis Needs Assessment for Remote Operations - In Progress

• Develop Technical Basis for Remote Operations

• Develop Plan for HFE Guidance for Remote Operations

• Develop HFE Guidance for Remote Operations

• Autonomous/Automated Operations Research Tasks

• Perform Industry Landscape Analysis of Anticipated Use of Automated Operations - In Progress

• Perform Technical Basis Needs Assessment for Automated Operations

• Develop Proposal for Experimental Studies to Address Gaps in Technical Basis for Automated Operations 6

37 External Visitors 20 NRC Staff 230 Virtual Participants Workshop on Human Factors Considerations for Remote Operation of Nuclear Facilities January 31 - February 1, 2024 Workshop Summary: ML24061A181 GOALS 1)

Understand concepts of operations the nuclear industry is considering that may include elements of remote operation, and 2)

Gain insights regarding how well-suited NRCs current guidance is for the human factors review of these concepts.

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42 Participating Organizations U.S. NRC*

Idaho National Laboratory*

Aalo Atomics Atomic Alchemy ARC Clean Technology Boston Atomics Brookhaven National Laboratory BWX Technologies, Inc Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)

Curtiss-Wright Dominion Energy Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)*

Flibe Energy, Inc*

Florida Institute of Technology Framatome, Inc General Electric Vernova*

Global First Power Holtec Information Systems Laboratories (ISL)

Institute for Energy Technology (Halden HTO)*

Kairos*

McMaster University NextEra Energy*

Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

Nuclear Promise X Nuclear ROSE Consulting, LLC NuScale Power, LLC Oklo Paragon Energy Solutions Radiant Nuclear*

Reploy Power Sargent & Lundy*

System Applications and Products (SAP)

Tecnatom TerraPower UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation United Engineers &

Constructors University of Central Florida University of Toronto Westinghouse*

X-energy

• Workshop Presenter Workshop on Human Factors Considerations for Remote Operation of Nuclear Facilities January 31 - February 1, 2024 8

Topics Explored During Workshop

• The potential role of plant personnel in facility operation and maintenance

• Technologies and methods that could enable remote operations (e.g.,

automation, passive safety systems, design simplicity)

• The design of local and remote monitoring and control interfaces and facilities

• Multi-unit monitoring and control

• Communications between reactor facilities and remote operations facilities

• Personnel training

• Local and remote staffing models 9

Note: This list is not all-encompassing.

The Seven Dimensions of a Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) Provides a Useful Organizing Framework

1. Plant Mission/Goals

2. Roles and Responsibilities of Personnel and Automation

3. Staffing, Qualifications, and Training

4. Management of Normal Operations

5. Management of Off-Normal Conditions and Emergencies

6. Management of Maintenance and Modifications

7. Management of Tests, Inspections, and Surveillances 10 Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM) SECY-23-0021: Proposed Rule: Risk-Informed, Technology-Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Advanced Reactors (RIN 3150-AK31) (ADAMS ML24064A047).

Appendix A of the draft Interim Staff Guidance, Development of Scalable Human Factors Engineering Review Plans (DRO-ISG-2023-03).

Questions to Consider within CONOPS Dimensions 1.

Plant Mission/Goals What will be the primary mission(s) of the reactor facility?

What are the facilitys safety and emergency response functions?

2.

Roles and Responsibilities of Personnel and Automation What will be the role of personnel in performing and ensuring the achievement of plant safety and emergency response functions?

What role will plant personnel have in other facility mission functions?

From where will the personnel role in each of these functions be achieved?

3.

Staffing, Qualifications, and Training What are the planned number and qualifications of onsite staff and remote staff?

What staffing plan changes are anticipated, if any, over the course of a facility license?

Where will personnel be trained and qualified (e.g., at the reactor facility, at a remote operations facility, other)?

4.

Management of Normal Operations What will be the roles of personnel in the monitoring and control of normal operations (e.g., start-up, power level control, shutdown, refueling)?

Where will personnel perform the duties to fulfill these roles?

5.

Management of Off-Normal Conditions and Emergencies What will be the roles of personnel in responding to off-normal and emergency conditions?

Where will personnel perform the duties to fulfill these roles?

Will response to off-normal or emergency conditions require personnel to be dispatched to the reactor site? If so, from where?

How will a loss or degradation of communications (e.g., control signals, safety parameters) between the reactor facility and remote operations facility be managed?

6.

Management of Maintenance and Modifications What will be the roles of personnel in performing maintenance and modifications?

Where will personnel perform the duties to fulfill these roles?

7.

Management of Tests, Inspections, and Surveillances What will be the roles of personnel in tests, inspections, and surveillances?

Where will personnel perform the duties to fulfill these roles?

11 Additional questions to consider can be found:

• Appendix B of DRO-ISG-2023-03, Draft Interim Staff Guidance: Development of Scalable Human Factors Engineering Review Plans

• Section 2.2 of NUREG/CR-7202, NRC Reviewer Aid for Evaluating the Human Performance Aspects Related to the Design and Operation of Small Modular Reactors

Challenge: The role of the human may depend on the designs concept of operation 12 Simple design with full autonomy.

Remote monitoring and control with dispatchable personnel nearby.

Remote monitoring with available personnel on site.

Challenge: Lack of agreed-upon terminology and definitions 13 Automated Automatic Autonomous vs.

vs.

Challenge: Existing HFE review guidance may need to evolve to address advanced reactor concepts For Example:

• Reconsidering how functions are assigned to humans or automation given the current capabilities of automation and potential of artificial intelligence

• Reevaluation of the risk-informed screening process for lower risk designs and operations that include highly-automated systems

• Addressing novel human performance issues related to remote control or monitoring facilities 14

Challenge: The future problem space is rapidly evolving 15 Credit: Dr. David Desaulniers presentation to the 2024 Regulatory Information Conference on March 13, 2024: Human in the Loop: The Changing Role of Humans in New and Advanced Reactor Designs The greatest human factors challenge may lie at the intersection of these areas

Research Next Steps

• Document learnings from the workshop

• Develop topic characterization for remote operation of advanced reactors from the range of CONOPS identified

• Gather insights and lessons from surrogate domains (e.g., aerospace, maritime, off-shore oil and gas, renewables)

• Align on definitions with respect to the scope of regulatory research

• Identify strategy and areas for guidance development 16

Outreach and Engagement

• Human Factors of Remote Operations Workshop (Jan 31 - Feb 1, 2024)

• Summary is publicly available in ADAMS at ML24061A181

• Regulatory Information Conference (March 13, 2024)

• Human in the Loop: The Changing Role of the Humans in New and Advanced Reactor Designs (Panel session description available here; recording will be available at later date)

• CSNI NEA Working Group on Human and Organizational Factors

• New Task Group on SMRs

• Human Factors and Ergonomic Society Annual Meeting (Sept 13-18, 2024)

• Human Performance Implications of Remote Operations in High-Risk Industries

• Exploring opportunities to coordinate with international regulators on topic of AI-enabled autonomy for nuclear 17

Questions?

Points of contact:

Niav Hughes Green: Niav.Hughes@nrc.gov Stephanie Morrow: Stephanie.Morrow@nrc.gov 18