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{{#Wiki_filter:ML21175A143 Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research FY2021-23 Planned Research Activities Courtesy of NuScale, EPRI, and DOE July 2021
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Foreword The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) supports the mission of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by providing technical advice and tools, assessing risk, supporting resolution of safety and security issues, and coordinating the development of regulatory guidance. Research activities in general includes conducting confirmatory analyses, developing technical bases to support safety decisions, and preparing the agency for evaluation of the safety aspects for new technologies and designs for nuclear reactors, materials, waste, and security. To conduct research activities, RES relies on staff expertise and collaborates with partner offices at the NRC, commercial entities, national laboratories, other Federal agencies, universities, and international organizations.
In the effort to provide improve stakeholder visibility into NRC research activities, the program area information summaries have been developed. The information sheets describe research being conducted by RES across a wide variety of disciplines. The sheets describe the projects that are in progress and planned, impacts and benefits, deliverables, and resources and identifies the research points of contact who can be contacted for additional information.
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Table of Contents Overview of Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) .......................................................... 5 Risk Analysis Research Activities ............................................................................................. 7 Accident Sequence Precursor Program ................................................................................ 9 Reactor Operating Experience Program .............................................................................. 11 Probabilistic Flood Hazard Analysis Research and External Hazards Analysis .................. 13 Fitness-for-Duty / Safety Culture Technical Assistance ....................................................... 16 Agency Innovation ............................................................................................................... 18 Human Reliability Analysis Methods .................................................................................... 20 Human Reliability Analysis Data .......................................................................................... 22 Fire Protection Activities and Fire Risk Training .................................................................. 24 High Energy Arcing Fault Hazard ........................................................................................ 26 Risk Analysis Research ....................................................................................................... 28 Development and Enhancement of NRC Risk Analysis Tools ............................................ 30 Level 3 Probabilistic Risk Assessment Project .................................................................... 34 PRA Standards and Regulatory Guidance Development .................................................... 36 MACCS Code Development, Maintenance, and V&V ......................................................... 40 WinMACCS, MelMACCS, and SecPop Code Development and Maintenance ................... 43 Consequence Analysis ........................................................................................................ 46 Data Science and Artificial Intelligence ................................................................................ 49 MELCOR Code Development and Maintenance ................................................................. 51 Severe Accident Verification and Validation ........................................................................ 54 Accident Progression and Source Term Analysis ................................................................ 57 Dose Assessment Code Development and Maintenance ................................................... 59 Radiation Protection Code Development and Maintenance ................................................ 63 Decommissioning Code Development and Maintenance .................................................... 66 Radiation Protection Analysis .............................................................................................. 68 Consequence Analysis (Subsurface Characterization and Waste Covers) ......................... 71 Engineering Research Activities .............................................................................................. 73 Cable and Equipment Aging ................................................................................................ 74 Electrical System Evaluation ............................................................................................... 76 Safety of I&C........................................................................................................................ 78 Security of I&C ..................................................................................................................... 80 3
 
Seismic Analysis and Evaluation ......................................................................................... 82 Structural and Geotechnical Evaluations ............................................................................. 84 Methodology and Evaluation Tools for Digital Twin Applications ........................................ 87 Aging and Materials Research Activities ................................................................................. 90 Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) Action Plan - RES Support .......................... 92 Evaluation Techniques (NDE ............................................................................................... 95 Integrity Analysis Tool (IAT) Development and Guidance ................................................... 98 Materials Degradation, Analysis, and Mitigation Techniques ............................................ 101 Analyses and Evaluation Tools for Advanced non-LWR Materials, Chemistry, and Component Integrity .......................................................................................................... 105 Piping and Other Components Integrity and Analysis Tools and Methods for Mechanical Systems and Inservice Testing .......................................................................................... 107 Steam Generator Integrity ................................................................................................. 110 Vessel Integrity .................................................................................................................. 112 Systems Analysis Research Activities ................................................................................... 115 Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF) ........................................................................................... 117 Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis ............................................................................................... 120 Fuels and Neutronics Analysis .......................................................................................... 123 Advanced Non-LWR Support Using the Comprehensive Reactor Analysis Bundle (CRAB)
  ........................................................................................................................................... 125 Thermal-Hydraulic Verification and Validation ................................................................... 128 FAST Code Development and Maintenance ..................................................................... 131 SCALE Code Development and Maintenance ................................................................... 134 PARCS Code Development and Maintenance .................................................................. 137 SNAP Code Development and Maintenance ..................................................................... 140 RSICC Distribution of NRC Codes .................................................................................... 142 TRACE Code Development and Maintenance .................................................................. 143 4
 
Overview of Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)
The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) plans and conducts the research necessary for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to perform its safety and security mission consistent with the Energy Reorganization Act and Commission policy. This involves the following strategic objectives: (1) provide independent data and analyses to support ongoing licensing and regulatory oversight activities and prepare for new and emerging technical approaches, (2) maintain core research tools and capabilities to promptly and effectively respond to requests for research from the Commission and regulatory program offices, (3) maintain cognizance of the state-of-the-art developments in nuclear safety and security technologies by engaging with the domestic and international research community, and (4) identify the need for, and provide project management of, research that is contracted to external organizations.
