ML24361A083
| ML24361A083 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/23/2024 |
| From: | Angela Wu NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLRP |
| To: | Harris B NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLRP |
| References | |
| Download: ML24361A083 (9) | |
Text
December 23, 2024 MEMORANDUM TO:
Brian K. Harris, Acting Chief Licensing Renewal Projects Branch Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:
Angela Wu, Senior Project Manager /RA/
Licensing Renewal Projects Branch Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF THE DECEMBER 3, 2024, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW On December 3, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held an information meeting with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) on possible efficiencies on the subsequent license renewal (SLR) review. The public meeting notice is located at Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24337A133. The agenda and list of meeting attendees are included as in Enclosures 1 and 2 of this meeting summary, respectively.
SUMMARY
As a follow-up from the September 5, 2024, meeting (ML24260A002), the purpose of this meeting was for the NRC staff to further discuss efficiency opportunities for the SLR review process with NEI, industry, and members of the public. The NRC staffs presentation (ML24337A102) highlighted the following topics: Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)
COMCTH-24-0003, License Renewal and Subsequent License Renewal Review Expectations, dated August 8, 2024 (ML24221A320), staggering of future submittals, and updates to the efficiency efforts related to the safety and environmental reviews.
CONTACT:
Angela Wu, NRR/DNRL 301-415-2995
B. Harris 2
Environmental Review License Renewal Roadmap - Environmental Updates On June 26, 2024, the NRC staff published the License Renewal Roadmap Dashboard to provide updates on the progress of the License Renewal Roadmap, as detailed in SECY-24-0026, Achieving Timely Completion of License Renewal Safety and Environmental Reviews (License Renewal Roadmap) (ML24059A131). The License Renewal Roadmap Dashboard is available on the NRC public website here:
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/roadmap.html.
The staff provided an update to its environmental review efficiency efforts, starting off with an update on its work related to SECY-24-0046, Implementation of Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 National Environmental Policy Act Amendments, May 2024 (ML24078A013). To date, the staff is awaiting NRC Commission decision.
In June 2024, the staff developed the framework to consider environmental assessments, which was piloted with the Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3 (Dresden) SLR review in July 2024. It was decided to not conduct an environmental assessment for this review and conduct an environmental impact statement. More recently, the staff has developed a new working group to develop guidance and institutionalize the framework of an environmental assessment.
In response to the staffs question on whether there is an appetite for engagements on environmental assessments, NEI expressed interest in learning more about the framework, criteria, and risks related to an environmental assessment. Additionally, the industry would be interested in conducting a pilot, as well as additional discussions on the topic in future meetings.
The staff noted this interest and will arrange additional communications in future public meetings.
As part of the 2024 Accelerating Deployment of Versatile Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, the NRC staff will be issuing a report to Congress on its efforts to facilitate efficient, timely, and predictable environmental reviews for nuclear reactor applications for a license under Atomic Energy Act Section 103 in January 2025.
SRM-COMCTH-24-0003, License Renewal and Subsequent License Renewal Review Expectations The staff provided an update on its activities related to meeting SRM-COMCTH-24-0003.
Starting with new applications received after August 2024, the staff will begin completing initial license renewal (LR) and SLR reviews in no more than 14,000 staff hours and no more than 18 months, assuming a high-quality application submittal, and timely responses from the applicant to requests for additional or confirmatory information. New applications will also target a 30-day acceptance review.
The staff is currently implementing the License Renewal Roadmap, as well as new initiatives, to meet the new metrics. Additionally, the staff is exploring opportunities to shorten the acceptance review from the current target of 45 days to the new 30-day
B. Harris 3
target. In response to this activity, NEI noted that it believes the 30-day acceptance review is achievable, especially by applying the NRCs BeRISKSmart framework.
For current applications, the staff will re-evaluate, and to the greatest efforts, adjust schedules to meet the new metrics. The staff has reduced hours for two reviews to account for the realized efficiencies as well as the new update to NUREG-1437, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (LR GEIS) (ML24137A164).
The staff will continue applying process improvements and lessons learned through the ongoing implementation of the License Renewal Roadmap.
Through bi-monthly public meetings, the staff continues to engage the industry regarding the timing of applications - a topic of discussion at this public meeting.
