ML18254A434

NRC Slides for September 12, 2018 Public Meeting on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF)

ML18254A434
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/12/2018
From:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Proffitt J A
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Download: ML18254A434 (18)

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NRC Public Meeting on Accident Tolerant FuelSeptember 12, 2018 Agenda I.NRC's ATF project plan II.Major revisions III.NRC's next steps 2

I. ATF Project Plan

• Developed in anticipation of safety

-enhancing technology being pursued on accelerated schedule

• Strategy and activities associated with preparing NRC to efficiently and effectively license ATF designs

• Addresses the complete fuel cycle

-Fuel fabrication and fresh fuel transport

-In-reactor requirements

-Spent fuel storage and transportation 3

Extensive Stakeholder Interaction

• September 2017: NRC public meeting outlining plans for ATF project plan

• December 2017: Published in Federal Register for public comment

• February 2018: Briefed ACRS subcommittee on draft plan

• February 2018: NRC public meeting on public comments

• April 2018: NRC Commission briefing on ATF

• May 2018: DOE/NRC ATF coordination workshop

• June 2018: NRC public meeting on ATF PIRT strategy

• Summer 2018: Individual engagements with ATF vendors

• Today 4 Addressed Overall Themes of Stakeholder Comments

• Importance of enhanced communication

• Opportunity to transform fuel licensing process

• Leverage advanced computational capabilities

• Concerns with regulatory requirements associated with lead test assemblies 5

II. Major Revisions

• One, inclusive document

• ATF licensing process details

-Milestone schedule

-Project plan paradigm

-Concept-specific licensing roadmaps

-ATF PIRT strategy

• Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS)

• Code development details to appendix

• Path forward 6

ATF Milestone Schedule 7Milestone/ActivityScheduleComplete ATF project plan.Summer 2018Issue final LTA guidance.Early 2019Conduct PIRTs and refine review infrastructure for near

-term concepts.

2019-2020Identify and implement adjustments to the regulatory infrastructure, if necessary, to enable the full potential of ATF (e.g., increase enrichment, increase burnup).

2019-2025Conduct TR reviews for near

-term concepts.

2020-2022Conduct LAR reviews for near

-term concepts.

2022-2023Conduct LTA/TR/LAR reviews for longer term concepts.TBD (in accordance with industry schedules)

New Fuel Technical Basis Development 8

ATF Licensing Process 9

ATF PIRT Strategy

• Goal is to align early on phenomena important to safety for each ATF concept

• Varied approach based on deviation from current technology; viable options include:

-NRC review of industry developed failure mode analysis

• Coated claddings

-Coordinated NRC/vendor exercise

• Vendor technology specific ATF

-Multi-day PIRT panel of topical experts

• Severe accidents and transportation

• Necessary to consider full intended use of concept to ensure meaningful results and prevent re

-work 10 Concept-specific Licensing Roadmaps and Technology

-specific Licensing Approaches

• Map of phenomena important to safety to regulatory infrastructure

• Outline the pathway for vendors to ensure technical basis meets staff's expectations

• Assessing best vehicle(s); possible examples:

-Interim staff guidance

-Safety review of vendor qualification plans

-Endorsement of industry guidance 11 NRC Approach to Confirmatory Analysis*Varies based on:

-Safety significance

-Margin to safety limits

-Uncertainty

• Actively enhancing NRC's computational analysis tools for near

-term concepts

• Evaluating which tools are most effective and efficient for longer

-term concepts 12 Advanced Modelling and Simulation

• Actively engaged with DOE on potential to leverage their computational capabilities in bolstering the regulatory infrastructure for ATF reviews

• Can accelerate the development of the technical basis for ATF

-e.g., focusing experimental programs

• Open to understand potential use of advanced M&S in ATF licensing strategies 13

• Objective of RIS questions:

-Promote early, frequent, and robust communication between NRC and addressees

-Inform NRC's budget and resource planning

• Recent precedent

-Mo-99-Advanced reactors

• Publish draft while awaiting OMB clearance 14Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS)

Public Comment Period 15 Break 16 III. Next Steps

• Engage directly with fuel vendors on specific ATF concepts to understand:

-Phenomena important to safety

-Fuel qualification plans

-Licensing schedules

• Understand areas of margin recovery or operational flexibility which may require refinements to the regulatory infrastructure

• Immediate actions:

-Finalize ATF project plan

-Publish draft Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS)

• Near-term actions:

-Compile knowledge base on all near

-term concepts to prepare for expert elicitation / PIRT exercises

-Independently review EPRI coated cladding failure modes analysis report to ensure all safety significant phenomenon are addressed

-Schedule meetings with vendors of near

-term concepts to understand draft fuel qualification plans

-Determine appropriate vehicle for review guidance 17 Public Comment Period 18