ML25031A074
| ML25031A074 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/06/2025 |
| From: | NRC/OCM |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25002A198 | List: |
| References | |
| M250206 | |
| Download: ML25031A074 (1) | |
Text
February 6, 2025
Mirela Gavrilas Executive Director for Operations The NRC protects public health and safety and advances the nations common defense and security by enabling the safe and secure use and deployment of civilian nuclear energy technologies and radioactive materials through efficient and reliable licensing, oversight, and regulation for the benefit of society and the environment.
Mike King Special Assistant for ADVANCE Act, OEDO
Openly Paving a Sustainable Path Forward NRCs public ADVANCE Act webpage*
Implementation status dashboard is available on the ADVANCE Act webpage 4
Actively Seeking Innovative Ideas
- External Contact Us Form
- 32 total submissions
- Ideas, comments, questions
- Internal Engagement Portal
- 106 total submissions o 12 questions o 20 comments o 74 ideas Note: Word cloud generated from staff idea submissions 5
Hitting Our Early Targets Signed MOU with DOE on advanced nuclear fuels, as required by Section 404 December 12, 2024 Issued report on new hiring and pay authorities, as required by Section 502 December 17, 2024 Issued report on advanced methods of manufacturing and construction, as required by Section 401 January 6, 2025 Issued report on environmental reviews, as required by Section 506 January 6, 2025 6
Measuring our Results 7
Accountability Established new enterprise risk Tasking responsible offices Impact Proposing new metrics Establishing office-level metrics
- Director, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support, NMSS
Optimizing the Program 9
Focusing on the most important The Blueprint Future Streamlining Cooperation and Coordination Technical review level:
30% resource savings for subsequent license renewals Resource analyses: 5500-hour model for reactor renewal environmental impact statements
- Micro-reactor deployment: e-portal, Design Specific GEIS, potential future Categorical Exclusions
- Brownfield assessment (Section 206 of the Act)
MOU on over 1/2 of new reactor projects: 50% resource saving when other agencies lead consultations
Inspire Stakeholder Confidence!
Optimizing the Environmental Review Program 10 Preapplication engagements:
fiscal year 24 Tribal Consultations 200 tribes 27 tribal meetings 486 letters Public meeting options:
virtual hybrid in-person...
11 Other NMSS Activities Smarter Fuel Cycle Licensing Program 36 process improvements:
- more timely reviews
- improved resource execution
- increased transparency Foreign Ownership, Control, or Domination Changes Focused project team streamlined actions
- Director, Division of New and Renewed Licenses, NRR
Safely Powering the Future 13 Leveraging our licensing experience on power uprates requests Streamlining license renewal reviews Reinforcing licensing efficiencies expectations
14 Section 401 - Report on Advanced Methods of Manufacturing and Construction Annual NRC Fall Standards Forum Leading Change by Meeting the Challenge
Enhancing Licensing Reviews with Crosscutting Solutions 15 Section 206 - Regulatory Issues for Nuclear Facilities at Brownfield Sites Section 207 - Combined License Review Procedure Section 208 - Regulatory Requirements for Micro-reactors Section 505 - Nuclear Licensing Efficiency
Jeremy Groom Deputy Director, Division of Radiological Safety and Security, Region IV
Engaging the Oversight Community for Lasting Impact
- NRC staff are reviewing 185 suggestions on how to improve our reactor and materials oversight programs
- About 59% of these suggestions (109 total) have come from internal sources
- Significant NRC staff engagement (HQ, 4 Regional Offices, and resident sites) in recognition that changes need to be embraced in the culture of our oversight program 17
Evidence Drives Our Ambitions
- ROP vs. Industry Performance
- ROP Inspection Hours
- 2000: 2165 hours0.0251 days <br />0.601 hours <br />0.00358 weeks <br />8.237825e-4 months <br />
- 2024: 1904 hours0.022 days <br />0.529 hours <br />0.00315 weeks <br />7.24472e-4 months <br />
- Reactor Scrams
- 2000-2004: avg. 91.8
- 2020-2024: avg. 42.4
- Accident Sequence Precursor Events
- 2000-2004: avg. 17.6
- 2019-2023: avg. 5.2 18
An ROP Focused on Performance
- Comprehensive review of the NRC's Reactor Oversight Process including security
- All performance indicators (17 total)
- All inspection procedures (42 total)
- Interim changes to reactor safety inspections frequency & scope based on industry performance
- Frequency, schedule, and content of security inspections
- Treatment of white findings
- Inspection preparation and documentation enhancements 19
Materials Oversight and Differing Views
- Materials Oversight Programs
- Leverage modern technology
- Improve inspection reports
- Develop centers of expertise
- Streamline internal processes
- Differing Professional Views Program
- Development of tools to characterize the safety significance of issues at the beginning of the DVP process
- Program improvements to ensure issues are resourced and resolved consistent with their safety significance 20
Eric Dilworth Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer
Maximizing Use of Hiring Authorities
- ADVANCE Act Direct-Hire Authority
- Streamlines hiring for exceptionally well qualified individuals
- Up to 210 permanent appointments to covered positions at any one time
- No more than 20 term-limited appointments per fiscal year
- With direct-hire authority, the NRC can target positions that require highly specialized expertise or are necessary for timely, efficient, and effective agency performance
- New ADVANCE Act direct-hire authority provides additional ways for the NRC to address workforce gaps, in addition to existing authorities 22
Competitive Compensation for Designated Covered Positions
- High-Quality Workforce
- Essential for NRC's safety and security mission amidst advancements in nuclear technology
- Importance of Strategic Workforce Planning for data-driven identification of critical and specialized roles
- Compensation Strategy
- Align pay with qualifications and hiring bonuses up to $25,000 with a two-year service agreement 23 Graph shows shift to positive net hiring gains beginning in fiscal year 2022 compared to prior net losses, due to employee separations exceeding hiring
Rewarding High-Quality and Timely Contributions to the Mission
- Bonuses for Exceptional Performance
- Up to $25,000 for exceptional performance
- Retention Efforts
- Competitive pay and incentives for critical projects
- Ensures agency readiness for novel regulatory challenges 24
Investing in Our Future
- Strategic Investments
- Partnering with academia to connect with early-career professionals
- Annual solicitation of applications for NRAN to recruit and train emerging talent
- Developing Expertise
- Improvements to LMS
- Preparing the workforce for future workload demands 25
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Acronyms ADVANCE Act - Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024 DVP - Differing Professional Views Program DOE - United States Department of Energy FOCD - Foreign Ownership, Control, or Domination GEIS - Generic Environmental Impact Statement HQ - NRC Headquarters MOU - Memorandum of Understanding NMSS - Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards 27
Acronyms (cont.)
NRAN - Nuclear Regulator Apprenticeship Network NRR - Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation OCHCO - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer OEDO - Office of the Executive Director for Operations REFS - Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support ROP - Reactor Oversight Process LMS - Learning Management System 28