ML25101A305
| ML25101A305 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/21/2025 |
| From: | Chauhan M, Harvey J, William Kennedy Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML25101A305 (1) | |
Text
Mobile Microreactor Licensing and Deployment Considerations Workshop April 21, 2025 https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced.html William Kennedy, Maggie Chauhan, Jackie Harvey Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Agenda 2
Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024 (ADVANCE Act)
Licensing and deployment considerations for mobile microreactors
- Microreactor characteristics, conceptual mobile microreactor deployment model, and considerations related to microreactor mobility
- Legislative considerations
- Mobile microreactor licensing strategies for consideration External presentations
- Radiant Nuclear
- Deep Fission
- Aalo Atomics Workshop discussion Questions and answers
ADVANCE Act Section 208 3
- Section 208, Regulatory Requirements for Microreactors, of the ADVANCE Act directs the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to develop and implement risk-informed and performance-based strategies and guidance to license and regulate microreactors in eight topical areas, including siting.
- The scope of this meeting is limited to the NRCs activities related to Section 208 of the ADVANCE Act on siting in relation to licensing mobile deployment of microreactors.
- The ADVANCE Act provides for the NRC staff to address Section 208 through the existing regulatory framework, or ongoing or new rulemaking, as appropriate.
How to Ask Questions and Submit Ideas Contact us with ADVANCE Act questions, comments, and ideas 4
Microreactor Characteristics
- The regulations in Chapter 1, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, of Title 10, Energy, of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) do not include a definition of microreactor.
- The NRC staff has instead described anticipated characteristics of microreactors, which include:
- Licensed as commercial power reactors under Section 103 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA)
- Potential to be fabricated in a factory and transported to a fixed site for deployment
- Thermal power levels of a few megawatts to several tens of megawatts
- Lower potential consequences in terms of radiological releases compared to current power reactors
- Increased reliance on passive systems and inherent characteristics to control power and heat removal
- Small site footprint relative to current operating power reactors 5
Mobile Microreactors
- In the enclosure to SECY-24-0008, Micro Reactor Licensing and Deployment Considerations: Fuel Loading and Operational Testing at a Factory, dated January 24, 2024 (ML23207A252), the NRC staff provided information on deployment model considerations for commercial mobile microreactors.
- The NRC staff used the term mobile microreactor to refer to a micro-reactor that is intended to be operated at more than one fixed location during its life cycle on an as-needed, where-needed basis.
- Mobile microreactors would not be in operation while in movement.
- Mobile microreactors would be a subset of transportable microreactors, which are microreactors that could be fabricated in a factory and transported to deployment sites where they would be operated at fixed locations.
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Conceptual Deployment Model for Transportable Microreactors 7
Conceptual Deployment Model for Mobile Microreactors 8
Indicates removal of features to preclude criticality Indicates installation of features to preclude criticality
Considerations related to Microreactor Mobility
- The mobility of a microreactor design will depend on the time required to complete activities such as:
- Transporting the reactor between deployment sites or staging areas
- Placing the reactor at the deployment site and readying it for operation
- Starting up the reactor and producing energy (e.g., electricity or heat)
- Shutting down the reactor and readying it for transport 9
Considerations related to Microreactor Mobility
- Microreactors with high mobility will be better suited for time-sensitive applications (e.g., disaster relief)
- Microreactors with lower mobility might be better suited to applications that have a more predictable demand and longer lead times (e.g., power for temporary commercial or industrial activities) 10
Considerations related to Microreactor Mobility
- NRC regulatory processes might also affect the timeframe for deployment of a mobile microreactor at a fixed site:
- Review of a site-specific license application
- Site-specific environmental review
- Completion of site-specific hearings
- Issuance of a site-specific license
- Verification of completion of inspections, tests, analyses and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) or confirmation of compliance with license conditions and conduct of readiness for operation inspections 11
- The NRC staff assumes that deployment of mobile microreactors would necessitate transportation of fueled reactors.
- The Commission is currently considering options in SECY-24-0008 related to loading fuel at a factory and transportation of fueled reactors that include features to preclude criticality.
- The Proposed Rule, 10 CFR Part 53, Risk-Informed, Technology-Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Commercial Nuclear Plants, includes proposed requirements for factory fuel loading and transport of fueled reactors that are similar to those in SECY-24-0008.
12 Considerations related to Microreactor Mobility
- Legislative provisions in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA),
and other laws specify requirements directly and indirectly related to the location of a utilization facility, such as:
- AEA section 101, License Required
- AEA section 103, Commercial Licenses
- AEA section 182, License Applications
- AEA section 185, Construction Permits and Operating Licenses
- AEA section 189, Hearings and Judicial Review
- Energy Policy Act of 2005, section 657, Department of Homeland Security Consultation 13 Legislative Considerations
AEA section 101, License Required It shall be unlawful, except as provided in section 91, for any person within the United States to transfer or receive in interstate commerce, manufacture, produce, transfer, acquire, possess, use, import, or export any utilization or production facility except under and in accordance with a license issued by the Commission pursuant to section 103 or section 104.
