ML25149A259
| ML25149A259 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/16/2025 |
| From: | Cindy Montgomery NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25149A255 | List: |
| References | |
| RG 2.5, Rev. 1 | |
| Download: ML25149A259 (2) | |
Text
Regulatory Guide Periodic Review Regulatory Guide Number:
2.5, Revision 1
Title:
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS Office/Division/Branch:
NRR/DANU/UNPL Technical Lead:
CINDY MONTGOMERY Staff Action Decided:
Reviewed with issues identified for future consideration
- 1.
What are the known technical or regulatory issues with the current version of the Regulatory Guide (RG)?
Regulatory Guide (RG) 2.5, Revision 1, Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Research and Test Reactors, issued in June 2010, describes a method acceptable to the staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of complying with the Commissions regulations with regard to the overall quality assurance program requirements for research and test reactors. The RG states that the general requirements for establishing and executing a quality assurance program for the design, construction, testing, modification, and maintenance of research and test reactors in American National Standards Institute/American Nuclear Society (ANSI/ANS)-15.8-1995, Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Research Reactors, reaffirmed November 2023, provide an acceptable method for complying with the program requirements of 10 CFR 50.34, Contents of Applications; Technical Information.
Although some references in the RG are no longer current (e.g., International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) NS-R-4, Safety of Research Reactors, has been superseded by IAEA SSR-3, Safety of Research Reactors), the regulatory position in the RG remains acceptable and suitable for use to inform quality assurance programs at non-power production and utilization facilities (NPUFs), and RG 2.5 should continue to endorse ANSI/ANS-15.8-1995.
The ANSI/ANS-15.8 working group under the ANS Research and Advanced Reactors Consensus Committee is currently working on a revision of ANSI/ANS-15.8-1995. After the revision to ANSI/ANS-15.8 is complete, a revision to RG 2.5 should be considered to reflect the results of the standard revision.
- 2.
What is the impact on internal and external stakeholders of not updating the RG for the known issues, in terms of anticipated numbers of licensing and inspection activities over the next several years?
This RG is currently used primarily by applicants for new NPUFs. Over the next several years, the NRC staff anticipates multiple applications for new NPUFs that would likely apply this guidance. Due to some similarities with NPUFs, certain microreactor applicants may also apply this guidance. The guidance would support both licensing and inspection activities for new applicants over the next several years.
This document is also utilized by the current fleet of operating research reactors to develop quality assurance program requirements related to being a spent fuel shipping container certificate of compliance (CoC) holder. The quality assurance program is necessary to add the licensee to the CoC for the shipping container.
3.
What is an estimate of the level of effort needed to address identified issues in terms of full-time equivalent (FTE) and contractor resources?
NRC staff requires approximately 100 hours0.00116 days <br />0.0278 hours <br />1.653439e-4 weeks <br />3.805e-5 months <br />, including coordinating management reviews, to revise RG 2.5 once the revision to ANSI/ANS-15.8 is complete. Contractor support is not included in this estimate.
4.
Based on the answers to the questions above, what is the staff action for this guide (Reviewed with no issues identified, Reviewed with issues identified for future consideration, Revise, or Withdraw)?
Reviewed with issues identified for future consideration.
- 5.
Provide a conceptual plan and timeframe to address the issues identified during the review.
Revision of ANSI/ANS-15.8 has begun but the completion date is unknown. Until the revision to ANSI/ANS-15.8 is complete, RG 2.5 should continue to endorse the 1995 version, which was reaffirmed in November 2023.
NOTE:
This review was conducted in May 2025 and reflects the staffs plans as of that date. These plans are tentative and subject to change.