For FY21, the total RES budget is $80.7 M 1, which comprises $41.5 M for contract support and travel and about $39.3 M for staffing 197 FTE (full-time equivalent).
Figure 1 shows research resources associated with the NRC Business Lines that comprise the RES budget in FY21. The figure shows how the Operating Reactors Business Line (ORBL) activities comprise the majority of RESs workload.
Operating Reactors ($32.5M and 170 FTE) 0%
8%
1%                        New Reactors ($2.5M and 10 FTE) 6%                3%                            Advanced Reactors ($4.0M and 10 FTE)
Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation ($1.9M and 4 FTE)
Nuclear Materials Users ($0.0M and 2 FTE) 82%
Decommissioning and Low Level Waste ($0.6M and 1 FTE)
Figure 1 - RES FY2021 Resources by Business Line 1
This total includes $10.6 M of authorized carryover to fund contract support and omits $16 M for the University Nuclear Leadership Program. This funding includes research activities led by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
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Research Information Summaries The following research information summaries for each topical area provided a further breakout of planned research activities, a summary of benefits, deliverables, technical resources supporting the activities, and planned coordination to leverage research efforts.
Summary of Research Program Accomplishments in FY2020 In FY2020 a significant number of research projects and activities were completed. The figure below provides a visual presentation of those results and our commitment to regulatory readiness and the NRCs safety and security mission.
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Risk Analysis Research Activities 7
 
8 Accident Sequence Precursor Program Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes activities related to nuclear facility event risk assessments performed under the Accident Sequence Precursor (ASP) Program.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Continue to provide timely reports to support the annual Abnormal Occurrence Report to Congress and the annual Agency Action Review meeting.
* Continue current efforts to improve support provided to the NRCs Operating Experience (OpE) program in accordance with NRC Management Directive 8.7.
* Maintain the ability to identify needed improvements to probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) guidance and codes.
* Continue to exercise new standardized plant analysis risk (SPAR) model features (e.g.,
seismic hazards, FLEX mitigation strategies) and explore use of new methods (e.g.,
Integrated Human Event Analysis for Event and Condition Assessment [IDHEAS-ECA]),
when applicable, to provide feedback for potential improvements and to enhance existing guidance.
Impact and Benefits
* Provides the NRCs tool for long-term, risk-informed trending of industrywide operating experience of all events that occur at U.S. commercial nuclear power plants.
* Provides feedback to improve the realism of the NRCs SPAR and industry PRA models.
* Provides an independent check on the effectiveness of NRC and licensee activities to minimize risk significant events.
* Provides insights to the OpE Program on potential risk-significant events.
Drivers
* Program established in 1979 in response to the Risk Assessment Review Group report (NUREG/CR-0400). Commission directive (SRM SECY-98-228) transferred the ASP Program to the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
* Reviews and evaluates operating experience to identify precursors to potential core damage as required by Management Directive 8.7, Reactor Operating Experience Program.
