ML25036A175
| ML25036A175 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/11/2025 |
| From: | Christian Araguas NRC/RES/DE |
| To: | Hyam K American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) |
| Chris Cook 301-415-6397 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25036A174 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML25036A175 (2) | |
Text
February 11, 2025 Kathryn Hyam, Director Nuclear, Clean Energy and Standardization Codes and Standards American Society of Mechanical Engineering
SUBJECT:
INPUT TO SUPPORT ENHANCING THE CODES AND STANDARDS PROGRAM FOR NEW AND ADVANCED REACTORS
Dear Ms. Hyam:
Eighty-four staff at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) currently support the development of consensus standards issued by the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) through the NRCs Codes and Standards Program. This includes active participation in the following: ASME/ANS Joint Committee on Nuclear Risk Management (JCNRM); Board on Conformity Assessment (BCA); Board on Nuclear, Clean Energy, Power, and Facilities Codes and Standards (BNCS); Strategic Committee on Nuclear Facilities (SCNF);
Committee on Authorized Inspection Agencies (AIA) Accreditation, Committee on Nuclear Certification (CNC); Committee on Cranes for Nuclear Facilities (CNF); Committee on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment (CONAGT); Committee on Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA);
Committee on Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants (O&M); Committee on Plant Systems Design (PSD); Committee on Qualifications for Authorized Inspection (QAI);
Committee on Qualification of Mechanical Equipment Used in Nuclear Facilities (QME); BPV III Committee on Construction of Nuclear Facility Components; BPV XI Committee on Nuclear Inservice Inspection; Committee on Verification and Validation in Computational Modeling and Simulation (V&V).
Nuclear plant design today is working at a scope and pace not seen in decades, and with broad industry and bipartisan political support. Reactor developers are revisiting old technologies and pioneering new ones. The NRC is currently reviewing new and advanced reactor applications, and efforts to develop new and revised consensus standards are occurring in tandem with these first-of-a-kind designs. These future consensus standards can bridge the intersection of new and advanced reactor design, licensing and construction. Timely review and endorsement of new or revised standards may provide for efficiency, in both licensing and construction, supporting serial deployment, so-called Nth-of-a-kind reactors, accounting for the enhanced safety of many reactor designs.
In April 2024, the NRC and the Idaho National Laboratory co-hosted a workshop to solicit ideas for enhancing the effectiveness of NRCs codes and standards program. The workshop was successful at bringing together a wide number of experts. This includes your presentation on ASME Advanced Reactor Standards Development, which can be found at Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession Number ML24094A008.
K. Hyam 2
During this workshop, the staff collected extensive feedback that was subsequently distilled and synthesized by NRC staff into an Action Plan published in August 2024. The published Action Plan can be found in ADAMS at ML24234A013. Action Plan items 1.1 and 3.1 direct the NRC staff to solicit input on codes and standards that are a priority to the new and advanced reactor community. Action Plan items 1.2 and 3.2 then direct the NRC staff to prioritize engagement with the committees of Standards Development Organizations responsible for these codes and standards.
The purpose of this letter is to request your input on ASME standards that are considered a high priority need for the new and advanced reactor community. As you develop this input, I request consideration of ASME standards that are developed in partnership with other standards organizations (e.g., dual-logo). Your response to this request will facilitate NRCs prioritization of codes and standards activities and help ensure appropriate and continued NRC staff support of such activities in the future.
A response within 60-days would be appreciated as Action Plan items 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, and 3.2 are targeted for completion by the end of 2025.
Sincerely, Signed by Araguas, Christian on 02/11/25 Christian Araguas, Standards Executive Director, Division of Engineering Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
Enclosures:
None cc: N. Finney, Duke Energy T. Vogan
ML25036A174; Ltr ML25036A175 OFFICE RES/DE NAME CAraguas CA DATE Feb 11, 2025