The staff will also afford credit of operational programs for the safety review with the implementation of the Tiered Approach, currently being piloted on the Clinton Power Station, Unit 1 (Clinton) LR and Dresden SLR.
The staff is conducting a business process improvement exercise to identify and implement additional efficiencies. In response to NEIs inquiry for additional information on the business improvement exercise, the staff shared that the exercise is a larger agency effort that includes the analysis and improvement of the LR process. More information will be available in the future as the effort is underway.
The staff continues to report to the Commission on the progress and metrics related to LR/SLR reviews. The industry questioned to what extent are the metrics being tracked, as well as details regarding the benefits that yield from each of the staffs efficiency efforts. To clarify, the staff explained that metrics are tracked monthly, not simply at the end of each review, in order to properly forecast and mitigate risk in real time. However, it is challenging to provide exact data on the gains of specific efficiency efforts as the benefits of the efficiency efforts are holistic, not piece-meal.
Safety Review License Renewal Roadmap - Safety Updates For the safety review, the staff continues to implement the Tiered Approach to the technical review. Phase 3 of the safety reviews three-phase efficiency approach, Additional Process Improvements, will be completed before the receipt of the next SLR, expected next year between April to June 2025. This entails the restructuring audits and streamlining documentation.
Additionally, the staff is working to issue the next revisions to NUREG-2191, Generic Aging Lessons Learned for Subsequent License Renewal (GALL-SLR), and NUREG-2192, Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants (SRP-SLR). To aid in the industrys development of high-quality applications, the staff will issue a draft of the GALL-SLR Report, Revision 1, in December 2024.
B. Harris 4
The Tiered Approach The staff continues to pilot the Tiered Approach to the Dresden SLR and Clinton LR reviews, with continuous training throughout the technical review. Each month, the staff receives feedback from the technical staff on the experience of applying the new Tiered Approach. The feedback will aid the NRC in refining the Tiered Approach to apply best practices and lessons learned to future reviews.
During the public meeting, the industry noted instances where the staff would request for additional information to be provided on the electronic portal during its audit. The industry sought understanding on why additional information was requested, if the tier of the particular technical review area was confirmation. The staff clarified that while the Tiered Approach categorizes each aging management program in a particular tier at the start of the review, the staff continues to do their due diligence in completing their review to achieve its safety determination. At times, this may mean that additional information is required.
Requesting Feedback: Standardization of Application Recommendations As described in the License Renewal Roadmaps safety reviews three-phased approach, the NRC staffs internal tool, the Technical Review Package (TRP) Tool is being modernized to automatically read PDF applications. Standardizing tables, application changes, and nomenclature allows for automatic processing of the submittal to reduce manual efforts and staff hours, while improving accuracy and efficiency.
At the July 9, 2024, public meeting, the NRC staff walked through the Standardization Recommendations for License Renewal Applications - DRAFT (ML24184C131), and answered numerous questions regarding the standardization (ML24204A269). At this meeting, the industry requested a separate meeting to discuss the standardization in greater detail and provide feedback. The NRC will schedule a separate public meeting to gather additional feedback.
Requesting Feedback: Staggering Future Submittals In the License Renewal Roadmap, the staff proposed a recommendation to stagger applications at one application every three months. The staffs analysis showed that it was the optimal conditions to maximize the efficiency of reviews.
At this meeting, the NEI noted that the discussions between the industry and NRC have been productive regarding the timing of the two applications expected in 2025. As 2026 approaches, NEI will continue to survey the industry to determine the best timing for the submission of applications to the NRC.
The NRC staff plans to hold its next public meeting on SLR efficiencies in February 2025.
Enclosures:
- 1. Meeting Agenda
- 2. List of Attendees
NRR/DNLR/NLRP: PM NAME AWu*
KBratcher*
BHarris* (MYoo for)
AWu*
DATE 12/18/2024 12/19/2024 12/23/2024 12/23/2024
U.S. NUCLEAR REGUALTORY COMMISSION (NRC)
SUMMARY
OF THE DECEMBER 3, 2024, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW Meeting Agenda Time Topic Organization 1:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Introductions
All 1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Discussion U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Nuclear Energy Institute 2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Opportunity for public comments NRC and Public 2:30 p.m.