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Key Deliverables Year          FY 2020 FY 2021                  FY 2022                  FY 2023 Project            Accomplishments Completed review and      Complete review and      Complete review and      Complete review and analysis of calendar      analysis of calendar      analysis of calendar      analysis of calendar year LERs and NRR OpE      year LERs and NRR OpE    year LERs and NRR OpE    year LERs and NRR OpE ASP Program      Program                    Program                  Program                  Program Support          Completed ASP              Complete ASP Program      Complete ASP Program      Complete ASP Program Program 2019 Annual        2020 Annual Report        2021 Annual Report        2022 Annual Report Report including trend    including trend          including trend          including trend analyses to support        analyses to support      analyses to support      analyses to support RES input to the AARM      RES input to the AARM    RES input to the AARM    RES input to the AARM Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), licensee event reports (LERs), the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Agency Action Review Meeting (AARM)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Mehdi Reisi Fard (Mehdi.ReisiFard@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents        FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget            Trend Business                    CS&T                    CS&T                    CS&T                  Research Product                    FTE                    FTE                      FTE Line                      ($K)                    ($K)                    ($K)                  Planning Risk Operating Analysis        $0        1.2          $0        2.9          $0        2.9 Reactors Research Total                $0        1.2          $0        2.9          $0        2.9 CS&T ($K) includes contract support (Total ($K) includes contract support and FTE costs)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Idaho National Laboratory - Indirect and minimal contractor support for accident sequence precursor modeling (provided through the SPAR Technical Support Contract).
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* The ASP Program leverages the evaluation results of the Significance Determination Process (SDP).
* ASP program analysts provide support to NRR and regional senior reactor analysts on SDP evaluations.
* The ASP Program supports rotational assignments from NRR and regional analysts to develop the NRCs event and risk assessment capabilities.
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Reactor Operating Experience Program Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes activities to evaluate reactor operating experience (OpE) from a risk-perspective. The program analyzes events for long-term performance trends and serves as the basis for initiating event frequencies, component failure parameters, and common cause events employed in the NRCs standardized plant analysis risk (SPAR) models and other probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) studies.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Continue to look for efficiencies while maintaining the ability to provide timely communication of OpE to internal stakeholders for information and/or evaluation.
* Continue to identify trends, recurring events, or significant safety issues for appropriate follow-up actions.
* Periodic assessments of the OpE program to determine/confirm its effectiveness and to identify needed improvements.
Impact and Benefits
* Provides annual, up-to-date event frequencies and component reliabilities for use in NRC and licensee PRA models to support plant licensing and oversight activities.
* Produces industrywide reliability estimates, summary tables, graphs, and charts to support long-term OpE and issue-specific risk activities undertaken by the NRC (also capable of generating plant-specific information, component-specific information, and vendor-specific information as needed).
* Maintains and updates the publicly available Reactor Operational Experience Results and Databases Web pages on the NRCs public Web site with computational results based on failure rate estimates using the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Consolidated Events (ICES) and Mitigating Systems Performance Indicator (MSPI) databases and licensee event reports (LERs).
* Manages and updates the LER-Search public database (one of the most used NRC public Web pages) containing searchable LERs and Inspection Reports.
* Identifies potential risk significant events and distributes available information to subject matter experts.
Drivers
* Commission directive (SRM SECY-97-101) to choose the voluntary nuclear industry initiative allowing INPO to design, implement, and manage the reporting of nuclear plant licensee operating experience under long-term, renewable contractual arrangement with the NRC.
* Commission directive (SRM SECY-98-228) to transfer OpE activities related to the Accident Sequence Precursor program and long-term trending, formerly performed in the Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data (AEOD), to RES.
* NRR User Need Request (UNR) NRR-2015-009, User Need Request for Support in the Development and Enhancement of NRC Risk Analysis Tools.
