ML24193A001
| ML24193A001 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/17/2024 |
| From: | Leslie Fields Licensing Processes Branch |
| To: | Gerond George Licensing Processes Branch |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24193A000 | List: |
| References | |
| EPID L-2024-NTM-0000 | |
| Download: ML24193A001 (7) | |
Text
July 17, 2024
MEMORANDUM TO: Gerond A. George, Chief Licensing Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
FROM: Leslie C. Fields, Senior Project Manager /RA/
Licensing Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF THE MAY 29, 2024, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSE AMENDMENT REVIEW PUBLIC MEETING WORKSHOP (EPID L-2024-NTM-0000)
On May 29, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation conducted a public meeting workshop with representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) to engage in discussion pertaining to NRCs license amendment review (LAR) processes. This was an observation meeting and workshop where a roundtable of panelists consisting of NRC staff, industry representatives, and licensing plant managers had an opportunity to engage in discussion on best practices and lessons learned for the various stages of the LAR development and review process.
The attendees had an opportunity to ask questions and participate in the discussion by engaging in the LAR topics discussed. Even though the NRC was not actively soliciting comments, or making any regulatory decisions during the workshop, this was a meeting platform to produce an open and collaborative conversation about LAR topics. The w orkshop panelists encouraged stakeholders and the audience to participate in the dialogue with NRC staff and industry representatives through the entire meeting. The diverse group of panelists are listed in Enclosure 1 to this summary. The meeting notice and agenda are available in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML24145A035. Enclosure 2 provides the entire list of attendees for the meeting as captured by Microsoft Teams participation list and the sign-in sheet in the meeting room.
CONTACT: Leslie Fields, NRR/DORL 301-415-1186
G. George
OPENING REMARKS
At the beginning of the workshop, Mike King, NRC Deputy Office Director for Reactor Programs, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), delivered opening remarks. The workshop focused on NRC staff and industry representatives discussing LAR work planning activities and presenting generic examples, best practices, and various steps involved in each phase of the LAR review. For every panel discussion topic, panelists were encouraged to: a) introduce a LAR concept and discuss success paths, b) present where LIC-206 can help resolve issues, if applicable, and c) elaborate on how industry can make the process work best.
KEY DISCUSSION TOPICS
PRE-APPLICATION REVIEW/WORK PLANNING
The workshop panelists discussed the steps taken by the NRC and industry during the pre-application review phase. The NEI representatives mentioned that prior to the submitting the LAR application, it would be helpful in the planning stages to have access to an NRC organization chart with detailed descriptions of NRC branch functions and technical reviewer roles to identify which NRC divisions and branches would most likely become a part of the review team for any forthcoming LAR.
PRE-APPLICATION MEETINGS
During the workshop, there was discussion regarding the goals and objectives for pre-application meetings. For more successful pre-application meetings, it was communicated that industry and NRC should be more aligned on the objectives, criteria, and outcome of the meeting. The NEI representatives requested that more NRC branch chiefs attend pre-application meetings and ensure that more technical reviewers attend pre-application meetings in-person. The workshop panelists discussed the NRCs metrics and tracking methodology, and the NEI representatives inquired how the metrics are used to determine the effectiveness of pre-application meetings. The NRC staff described how the Division of Operator Reactor Licensing tracks the workload management of licensing actions. However, it was communicated that pre-application meetings were not currently being tracked by the NRC, and that no comparisons to LAR milestone activities were currently being conducted to determine the effectiveness of pre-application meetings. The NRC staff mentioned that it would consider developing tracking metrics for pre-application meetings.
REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
During the workshop, the industry representatives asked for specific information regarding why the NRC chooses to use the request for additional information (RAI) process versus therequest for confirmation of information (RCI) process. The industry representatives encouraged additional use of the RCI process instead of the RAI process. The NRC staff responded that the current number of RAIs per LAR action has been low. Additionally, the NRC staff communicated that branch chiefs have recently completed new RAI training based on the guidance for developing and processing RAIs as stated in NRR Office Instruction LIC-115, Processing Requests for Additional Information. The NRC management and staff are strictly scrutinizing RAIs to ensure they will be used for safety determination. With respect to the RAI process, the NRC staff communicated that the latest RAI statistics were shared earlier in the morning session of the NEI Regulatory Issues Task Force public meeting. The slide presentation containing the latest RAI statistics is available in ADAMS at Accession No. ML24017A299.