14 Legislative Considerations
AEA section 103, Commercial Licenses
- a. The Commission is authorized to issue licenses to persons applying therefor to transfer or receive in interstate commerce, manufacture, produce, transfer, acquire, possess, use, import, or export utilization or production facilities for industrial or commercial purposes. Such licenses shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of chapter 16 [Judicial Review and Administrative Procedure] and subject to such conditions as the Commission may by rule or regulation establish to effectuate the purposes and provisions of this Act.
15 Legislative Considerations
AEA section 182, License Applications
- a. In connection with applications for licenses to operate production or utilization facilities, the applicant shall state such technical specifications, including information of the amount, kind, and source of special nuclear material required, the place of the use, the specific characteristics of the facility, and such other information as the Commission may, by rule or regulation, deem necessary Such technical specifications shall be a part of any license issued.
16 Legislative Considerations
AEA section 182, License Applications
- c. The Commission shall not issue any license under section 103 for a utilization or production facility for the generation of commercial power until it has given notice in writing to such regulatory agency as may have jurisdiction over the rates and services incident to the proposed activity; until it has published notice of the application in such trade or news publications as the Commission deems appropriate to give reasonable notice to municipalities, private utilities, public bodies, and cooperatives which might have a potential interest in such utilization or production facility; and until it has published notice of such application once each week for four consecutive weeks in the Federal Register, and until four weeks after the last notice.
17 Legislative Considerations
AEA section 185, Construction Permits and Operating Licenses
- a. Upon the completion of the construction or modification of the facility, upon the filing of any additional information needed to bring the original application up to date, and upon finding that the facility authorized has been constructed and will operate in conformity with the application as amended and in conformity with the provisions of this Act and of the rules and regulations of the Commission, and in the absence of any good cause being shown to the Commission why the granting of a license would not be in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the Commission shall thereupon issue a license to the applicant.
18 Legislative Considerations
AEA section 185, Construction Permits and Operating Licenses
- b. Following issuance of the combined license, the Commission shall ensure that the prescribed inspections, tests, and analyses are performed and, prior to operation of the facility, shall find that the prescribed acceptance criteria are met.
19 Legislative Considerations
AEA section 189, Hearings and Judicial Review
- a. (1)(A) In any proceeding under this Act, for the granting, suspending, revoking, or amending of any license or construction permit the Commission shall grant a hearing upon the request of any person whose interest may be affected by the proceeding, and shall admit any such person as a party to such proceeding.
20 Legislative Considerations
Energy Policy Act of 2005, section 657, Department of Homeland Security Consultation Before issuing a license for a utilization facility, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall consult with the Department of Homeland Security concerning the potential vulnerabilities of the location of the proposed facility to terrorist attack.
21 Legislative Considerations
Considerations related to Siting
- Many fixed sites for mobile deployment of a microreactor
- Large area inside which a microreactor could be operated at specific fixed sites subject to license conditions
- Very large area inside which a microreactor could be operated at specific fixed sites subject to license conditions 22
Considerations related to Siting
- The draft white paper, Nth-of-a-Kind Micro-Reactor Licensing and Deployment Considerations (ML24270A206 and ML24302A292),
describes strategies related to siting that will be applicable to mobile microreactors operated at specific fixed sites:
- Alternative environmental reviews
- Grading the level of site characterization
- Standardized operational programs
- Construction inspection 23
Next Steps
- The NRC staff intends to develop a draft white paper on mobile microreactor licensing and deployment considerations to support further interactions with interested and affected parties:
- Additional public engagement on mobile microreactor licensing and deployment strategies - July 2025
- Publish a draft white paper and hold a dedicated public meeting - Fall 2025 24
External Presentations
- Radiant Nuclear
- Deep Fission
- Aalo Atomics 25
BREAK 26
Workshop Goals
- Engender a dialog with stakeholders and other interested parties on licensing and deployment considerations for mobile microreactors.
- Foster a common understanding of near-term activities and next steps the NRC staff are pursuing regarding the development of strategies and/or guidance for risk-informed, performance-based licensing and regulation of mobile microreactors.
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Topics for Consideration
- Deployment models for mobile microreactors, including use cases and considerations related to mobility
- Licensing strategies and their implementation within the AEA and other legislative provisions
- Initiatives that industry and developers are pursuing related to mobile microreactors
- Priorities for activities related to mobile microreactor licensing and deployment 28
Q&A
- Questions or feedback for NRC staff.
- Externally led near-term activities.
- External initiatives related to deployment and licensing.
- Opportunities for additional NRC interactions.
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