ML24274A001
| ML24274A001 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/27/2024 |
| From: | Christopher Hanson NRC/Chairman |
| To: | Carper T, Carter B, Comer J, Duncan J, Manchin J, Markey E, Peters G, Rodgers C, Rusco F, Young S US Dept of Homeland Security, US Executive Office of the President, Office of Mgmt & Budget (OMB), US Government Accountability Office (GAO), US HR, Comm on Oversight and Accountability, US SEN, Comm on Environment & Public Works |
| References | |
| CORR-24-0083, LTR-24-0066 | |
| Download: ML24274A001 (1) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001
September 27, 2024
Mr. Frank Rusco, Director Natural Resources and Environment U.S. Government Accountability Office 441 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20548
Dear Mr. Rusco:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am providing the enclosed NRC Response to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, GAO-24-106326, "Nuclear Power Plants: NRC Should Take Actions to Fully Consider the Potential Effects of Climate Change," issued April 2, 2024. The NRC appreciates GAO's constructive and extensive engagement to understand the regulatory framework related to natural hazards and to ensure that the report is a fair and accurate characte.rization of NRC's regulatory structure, processes, and strengths. In the report, the GAO made three broad recommendations for executive action related to NRC's assessment of climate change. As noted in the NRC letter dated March 7, 2024, the recommendations are consistent with actions that are either underway or under development by the NRC staff.
However, considering the conservatisms, safety margins, and defense-in-depth policies described in the report, the NRC does not agree with the conclusion that the agency does not address the impacts of climate change. In effect, the layers of conservatism, safety margins, and defense in depth incorporated into the NRC's regulations and processes provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment. This consideration includes any plausible combination of natural hazards at a site for the licensed operational lifetime of the reactor, including changes in those hazards that could result from climate change.
The GAO report states that the analysis performed within the report "does not account for site specific plant elevation or protective measures plants may have taken to mitigate the risk of selected natural hazards." With site-specific analyses in mind, if there are changes to the conditions to which the reactors are licensed, the NRC has the authority to require safety related changes at each plant. The NRC continues to engage in continuous oversight of all nuclear reactors in the United States.
It is also important to note that the NRC's evaluations are based on nuclear safety; as such we cannot impose requirements that would increase energy resilience or require consideration of future climate impacts without a sufficient nuclear safety justification.
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The NRC appreciates the opportunity to describe the agency's actions taken in response to the GAO's recommendations. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me or have your staff contact Mr. John R. Jolicoeur, Executive Technical Assistant, by phone. at 301-415-1642 or by e-mail to John.Jolicoeur@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, C --e - 'T..
Christopher T. Hanson
Enclosure:
As stated Identical letter sent to the followin g recip ients, with the exce p tion of the rep lacement of the p oint of contact with the Chair and the Director of the Office of Con g ressional Affairs:
Mr. Frank Rusco, Director The Honorable Edward J. Markey Natural Resources and Environment Chairman, Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, U.S. Government Accountability Office and Nuclear Safety 441 G Street, NW Committee on Environment and Public Works Washington, DC 20548 United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Shalanda Young cc: Senator Pete Ricketts Director, Office of Management and Budget 725 17th Street, NW The Honorable Cathy McMorris Rodgers Washington, DC 20503 Chair, Committee on Energy and Commerce cc: Christine A McDonald, United States House of Representatives Erin Alejandre Washington, DC 20515 cc: Representative Frank Pallone, Jr.
The Honorable Gary C. Peters Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security The Honorable Jeff Duncan and Governmental Affairs Chairman, Subcommittee on Energy, Climate United States Senate and Grid Security Washington, DC 20510 Committee on Energy and Commerce cc: Senator Rand Paul United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable James Comer cc: Representative Diana DeGette Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Accountability The Honorable Buddy Carter United States House of Representatives Chairman, Subcommittee on Environment, Washington, DC 20515 Manufacturing and Critical Materials, cc: Representative Jamie Raskin Committee on Energy and Commerce United States House of Representatives The Honorable Thomas R. Carper Washington, DC 20515 Chairman, Committee on Environment cc: Representative Paul Tonko and Public Works United States Senate The Honorable Joe Manchin Washington, DC 20510 Chairman, Committee on Energy cc: Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Natural Resources United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 cc: Senator John A. Barrasso