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Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021            FY 2022                FY 2023 Accomplishments Project Peer review/audit of              Perform parameter      Gather, code, and    Gather and PWROG/industry FLEX              update of all basic  analyze                analyze data initiative. Gathered,        events in NRC        industrywide OpE      industrywide OpE coded, and analyzed              SPAR/PRA              data for use in        data for use in industry-wide OpE data            models. Gather,      NRC and industry      NRC and industry from LERs and INPO for            code, and analyze    PRA models            PRA models use in NRC SPAR and              industrywide OpE      covering initiating    covering initiating industry PRA models              data for use in      events, component      events, component Evaluation of covering initiating events,      NRC SPAR and          and system            and system Reactor OpE component and system              industry PRA          performance, and      performance, and performance, and                  models covering      common cause          common cause common cause events.              initiating events,    events                events component and system performance, and common cause events Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Mehdi Reisi Fard (Mehdi.Reisifard@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents          FY23 FY20 Actuals                  FY21 Enacted Budget              Trend Business                        CS&T                          CS&T                      CS&T                    Research Product                      FTE                        FTE                        FTE Line                          ($K)                          ($K)                      ($K)                    Planning Risk Operating Analysis        $1,832          2.2          $1,900        3            $1,930        3 Reactors Research Total                $1,832          2.2          $1,900        3            $1,930        3 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
FY23 CS&T is expected to increase in accordance with the statement of work for two Idaho National Laboratory Contracts. These contracts were underfunded in FY21 and FY22 Contractor Support
* Idaho National Laboratory (INL) - Reactor Operating Experience Data for Risk Applications.
* INL - Computational Support for Risk Applications.
* INPO - Access to INPO Operational Information (ICES), which provides NRC staff with proprietary operational experience information necessary for risk-informed regulatory activities.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* INPO under MOU and long-term commercial contract to provide the NRC with nuclear licensee OpE failure information.
* EPRI to collaborate with the NRC under MOU on a joint, consolidated publication consisting of a new report covering the annual tabulation and display of initiating event OpE data.
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Probabilistic Flood Hazard Analysis Research and External Hazards Analysis Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes tasks to develop an improved, more realistic framework for conducting flooding assessments at nuclear power plants as well as work on assessing other non-seismic external hazards in probabilistic risk assessments.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Complete efforts to develop a probabilistic flood hazard assessment (PFHA) framework and guidance to support future licensing and oversight actions.
* Provide support for operating reactor licensing and oversight flooding issues by providing technical assistance for review of licensee submittals and providing training for staff.
* Provide support to the Process for Ongoing Assessment of Natural Hazards Information (POANHI) by maintaining and enhancing the Natural Hazards Information Digest (NHID) and through technical engagement and coordination with other Federal Agencies.
* Maintain engagement with the National Institute of Standards (NIST) to update U.S. tornado hazard maps.
Impact and Benefits
* The PFHA research program will provide staff with improved guidance and tools for assessing flooding hazards and potential impacts to structures, systems, and components in the oversight of operating facilities as well as licensing of new facilities. Current guidance and tools are based on methods that are considered dated and, in some cases, may be overly conservative.
* PFHA research staff also provide active support to licensing and oversight offices: 1) training for hydraulic/hydrologic software used by NRC staff; 2) technical support for staff reviews of licensee submittals (e.g., post-Fukushima flooding reevaluations); and 3) knowledge transfer (e.g., project-related in-house knowledge transfer seminars, annual PFHA Research Public Workshop).
* Maintaining and enhancing the NHID and technical engagement and coordination with other Federal Agencies are key functions of POANHI.
Drivers
* The PFHA research program activities are endorsed by user need request NRO-2015-002, which is jointly supported by the New and Operating Reactors business lines.
* External hazards analysis work is supporting the development and deployment of the Commission-directed (SECY-16-0144) Process for Ongoing Assessment of Natural Hazards Information.
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Key Deliverables Year FY 2020                  FY 2021                FY 2022            FY 2023 Project                      Accomplishments Complete Phase I PFHA              Published more than          Continue Technical Technical Basis Research (Technical      10 Technical Basis          Basis Research Research Report Basis)                    Research Reports            Report publishing publishing Phase II PFHA                                          Finalize and          Finalize and 3 PFHA Pilot Studies Research (Pilot                                        publish Pilot        publish Pilot in progress Studies)                                              Studies              Studies
: 1) Publish draft guidance for Completed scoping of        Develop draft        Draft guidance Phase III PFHA                                                                                    public comment draft guidance              guidance              internal review and Research (Guidance)                                                                                2) Finalize concurrence guidance Tornado hazard map                                Develop updated      Develop updated Assess need for                            guidance as High Winds Research      updates 95%                                        guidance as updated guidance                            needed complete                                          needed Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Joseph Kanney (Joseph.Kanney@nrc.gov), Hydrologist in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget          Trend Business                    CS&T                  CS&T                    CS&T                  Research Product                  FTE                      FTE                    FTE Line                      ($K)                  ($K)                    ($K)                Planning Risk Operating Analysis      $301        2.4        $521          1.8      $521        1.8 Reactors Research New New Reactors      $362        1.4        $300          0.9        204        0.9 Reactors Research Total              $663        3.8        $821          2.7        725        2.7 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Hydrologic Engineering Center - Riverine Flooding PFHA Pilot Study, PFHA Frameworks.
