ML24207A083
| ML24207A083 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/19/2024 |
| From: | Andrea Veil Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Walter Kirchner Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| Casey Smith, NRR/DANU | |
| References | |
| Download: ML24207A083 (1) | |
Text
Dr. Walter L. Kirchner, Chairman Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001
SUBJECT:
RESPONSE TO SAFETY EVALUATION OF THE KAIROS NON-POWER REACTOR HERMES 2 CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION
Dear Dr. Kirchner:
By letter dated July 17, 2024, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML24197A152), the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) reported on its review of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs safety evaluation (SE) and Kairos Power, LLC (Kairos) preliminary safety analysis report for the Hermes 2 non-power test reactor facility construction permit (CP) application submitted under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities. This CP application describes the preliminary design and analysis of Kaiross proposed non-power test reactor facility, to be located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The ACRS undertook this review to fulfill the requirements of 10 CFR 50.58, Hearings and report of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, which mandate that the ACRS review and report on CPs for facilities of the type described in 10 CFR 50.21, Class 104 licenses; for medical therapy and research and development facilities, paragraph (c).
In its letter, the ACRS recommended that the CP application for Hermes 2 should be approved.
Based on information provided to the ACRS and discussions during meetings with Kairos and the NRC staff, the ACRS noted that the following topics should be addressed during the evaluation of the operating license (OL) application: (1) superheater tube rupture event; (2) material properties of BeNaF; (3) REDOX control in Flibe, and (4) tritium control in the intermediate loop. The NRC staff agrees with the ACRS conclusions and recommendations and will ensure there is appropriate evaluation of these topics as part of the staffs review of a future OL application for Hermes 2.
September 19, 2024
W. Kirchner 2
The NRC staff appreciates the ACRSs timely and thorough review of the Hermes 2 CP application and SE. The ACRSs timely engagement was a critical factor in the staffs ability to complete the review 4 months ahead of schedule. The NRC staff looks forward to working with the Committee in the future.
Sincerely, Andrea D. Veil, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Signed by Veil, Andrea on 09/19/24
ML24207A083 NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UAL1PM NRR/DANU/UAL1/LA NRR/DANU/UAL1/BC NRR/DANU/UTB2/BC NAME MOrenak DGreene JBorromeo ASiwy DATE 7/25/2024 7/29/2024 8/14/2024 8/20/2024 OFFICE NRR/DANU/D NRR/D NAME JBowen AVeil DATE 8/23/2024 09/19/2024