ML24340A146
| ML24340A146 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/05/2024 |
| From: | Brian Benney NRC/NRR/DRO/IOEB |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML24340A146 (24) | |
Text
Public Meeting ADVANCE Act Section 507 Reactor Oversight Process December 10, 2024
ADVANCE Act Section 507 Public Meeting December 10, 2024 Non-NRC participants, please send an email to Brian.Benney@nrc.gov to record your attendance.
Materials are available at the following link:
https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg?do=details&Code=20241443 Time Topic Speaker 9:30am Introductions and Opening Remarks NRC & NEI 9:35am Opening Remarks from the Core Team NRC 9:40am Update to Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024 (ADVANCE Act) Section 507 Oversight and Inspection for Operating Reactors Phil McKenna, NRC 10:30am Open Discussion NRC, NEI, Industry 11:30am Additional Opportunity for Public Comments Members of the Public 11:50am Action Items & Closing Remarks NRC & NEI Noon Meeting Adjourn
Introductions and Opening Remarks
Purpose To share information on ADVANCE Act Section 507
- Improving Oversight and Inspection Programs through:
- An Overview of ADVANCE Act Section 507
- A Discussion of NRC Staff Ideas Considerations
- Identification of Opportunities This meeting was first noticed on November 20, 2024
ADVANCE Act Overview
NRC Core Team For the Implementation of the ADVANCE Act of 2024 Shilp Vasavada, Executive Technical Assistant Luis Betancourt, Executive Technical Assistant Aaron McCraw, Sr. Communications Specialist Opening Remarks
To Stay Informed of Progress Follow NRCs ADVANCE Act implementation with this Dashboard
For Upcoming and Past Meetings For NRCs public meeting information on ADVANCE Act
ADVANCE Act Section 507 Reactor Oversight Process Phil McKenna Deputy Director Division of Reactor Oversight NRR/DRO Philip.McKenna@nrc.gov
Implementing the ADVANCE Act The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024, also known as the ADVANCE Act, was signed into law in July 2024.
The ADVANCE Act requires the NRC to take specific actions, including actions related to improving oversight and inspection programs.
Specific to the ROP, the Act directed review of (among other things):
- Use of travel resources
- Planning/preparation for inspections and entrance/exit meetings
- Cross-cutting issues program
- Balance of resources commensurate with safety significance
- Balance of resources based on licensee performance
Provide Comments or Feedback As we assess the considerations we are presenting here today, we welcome any feedback from the industry or members of the public.
https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/governing-laws/advance-act/contactus.html
Schedule
- Public meeting (December 10, 2024)
- Additional public meeting for comments and feedback (Proposed for January 15, 2025)
- SECY to Commission (TBD 2025)
- Report to Congress (July 13, 2025)
- Implementation (ongoing)
- Engineering inspections
- Scheduled effectiveness review to begin 4th quarter 2025 to identify any changes
- Emergency Response Facility (ERF) Performance Indicator
- Significance Determination Process (SDP) Revision
- Security
- Working group to revise SDP
- Working group to evaluate the structure, staffing, and frequency of the inspection procedure (IP) 71130.10, Cybersecurity.
Current Implementation Activities
Topics Under Consideration
- Enhancements for sustained higher performance
- Adjustments to Problem Identification &
Resolution (PI&R) team inspection
- Engineering Inspections:
- Comprehensive Engineering Team Inspection (CETI) staffing review
- Focused Engineering Inspections (FEIs) onsite and remote weeks
- Inspection finding screening and documentation
- Action Matrix simplification
- Team inspection efficiencies
- Credit sustained higher performance in Action Matrix*
- Adjust PI&R team inspection frequency and number of members*
- Adjust other team inspections*
- Reduce baseline samples*
- Re-Baseline ROP for all licensees?*
Sustained Higher Performance Ideas
- Reduction in frequency*
- Team size scaled for performance (reduction for sustained higher performance)*
- Could be a Supplemental Inspection*
- One week onsite and one week remote PI&R Team Inspection Ideas
- Cross-cutting Issues Program Revision*
- Evaluate current practice of dual-path findings (Reactor Oversight Process and Traditional Enforcement)
- Reduce scope of documentation for Green/SL-IV findings/Non-Cited Violations
- Similar to Licensee-Identified Violations with more description of the issue.
Inspection Finding Screening and Documentation Ideas
- Licensee-identified White findings/violations would not result in Action Matrix movement
- Targeted follow-up (IP 71152) or supplemental (IP 95001) inspection would still occur
- White findings would no longer aggregate to a Degraded Cornerstone*
Assessment Ideas
- Entrance meeting optional
- Virtual exit meetings unless otherwise indicated
- NRC Requests for Licensee Documentation:
Upgraded NRC Library to simplify access to documentation already in NRC possession
- Reduce onsite time to one week and make other week remote (for two-week inspections)
Team Inspection Ideas
- Re-evaluation of Performance Indicators (PIs)
- Potential to shift more oversight from inspection to PIs
- Simplify submission process
- Engineering inspection changes
- Proposed for start of new cycle January 2027
- Organizational Structures Longer-Term Ideas
- Options for major ROP revisions will be in SECY to Commission in 2025. This will include Commission notification items.
- Some items may be implemented before report to Congress Implementation
Industry Comments
Public Comments
Closing Remarks