ML25169A189
| ML25169A189 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/26/2025 |
| From: | Yamir Diaz-Castillo NRC/NRR/DRO |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML25169A189 (13) | |
Text
1 33rd NUPIC Vendor Conference - June 25 & 26, 2025 - Austin, TX NRC Update Yamir Diaz-Castillo Reactor Operations Engineer Quality Assurance & Vendor Inspection Branch Division of Reactor Oversight Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Regulatory Timelines for the Restart of Decommissioned Reactors
- Palisades Nuclear Plant Submitted the regulatory path to reauthorize operations on February 1, 2023, for NRC review. Several licensing actions are under review by the NRC staff. The NRC staff currently expects to issue its final decisions on the licensing actions by July 31, 2025.
- Crane Clean Energy Center Submitted the regulatory path to reauthorize operations (name change is under NRC review) on November 4, 2024. The NRC staff currently expects to issue its final decision on the exemption request by January 31, 2026.
Regulatory Timelines for the Restart of Decommissioned Reactors
- Duane Arnold Energy Center Submitted the regulatory path to reauthorize operations and a request for exemption from certain termination of license requirements of 10 CFR 50.82 for NRC review on January 23, 2025. Several additional license amendment requests including subsequent license renewal are expected to be submitted soon.
- For more information on these restarts please go to:
https://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/decommissioning/index.html#restart
Advanced Reactors Licensing Status Approved:
- Hermes Test Reactor Unit 1 and 2 Construction Permits (Kairos)
- Abilene Christian University Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit
- NuScale US600 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Design Certification
- NuScale US460 SMR Standard Design Approval Under Review:
- USOs Kemmerer Unit 1 Construction Permit (CP)
(TerraPower)
Recent & Upcoming Inspections Recent:
- Mistras
- GE Hitachi
- Framatome (Safeguards Information)
- Analysis & Measurement Services
- Southwest Research Institute
- Flowserve Pumps
- Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) (Limerick D&IC upgrade)
- NuScale Aircraft Impact Assessment Upcoming:
- Element Materials Technology
- Operation Technology, Inc.
- Sargent & Lundy
- WEC (Limerick D&IC)
NRC Inspection Findings
- Flowserve - Vernon, CA Criterion III Design Control, and Criterion VII, Control of Purchased Material, Equipment, and Services Failed to verify the control of the critical characteristics for the commercial-grade dedication of the on-site calibration services for the granite surface plate and the balance machine.
NRC Inspection Findings
- Flowserve (cont.)
Criterion IV, Procurement Document Control, and Criterion VII (1) Failed to invoke the applicable regulatory, technical, and quality requirements in the procurement documents for the water testing services to ensure the water meets the chemistry requirements used in the hydrostatic testing and cleaning of the safety-related components, and (2) failed to perform an assessment of the water testing supplier to verify the adequate implementation of their quality controls associated with the supply of water testing services.
NRC Inspection Findings
- Flowserve (cont.)
Criterion XII, Control of Measuring and Test Equipment Failed to calibrate the specific resistivity meter used to monitor the deionized water to ensure the specific resistivity is maintained at the 1 megohm-centimeter minimum limit and meet the water chemistry requirements for specific conductivity.
NRC Inspection Findings
- Flowserve (cont.)
Criterion XVI, Corrective Action (1) Failed to assure that conditions adverse to quality are promptly identified and corrected (e.g., 7 CARs were past the 55-day due date with two having been opened for more than a year and (2) failed to open a CAR as identified in the 2023 and 2024 internal audits related to the CAR timeliness issue.
Importance of NCR & CAR Programs
- The NRC staff continues to identify issues with the implementation of NCR and CAR programs during vendor inspections.
- Having a strong NCR and CAR programs can provide an insight into the health of a vendors QA program.
- Both programs are key to having a strong safety culture and a strong QA program.
Upcoming Information Notice
- Information Notice (IN) titled Use of Approved Quality Assurance Alternatives During Exigent Conditions, expected to be issued in the Summer 2025.
- The purpose of the IN is to inform the nuclear industry of the potential for inappropriate implementation of the QA alternatives approved for use during exigent conditions:
(1) Use of the QA alternatives to qualify new suppliers, and (2) licensees, applicants, and/or vendors incorrectly determining when an exigent condition exists.
- The IN will provide more information on who can declare an exigent condition that will allow for the QA alternatives to be implemented.
Revision 0 of NEI 22-04
- On May 22, 2025, NEI submitted for NRCs review and endorsement Revision 0 of NEI 22-04, Utilization of ISO 9001 and Other Non-nuclear Suppliers for Safety-Related Applications.
- The NRC staff is starting its review of the document. No public meeting scheduled yet.
- NEI 22-04 is publicly available and can be found at ADAMS Accession No. ML2516A142.
13 Yamir Diaz-Castillo Reactor Operations Engineer 301-415-2228 Yamir.Diaz-Castillo@nrc.gov QUESTIONS?