* USACE Engineer Research and Development Center - PFHA Frameworks, Coastal Flooding PFHA Pilot Study, Uncertainty in Storm Surge Models, Structured Hazard Assessment Committee Process for Flooding (SHAC-F) for Coastal Flooding.
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* U.S. Geological Survey - Flood Frequency Analysis Methods, Paleoflood Hydrology Methods, Paleoflood Studies Review Guidance.
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory -SHAC-F for Coastal, Riverine and Site-scale Flooding, Local Intense Precipitation PFHA Pilot Study.
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Methods for Estimating Joint Probabilities of Coincident and Correlated Flooding Mechanisms.
* Idaho National Laboratory - Natural Hazards Information Digest, Strategies for Flood Barrier Testing
* NIST - Tornado Hazard Maps.
* National Center for Atmospheric Research - Numerical Simulation of Intense Precipitation.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Memorandum of Understanding between the NRC and the Electric Power Research Institute on Cooperative Research on External Flooding Hazards.
* International Agreement with the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety on Probabilistic Flood Hazard and Risk Analysis Programs.
* Participation in a Nuclear Energy Agency Working Group on External Events.
* Participation in Federal interagency workings groups (e.g., Advisory Committee on Water Information Subcommittee on Hydrology, Office of Science and Technology Policy Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction, U.S. Coastal Research Program).
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Fitness-for-Duty / Safety Culture Technical Assistance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes: 1) research on drugs, alcohol, fitness-for-duty to aid drug-testing, and research on fatigue management and 2) technical support on safety culture implementation.
Strategic Focus Areas:
* Maintain the ability to keep NRC regulations up to date with societal drug use trends and rapidly evolving drug and drug subversion technologies.
* Continue to support implementation of safety culture assessment in the Reactor Oversight Process.
Impact and Benefits
* Provides staff with up-to-date information on rapidly evolving drug and drug-test subversion technologies needed to provide effective oversight of licensees fitness-for-duty programs.
* Maintains knowledge of safety culture assessment techniques needed to provide oversight of licensees safety culture programs.
Drivers
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) on fatigue management guidance development (NRR 2016-020).
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR) on substance abuse technologies and guidelines (NSIR 2020-02).
* Requests from NRR and the Regions on Safety Culture technical support and inspection support (NRR-2019-012).
Key Deliverables Year          FY 2020 FY 2021                  FY 2022            FY 2023 Project              Accomplishments Fatigue          Completed Technical      1) Analysis of FFD      1) Development of  NUREG on fitness Management        Letter Report on          performance for          Urine Temperature  for duty and Fitness      prescription drug        trends and bounding      Assessment Model for Duty          issues                                            2) Research        technologies conditions.
Information Letter
: 2) Drug prevalence      on fitness for duty investigation            technologies
: 3) International Program review Safety Culture    1) Cross-Cutting          1) SC counterpart        1) SC counterpart  1) SC Counterpart Issues Effectiveness      meeting                  meeting            meeting Review Report            2) SC Regional and      2) SC Regional and  2) SC Regional and
: 2) SC Refresher          inspection support      Inspection Support  Inspection Support Training at Regional      3) SC Training Plan      3) Independent SC Knowledge                4) SC assessor desk      Assessment NUREG Management                guide Seminar Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Nuclear Regulatory Report (NUREG), Regulatory Guide (RG) 16
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Sean Peters (Sean.Peters@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents        FY23 FY20 Actuals          FY21 Enacted Budget            Trend Business                    CS&T                CS&T                  CS&T                  Research Product                  FTE                FTE                      FTE Line                        ($K)              ($K)                  ($K)                Planning Risk Operating Analysis        $80      1.2      $75      0.6          $75        0.6 Reactors Research Total                $80      1.2      $75      0.6          $75        0.6 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - Fitness for Duty support.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* National Institutes of Health/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (NIH/SAMHSA) substance abuse and drug and alcohol testing research.
