SECY-25-0104, Enclosure 1: Elements of the Safety Review
| ML25229A007 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/17/2025 |
| From: | NRC/SECY |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25229A004 | List: |
| References | |
| SECY-25-0104 | |
| Download: ML25229A007 (1) | |
Text
Enclosure 1 Elements of the Safety Review A key principle of license renewal is provided in the notice for the 1995 issuance of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 54, Requirements for Renewal of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants (license renewal rule),1 which states the following:
with the possible exception of the detrimental effects of aging on the functionality of certain plant systems, structures, and components in the period of extended operation and possibly a few other issues related to safety only during extended operation, the regulatory process is adequate. [emphasis added]
The license renewal safety review is intended to identify any additional actions needed to effectively manage the effects of aging in the extended operating period. The rule requires, in part, that applicants do the following:
Identify the plant systems, structures, and components (SSCs) that are within the scope of the rule and the subset of those that are subject to an aging management review. This step is commonly referred to as scoping and screening [10 CFR 54.4, Scope, and 10 CFR 54.21(a)(1)].
As defined in greater detail in 10 CFR 54.4, the scope of the rule includes safety-related SSCs, non-safety-related SSCs whose failure could affect a safety-related function, and SSCs that are relied on to comply with certain other regulations.
For structures and components (SCs) subject to an aging management review, demonstrate that the effects of aging will be adequately managed to maintain the SCs intended function(s) [10 CFR 54.21(a)(3)].
Aging management programs include monitoring, inspections, or other activities to address SCs that are of lesser focus under initial (pre-renewal) plant surveillance and maintenance programs. These SCs are characterized as being passive (they have no moving parts or do not undergo any changes in configuration or properties) and long lived (not subject to replacement based on a qualified life).
Evaluate time-limited aging analyses (TLAAs) [10 CFR 54.21(c)].
Some plant safety calculations and analyses consider the effects of operating time on component aging and functionality (e.g., accumulated mechanical loading cycles leading to metal fatigue). TLAAs are reexamined to account for the extended operating life.
1 Nuclear Power Plant License Renewal; Revisions, Federal Register, Vol. 60, No. 88, page 22461 (60 FR 22461), May 8, 1995.