ML25106A329
| ML25106A329 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/22/2025 |
| From: | Angela Wu NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLRP |
| To: | Mark Yoo NRC/NRR/DNRL/NLRP |
| References | |
| Download: ML25106A329 (8) | |
Text
April 22, 2025 MEMORANDUM TO:
Mark L. Yoo, 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 MARCH 26, 2025, PUBLIC WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL SAFETY REVIEW On March 26, 2025, 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 safety review. The public meeting notice is located at Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25083A226. The agenda and list of meeting attendees are included as in Enclosures 1 and 2 of this meeting summary, respectively.
SUMMARY
The purpose of this meeting was for the NRC staff to discuss efficiency opportunities for the SLR safety review process with NEI, industry, and members of the public. The NRC staffs presentation (ML25083A125) highlighted the following topics: Technical Review Package (TRP)
Tool, changes to the safety reviews aging management audit, and the license renewal framework.
CONTACT:
Angela Wu, NRR/DNRL 301-415-2995
M. Yoo 2
Technical Review Package (TRP) Tool The TRP Tool is an internal tool used to make safety work assignments for both initial and subsequent license renewal applications. A TRP is defined as a work assignment for a particular technical area.
Upon receipt of an application, the application is processed into the TRP Tool to generate the safety work assignments. The TRP Tool ensures the completeness of the review of the application and aids with workflow management. It is not a guidance document, nor does it offer direction for reviewers to conduct the safety review.
Following a modernization effort in 2024, the tool gained the ability to process PDF files automatically, removing the reliance of staffs manual efforts to input data for a 1,000+ page application. To support the automatic processing of the application, the staff engaged with the industry to provide recommendations to applicants on how to standardize the format of the application (including its table, nomenclature, and changes).
Southern Nuclear asked whether the NRC staff could share a redacted demonstration of the TRP Tool. In response, the staff clarified that since its an internal tool used for work assignments and workflow processing, it would not be appropriate to share publicly.
Changes to the Aging Management Audit As part of SECY-24-0026, Achieving Timely Completion of License Renewal Safety and Environmental Reviews (License Renewal Roadmap) (ML24059A131), the staff completed its initiative of Restructuring Audits, as part of the 3-phase efficiency approach for the safety review.
The aging management audit portion of the safety review allows the staff to gain understanding, verify, and identify information that will require docketing to support the basis of the licensing decision. The audit is approximately 11 weeks. The audit dates are unique to each specific review and are established as part of the review schedule that is developed at the time of acceptance.
The Restructuring Audits efficiency initiative entails three major changes:
The first change involves the applicant providing meaningful presentations to the staff on complex, technical areas of the application at the start of the audit. This change advances technical dialogue between the staff and industry 5 weeks earlier in the aging management audit and promotes early identification and resolution of any complex technical issues.
Additionally, to ensure the review is completed within 18-months, the staff will begin applying metrics to measure the timeliness of the audit.
Lastly, the staff will issue Supplement Schedules to the applicant at the time of acceptance of the application. Supplement Schedules describe the optimal, recommended timeframes of when applicants supplements can be leveraged by the staff for its development and issuance of the safety evaluation. The schedules strive to improve communications between the staff and applicant and ensure the review is on track to reach a safety finding in a timely manner.
M. Yoo 3
The industry expressed appreciation and support for the new changes, agreeing that the changes would be beneficial for future aging managements audits. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was glad to hear that [the NRC] would be providing a list of complex areas for the presentations.
NEI inquired on the NRCs escalation process for issues that continue to seek resolution. In response, the NRC explained that the project manager will engage upper management at different phases of the audit, depending on the complexity of the issue and urgency of the required resolution. For example, the branch chief of the License Renewal Projects Branch and/or Senior Level Advisor of the Division of New and Renewed Licenses may be invited to attend breakout sessions, on an as-needed basis, to assist with resolution of complex, technical issues.
Additionally, TVA stated that at times, there is confusion on what needs to be on the docket.
The NRC clarified that the staff will be clear on what information is required for the safety finding. Staff will create the draft safety evaluation with placeholders for the required information and clearly communicate the needed information to applicants during the breakout sessions or through requests for information and requests for confirmatory information.
