ML24355A156
| ML24355A156 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/03/2024 |
| From: | Weidong Wang NRC/RES/DE/SGSEB |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24355A152 | List: |
| References | |
| RG 1.138, Rev 3 | |
| Download: ML24355A156 (2) | |
Text
1 Regulatory Guide Number:
RG 1.138, Revision 3
Title:
Laboratory Investigations of Soils and Rocks for Engineering Analysis and Design of Nuclear Power Plants Office/division/branch:
RES/DE/SGSEB Technical Lead:
Weijun Wang Staff Action Decided:
Reviewed with no issues identified
- 1.
What are the known technical or regulatory issues with the current version of the Regulatory Guide (RG)?
Regulatory Guide 1.138, Revision 3 (Rev. 3), Laboratory Investigations of Soils and Rocks for Engineering Analysis and Design of Nuclear Power Plants, issued in December 2014, establishes the NRCs position for an acceptable approach to conduct laboratory investigations and testing practices for determining soil and rock properties and characteristics needed for engineering analysis and design of foundations and earthworks for nuclear power plants facilities. The NRC has been closely monitoring new technologies and industrial standards developed and applied in this area since the publication of RG 1.138, Rev. 3. Although the NRC staff identified few new technologies and industrial standards developed for laboratory investigations and testing for determining soil and rock properties and characteristics, there is no indication of a need to revise this RG at this time because the new technologies are mainly for some special soil/rock that do not exist in most suitable sites where nuclear power plants can be built.
However, because of the development of the new regulation of 10 CFR Part 53 that is expected to be issued in 2025, with the need of updating some of the references of the current RG 1.138, it is recommended that the RG 1.138 to be reviewed again after the publication of the 10 CFR Part 53.
- 2.
What is the impact on internal and external stakeholders of not updating the RG for the known issues, in terms of anticipated numbers of licensing and inspection activities over the next several years?
For operating reactors, the staff anticipate that very few, if any, site investigation activities that involve the use of RG 1.138 will be performed. For new reactors, the staff anticipates that there will be less than 10 applications that involve site investigations in next five (5) years. For both operating and new reactors, the current RG 1.138 is still adequate for use by the licensees/applicants, therefore not updating the RG will have no impact on related licensing activities.
- 3.
What is an estimate of the level of effort needed to address identified issues in terms of full-time equivalent (FTE) and contractor resources?
As no technical or regulatory issues were identified, no resources are required.
- 4.
Based on the answers to the questions above, what is the staff action for this guide (Reviewed with no issues identified, Reviewed with issues identified for future consideration, Revise, or Withdraw)?
2 Reviewed with no issues identified.
- 5.
Provide a conceptual plan and timeframe to address the issues identified during the review.
This is not applicable since no issues were identified during the review.
NOTE:
This review was conducted in December 2024 and reflects the staffs plans as of that date. These plans are tentative and subject to change.