ML26055A109
| ML26055A109 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 99902028 |
| Issue date: | 02/25/2026 |
| From: | Michele Sampson NRC/NRR/DNRL |
| To: | Nichol M Nuclear Energy Institute |
| References | |
| Download: ML26055A109 (0) | |
Text
February 25, 2026 Mr. Marcus Nichol Executive Director, New Nuclear Nuclear Energy Institute 1201 F Street NW, Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20004
SUBJECT:
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFFS PROGRESS ON DEVELOPING INTERIM STAFF GUIDANCE RELATED TO A PROCESS BY WHICH OWNERS MAY ACCEPT AND USE ASME CODE STAMPED COMPONENTS FABRICATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ASME CODE CASE N8831 PRIOR TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF AN OWNER/LICENSEE
Dear Mr. Nichol,
The purpose of this letter is to update you on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRCs) review and guidance development activities associated with use of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Case N8831, Construction of Items Prior to the Establishment of a Section III, Division 1, Owner. The staff appreciates the Nuclear Energy Institutes (NEIs) leadership in developing guidance for use of Code Case N8831 and recognizes the importance of the Code Case to support the expedited construction of new nuclear power plants, consistent with the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024.
By letter dated July 11, 2025, the NEI submitted guidance document NEI 2505, Fabrication of ASME Code Items Prior to the Identification of an Owner/Licensee, Revision 0, to the NRC for review and potential endorsement (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML25192A124). NEI 2505 proposes an alternative approach for fabricating safety-related components that aligns with the evolving business models of advanced reactors, allowing the design authority to initiate fabrication before a licensee or applicant is formally designated as the Owner, while ensuring that those future advanced reactor Owners will be able to meet all applicable NRC requirements.
To clarify the NRCs role in the process by which Owners may accept and use ASME Code stamped components that are fabricated in accordance with ASME Code Case N8831, the NRC staff is developing Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) on this subject. The ISG is intended to complement the NEI proposed guidance.
The staffs draft ISG is currently undergoing final internal NRC staff review and subsequently will be made available for public comment. After the draft ISG is issued for public comment, the NRC staff will engage NEI to finalize a schedule to provide feedback on NEI 2505 to ensure both documents are consistent and complementary.
M. Nichol 2
The staff is also closely following the progress of revision 2, to Code Case N8831. We are participating in the ASME balloting process and anticipate ASMEs timely issuance of the revised Code Case later this year.
If you have questions related to this matter, please contact Lead Project Manager Prosanta Chowdhury at (301) 4151647 or via email at Prosanta.Chowdhury@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Michele Sampson, Director Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No.: 99902028
Enclosure:
Package: ML25059A100 Letter: ML26055A109
- via e-Concurrence NRR106 OFFICE NRR/DNRL/NRLB/BC NRR/DNRL/D NAME MJardaneh MSampson DATE 2/13/2026 2/25/2026