ML25041A173
| ML25041A173 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/04/2025 |
| From: | Yamir Diaz-Castillo NRC/NRR/DRO/IQVB |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML25041A173 (13) | |
Text
NRC Update NUPIC General Membership Meeting February 3 - 4, 2025 St. Petersburg, FL Yamir Diaz-Castillo Quality Assurance & Vendor Inspection Branch Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Recent & Upcoming NRC Inspections 2
Recent:
Framatome, Inc. (Safeguards Information)
Sulzer Pumps United Controls International Conval, Inc.
Framatome Fuels BWXT NUPIC Audit Observation Analysis & Measurement Services Upcoming:
Holtec NUPIC Audit Observation Flowserve Vernon Limerick D&IC Upgrades
NRC Inspections Findings 3
No findings identified since the last NRC update!
Proposed Revision 5 to RG 1.68 4
Draft Regulatory Guide (DG) 1437, Initial Test Programs for Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants.
Updates include:
Include guidance from RGs 1.68, 1.68.2, and 1.68.3 as appendices.
Adding language for restarts and long-term shutdowns.
Adding guidance for Station Blackout.
Updating references and consensus standards.
Expected to be posted to the Federal Register for public comments in April 2025.
Proposed Revision 3 to RG 1.79 5
DG-1440, Preoperational Testing of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for Pressurized Water Reactors.
Updates include:
Recent lessons learned.
Advanced small modular reactor designs.
Updating references and consensus standards.
Expected to be posted to the Federal Register for public comments in April 2025.
Proposed Revision 1 to RG 1.79.1 6
DG-1441, Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for New Boiling Water Reactors.
Updates include:
Recent lessons learned.
Updating references and consensus standards.
Additional updates in progress.
Expected to be posted to the Federal Register for public comments in 2025.
Nuclear Power Plant Restarts 7
Palisades' Restart Quality Assurance Program (RQAP)
Reviewing responses to our request for additional information.
Crane Clean Energy Center (TMI-1)
RQAPs submitted in December 2024 under 10 CFR 50.54(a)(3) and is under review.
NextEra considering restart of Duane Arnold No official communication to the NRC yet.
NRC Observation During the BWXT Canada Audit 8
One NRC inspector observed the NUPIC joint utility audit of BWXT Canada, Ltd on December 2 - 6, 2024.
A representative from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission also observed the audit.
Three observations:
Member of the audit team challenged another team member for identifying an issue not within his scope of review.
Ensure international suppliers clearly understand their responsibilities under 10 CFR Part 21.
Description of a deficiency in the report under the Contrary to statement is not consistent with the description in the checklist.
Use of RG 1.28 and NRCs SERs by Suppliers 9
RG 1.28 R4 and R5 have applicability statements defining the applicability to applicants/construction/operating license holders - is this guidance available for suppliers to implement as well?
Reminder: RG 1.28 endorses NQA-1 as one way of meeting the requirements of Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50.
Nothing prohibits suppliers for using NRC guidance (e.g., RGs) for implementation at their facilities.
Suppliers implementing a QA program based on NQA-1 are expected to meet the conditions from the RGs, as applicable.
RGs may be invoked in procurement documents.
Use of RG 1.28 and NRCs SERs by Suppliers 10 Are suppliers allowed to implement QA Program changes based on approved NRC SERs to Licensees? (50.54a process)
Yes, suppliers may implement alternatives approved in NRCs SERs, however:
The licensee procuring the item and/or service shall have incorporated the changes into its QA program BEFORE the supplier.
The licensee should be aware and adequately audit the suppliers implementation of the QA program changes.
The suppliers should be aware of and implement any conditions as stipulated in the NRCs SERs.
37th Annual Regulatory Information Conference 11 2025 RIC is scheduled for the week of March 11-13, 2025.
Technical session on Quality Assurance (QA) titled: Quality Assurance: The Foundation for the Safe Operation of Nuclear Power Plants, scheduled for Thursday, March 13, from 8:30am to 10am.
Topics will include: (1) the application of graded QA for systems classified as non-safety related with special treatment; (2) Canadian Nuclear Safety Commissions classification of safety systems; (3) industry challenges when implementing NQA-1; and (4) role of Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50 in the licensing process and pathways for meeting Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50.
The Vendor Times 12 2024 edition of the vendor newsletter, The Vendor Times, is publicly available (https://www.nrc.gov/docs/M L2436/ML24365A178.pdf).
To be added to the distribution list, please email aixa.belenojeda@nrc.gov.
Yamir Diaz-Castillo Reactor Operations Engineer (301) 415-2228 Yamir.Diaz-Castillo@nrc.gov