G. George
The NRC staff conveyed that there has been a decrease in requests for RAI clarification teleconference calls and public meetings prior to RAI issuance. The NRC staff encouraged the industry representatives to request these meetings because it may decrease the amount of time spent responding to RAIs.
DRAFT SAFETY EVAULATION
The workshop panelists engaged in discussion on the NRCs expectations regarding the use of the draft version of the safety evaluation (SE) with holes (i.e., SE portions needing additional information to complete) and NRC staffs adherence to the NRC Office Instruction LIC-101, License Amendment Review Procedures, with respect to the following information:
It is expected that a draft SE input be developed before preparing RAIs such that any holes (i.e., missing information) in the SE input would inform the staffs determination of the additional information that is required. Developing draft SEs at the RAI stage enhances our safety focus holes in a draft SE inform the need for any RAIs
The industry representatives encouraged more use of the draft SE with holes during LAR reviews. The NRR staff responded that the use of a draft SE with holes is conducted on a case by case basis since the NRC guidance does not make it a staff requirement.
REGULATORY AUDITS
During the workshop, the benefits of the audit process were discussed and the importance of identifying the appropriate staff to attend the audit. The industry representatives provided feedback that the use of audits is very effective to reduce RAIs. The representatives communicated that the use of virtual audits has been cost effective and that there are benefits to having in-person audits.
CLOSING REMARKS
At the end of the workshop, the NRC staff mentioned that one specific goal going forward is to review the LAR process, determine how to conduct the most effective pre -application meetings, and determine the best environment for pre-application engagement for project managers and their industry counterparts. After evaluating the processes discussed in the workshop, the NRC staff stated that it will consider guidance updates as needed.
The NRC staff plans to provide additional responses to these discussion topics and give feedback on additional LAR topics during upcoming biannual NRC/NEI Regulatory Issues Task Force public meetings.
No public comments were made during the public comment period.
Please direct any inquires to Leslie Fields at 301-415-6202 or via email at leslie.fields@nrc.gov.
Enclosures:
- 1. Workshop Panelists and Organizers
- 2. Meeting Attendance List
ML24193A000 (Package)
ML2414 5A035 (Notice)
ML24193A001 (Summary)
OFFICE NRR/DORL/LLPB/PM NRR/DORL/LLPB/LA NRR/DORL/LLPB/PM NRR/DORL/LLPB/BC NAME LFields DHarrison AKlett GGeorge DATE 7/11/2024 7/16/2024 7/17/2024 7/17/2024 WORKSHOP PANELISTS AND ORGANIZERS FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSE AMENDMENT REVIEW PUBLIC MEETING WORKSHOP May 29, 2024
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Workshop Panelists
- Audrey Klett, Senior Project Manager (PM), DORL, NRR
- Ian Tseng, Chief, Structural, Civil, and Geotechnical Branch, Division of Engineering and External Hazards, NRR
- Samson Lee, Senior PM, Plant Licensing Branch 4, DORL, NRR
- Robert Pascarelli, Chief, Probabilistic Risk Assessment Licensing Branch A, Division of Risk Assessment, NRR
- Shani Mehta, NRC Chf Technicpecificio Branch, Divnf Syysts, NRR Industry Workshop Panelists