Another Look at the License Renewal Framework As the final topic of the public workshop, the NRC and industry engaged in active dialogue regarding the license renewal framework: a history of the framework, how the staff meets the regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 54, and how the staff is beginning to revisit and consider alternative methods to meet the regulation.
Enclosures:
- 1. Meeting Agenda
- 2. List of Attendees
ML25106A329 NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DNLR/NLRP: PM NRR/DNRL/NLIB: LA NRR/DNRL/NLRP: BC (A) NRR/DNLR/NLRP: PM NAME AWu KBratcher MYoo AWu DATE 04/16/2025 04/17/2025 4/21/2025 04/22/2025
U.S. NUCLEAR REGUALTORY COMMISSION (NRC)
SUMMARY
OF THE MARCH 26, 2025, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES ON THE SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW Meeting Agenda Time Topic Organization 2:00 pm
Introductions
All 2:15 pm Discussion U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Nuclear Energy Institute 4:15 pm Opportunity for public comments NRC and Public 4:30 pm Adjourn All U.S. NUCLEAR REGUALTORY COMMISSION
SUMMARY
OF THE MARCH 26, 2025 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)
Andy Johnson NRC Angela Wu NRC Angelo Stubbs NRC Angie Buford NRC Brian Allik NRC Brian Harris NRR NRC Brian Taylor NRC Carol Moyer NRC Carolyn Fairbanks NRC Chaitali Chattopadhaya NRC Chris Tyree NRC Cory Parker NRC David Coy NRC David Dijamco NRC Derek Scully NRC Devin Bradshaw NRC Emma Hayward NRC Eric Palmer NRC Gordan Curran NRC Greg Makar NRC Jason Paige NRC Jay Collins NRC Joel Jenkins NRC John Tsao NRC John Wise NRC Karen Sida NRC Kim Conway NRC Leslie Terry NRC Liliana Ramadan NRC Manny Sayoc NRC Marieliz Johnson NRC Mark Yoo NRC Matthew Mitchell NRC Michael Benson NRC Michelle Sampson NRC Miranda Ross NRC Mo Sadollah NRC Naeem Iqbal NRC Omar Khan NRC On Yee NRC Paul Klein NRC
2 Reena Boruk NRC Rob Atienza NRC Samuel Lee NRC Scott Burnell NRC Sean Gallagher NRC Seung Min NRC Sharon Green NRC Steven Bloom NRC Tam Tran NRC Varoujan Kalikian NRC Brett Titus Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
Andrew J. Burgess Ameren Rigel Davis Ameren Richard M. Garcia Columbia Generating Station Casey Muggleston Constellation Nuclear Christopher D. Wilson Constellation Nuclear John Hilditch Constellation Nuclear Julian A. Laverde Constellation Nuclear Ketan Patel Constellation Nuclear Scott L. Kauffman Constellation Nuclear William H. Ford, Jr.
Constellation Nuclear Keith J. Miller Dominion Energy Pratt Cherry Dominion Energy Andrew Kauk DPS Daniel William Roberts Duke Energy Sofia Bouhrizi Electricite de France (EDF)
Monica Hurley Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Garry Young ENERCON Patrick J. Purcell ENERCON Tim Sande ENERCON Keith Brinson Excel Services Corporation Michael Gallagher Exelon Dave Morris Indian Point Energy Center Annessa Lippincott GSE Solutions Todd Evans Luminant David McGonigle National Security Action Russ L. Wenzl Nebraska Public Power District Amy G. Aughtman Southern Company DeLisa S. Pournaras Southern Company Lindsey Renee Grissom Southern Company Stephen Franzone Southern Company Eric Ashley Michael Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Peter John Donahue TVA Matthew Golliet Westinghouse Electric Company Kristy Gillespie Vistra Corp Matthew Peters Vistra Corp Taylor Smith Vistra Corp Adam Alberty Deann Raleigh
3 Eric Wilke Eugene Bechtel, Jr.
Jacob Hannon Jim Andersen Larry Lee Laura Jill Morgan Rob Burg Robert Gibson Ryan Burda Shane Jurek Steve Clair