Adjourn All U.S. NUCLEAR REGUALTORY COMMISSION
SUMMARY
OF THE DECEMBER 3, 2024, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW List of Attendees Name Affiliation Ali Rezai U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Alysia Bone NRC Andy Johnson NRC Andy Patz NRC Angela Sabet NRC Angela Wu NRC Angie Buford NRC Ashley Waldron NRC Ava Falgie NRC Bill Rogers NRC Billy Gleaves NRC Brian Harris NRR NRC Brian Taylor NRC Carol Moyer NRC Carolyn Fairbanks NRC Charles Kreuzberger NRC Chris Tyree NRC Cory Parker NRC David Dijamco NRC David Rudland NRC Derek Scully NRC Emma Haywood NRC Eric Palmer NRC Eric Reichelt NRC Getachew Tesfaye NRC Greg Makar NRC Hanry Wagage NRC James Gavula NRC Jason Paige NRC Jay Collins NRC Jessica Hammock NRC Jessie Quintero NRC Joel Jenkins NRC John Tsao NRC Jordan Glisan NRC Karen Loomis NRC Karen Sida NRC Kenn Miller NRC Kevin Folk NRC Kim Conway NRC Lance Rakovan NRC Lauren Gibson NRC
2 Leah Parks NRC Liliana Ramadan NRC Lydiana Alvarado NRC Manny Sayoc NRC Marieliz Johnson NRC Mark Yoo NRC Matthew Mitchell NRC Michael Benson NRC Michele Sampson NRC Michelle Kichline NRC Miranda Ross NRC Naeem Iqbal NRC Omar Khan NRC On Yee NRC Paul Klein NRC Peter Lom NRC Reena Boruk NRC Reinaldo Rodriguez NRC River Rohrman NRC Robert Davis NRC Samuel Lee NRC Seung Min NRC Steve Koenick NRC Steven Levitus NRC Ted Smith NRC Varoujan Kalikian NRC Andrew Mauer Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
Brett Titus NEI Andrew J. Burgess Ameren Rigel Davis Ameren Andrew Smolensky American Electric Power Service Corporation (AEPSC)
Dave Sudhoff AEPSC Randy Keppeler AEPSC Ryan Wasielewski AEPSC Allison C. Stalker Constellation Nuclear Casey Muggleston Constellation Nuclear Christopher D. Wilson Constellation Nuclear Hannah E. Pell Constellation Nuclear Iba Ello Fletcher Constellation Nuclear John Hilditch Constellation Nuclear Ketan Patel Constellation Nuclear Kristin C. Meek Constellation Nuclear Kurt R. Lindeman Constellation Nuclear Scott L. Kauffman Constellation Nuclear William H. Ford, Jr.
Constellation Nuclear Keith J. Miller Dominion Energy Pratt Cherry Dominion Energy Chris Saville Duke Energy
3 Heather Galloway Duke Energy Paul F. Guill Duke Energy Sofia Bouhrizi Electricite de France (EDF)
Aaron Halstrom ENERCON Gary Adkins ENERCON Jeff Gromatzky ENERCON Jeffrey Head ENERCON Latoya Bennett ENERCON Min Noh ENERCON Russell Day ENERCON Tristen Hunnewell ENERCON Richard J. Rogalski Energy Northwest Tina Morton Entergy Michael Gallagher Exelon Annessa Lippincott GSE Solutions Todd Evans Luminant Robert C. Gibson Nebraska Public Power District Russ L. Wenzl Nebraska Public Power District Gulshan K. Pahwa PSEG Nuclear LLC Andrew Zach Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW)
DeLisa S. Pournaras Southern Company Lindsey Renee Grissom Southern Company Stephan Franzone Southern Company Eric Ashley Michael Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Jonathan Delaune TVA Peter John Donahue TVA Suzanna Irby Stevens TVA Thomas Earl Braudt TVA Caleb Fisler Westinghouse Electric Company Matthew Golliet Westinghouse Electric Company Kristy Gillespie Vistra Corp Mark Bensi Vistra Corp Marc E. Anderson Xcel Energy Jason L. Tribe Xcel Energy Matthew T. Sears Xcel Energy Steven Sollom Xcel Energy Toutseng Hawj Xcel Energy W. M. Smith Xcel Energy Anne Leidich Jana Bergman Jim Andersen K. Hernandez Kevin Wong Richard Paese Ryan K. Lighty Shane Jurek