- Brett Titus, Licensing Director, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
- Andrew Mauer, Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, NEI
- Nicole Good, Regulatory Affairs Manager, STARS Alliance
- Jason Jennings, Director of Site Regulatory Compliance, Public Service Enterprise Group
- Michael Miller, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Xcel Energy
- Ryan Treadway, Fleet Licensing Director, Duke Energy
- ssells, eni Prranager eet Licensi, slhority NRC Meeting Organizers
- Leslie Fields, Senior PM, Licensing Projects Branch (LLPB), DORL, NRR
- Gondr, f, LLPB, DL,
Enclosure 1 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSE AMENDMENT REVIEW PUBLIC MEETING WORKSHOP Meeting Attendance List May 29, 2024
Name Organization Name Organization U.S. Nuclear Nuclear Energy Institute Regulatory (NEI) and Industry Commission (NRC) Representatives Leslie Fields NRC Brett Titus NEI James Delosreyes NRC Andrew Mauer NEI Gerond George NRC Nicole Good STARS Alliance Mike King NRC Jason Jennings Public Service Enterprise Group Bo Pham NRC Michael Miller Xcel Energy Jamie Heisserer NRC Brian Mann Xcel Energy Aida Rivera-Varona NRC Ryan Treadway Duke Energy Audrey Klett NRC Russ Wells Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Steven Bloom NRC Amanda Britton AEP Tony Sierra NRC Helen Levendosky AEP Matthew Mitchell NRC Thomas Forland Ameren Lucas Haeg NRC John Conly Certrec Dan Widrevitz NRC Deana Raleigh Curtiss Wright Patrick Koch NRC Erin Robinson Constellation Scott Wall NRC Patrick Simpson Constellation Nuclear Shawn Williams NRC Lisa Simpson Constellation Nuclear Stephen Cumblidge NRC Richard Gropp Constellation Nuclear Robert Pascarelli NRC Allen Fulmer Dominion Energy Shivani Mehta NRC Shayan Sinha Dominion Energy Thomas Byrd NRC Derek Corrin DTE energy Undine Shoop NRC Roxanne Vonhabsburg DTE energy William Rautzen NRC Mark Murphy DTE energy Karen Zeleznock NRC Richard Garcia Energy-Northwest Leon Montgomery NRC Richard Rogalski Energy-Northwest Richard Bright NRC Andrea Barker Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)
Milton Valentin-NRC Daniel Whisler OPPD Olmeda Ian Tseng NRC Adam Quarles Southern Company Samson Lee NRC Eddie Grant Southern Nuclear Blake Purnell NRC Andy Sabisch Talen Energy David Wrona NRC Derek Smith Talen Energy Dawnmathews NRC J Beau Eckermann TVA Kalathiveettil Mahesh Chawla NRC Andrew Taylor TVA
Enclosure 2 Name Organization Name Organization Zachary Turner NRC Timothy Barvitskie NRC Samuel Bina NRC Nikki Gilanshahi NRC Jeffery Smith NRC Ekaterina Lenning NRC Perry Buckberg NRC Lois James NRC Surinder Arora NRC Hosung Ahn NRC Doug Broaddus NRC Rebecca Romero - NRC Devore Rachael Davis NRC Antonios Zoulis NRC Jason Drake NRC Bill Gleaves NRC Robert Kuntz NRC Theo Edwards NRC Michael Mahoney NRC Evan Davidson NRC Jeffrey Whited NRC Michael Marshall NRC Robert Weisman NRC Mary Woods NRC Terri McLaughlin NRC Joel Wiebe NRC James Kim NRC Ching Ng NRC Hipolito Gonzalez NRC Carla Roque -Cruz NRC Lauren Gibson NRC Barbara Hayes NRC Jennivine Rankin NRC Kevin Hsueh NRC Nathanael Denney NRC Jack Minzerbryant NRC Jordan Vaughan NRC Anderson Wolfe NRC Luis CruzRosado NRC Dana Harrison NRC Anthon Shelton NRC Yeon Kim NRC David Garmon-NRC Omar Lopez-Santiago NRC Candelaria Natreon Jordan NRC Yasseen Sabil NRC Maria Herrera Torres NRC Charlotte Ruley NRC
- Attendance list based on Microsoft Teams participant list and room sign-in sheet. This list does not include individuals that connected via telephone.