* Nuclear Energy Agency/Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations/Working Group on Human and Organizational Factors (NEA/CSNI/WGHOF) safety culture research.
* The Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) safety culture research.
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Agency Innovation Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research activities to support advancing innovation at the agency. Specific Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) activities include:
: 1) Supporting the InnovateNRC 2.0 program through managing the platform, the program vision, and the day-to-day activities to maintain a state-of-the-art innovation program.
: 2) Supporting the innovation community to evaluate and disposition innovative ideas submitted by staff in a timely and thorough manner.
: 3) Providing support and guidance to support those who want to use crowd-sourcing to solve challenges they face in their work.
: 4) Further develop the processes and engagement needed to sustain the innovation program.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Wide usage of crowd-sourcing as a method to approach challenges at all levels of the organization.
* Efficient agencywide capture of the innovation successes and measurement of those successes.
* Efficient implementation and sustainability of innovative ideas to better serve the agency and its staff.
Impact and Benefits
* This work will help provide cohesion among the separate innovation activities that the agency is undertaking and offers new approaches to problem solving, knowledge management, and knowledge sharing.
Drivers
* OEDO innovation initiative OKR to transition InnovateNRC 2.0 to RES by end of calendar year 2020.
* User Need Request from the OEDO (Office of the Executive Director for Operations), EDO-2018-001, to develop the infrastructure for innovation efforts.
* OEDO ticket for a SECY paper, OEDO-19-00096, Futures Assessment: Status and Next Steps.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020              FY 2021          FY 2022            FY 2023 Project Completed development of    Sustain and grow  Sustain and grow  Sustain and grow Program program infrastructure and  innovation        innovation        innovation Management of transitioned program to    program          program            program InnovateNRC 2.0 office of research OEDO User Need      Implement sustainable      Compile lessons-  Compile lessons-  Compile lessons-on Innovation        agencywide innovation      learned and      learned and        learned and 18
 
Year FY 2020                  FY 2021              FY 2022            FY 2023 Project program consistent with          capture process in  capture process in capture process in model developed in FY 2019      RIL                  RIL                RIL Support transformation Futures Core Team    initiative teams and transformation effort Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Niav Hughes Green (Niav.Hughes@nrc.gov), Human and Organizational Factors Analyst in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals        FY21 Enacted Budget          Trend Business                  CS&T                CS&T                    CS&T                Research Product                FTE                    FTE                    FTE Line                      ($K)              ($K)                    ($K)                Planning Risk Operating Analysis        $0    2.1*        $0          0          $0          2 Reactors Research Total                $0    2.1*        $0          0          $0          2         
*Unbudgeted work to support OEDO initiation. In FY20, resources were shifted from planned human factors activities Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* None.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* RES looks to commercial off-the-shelf collaboration solutions and for innovation programs and ideas from other government agencies (i.e., NASA).
19
 
Human Reliability Analysis Methods Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research on the development and improvement of human reliability analysis (HRA) methods for NRC use.
Strategic Focus Areas:
* Continue efforts to develop and advance a standardized approach for conducting HRAs to support risk-informed decision-making.
* Complete efforts to support analyzing the use of FLEX equipment.
* Continue to assess needed changes to HRA methods to support advanced reactor licensing.
Impact and Benefits
* The research will help to increase realism of the NRCs risk analyses by providing more credible HRA analyses.
* The improvement of the methods under this program will enable the staff to evaluate the use of: 1) FLEX equipment for normal operations and severe accidents, 2) digital control rooms for small modular and advanced reactors and upgrading existing control rooms, and 3) computerized procedures for modernized operations.
Drivers
* Commission direction in SRM-M061020 and M140529 to improve upon uncertainties in HRA analyses and to identify appropriate methodologies for NRC staff use.
* Requests from NRR and the NRC Regional Offices for assistance in modifying, improving, and developing HRA methodologies based upon identified programmatic issues.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 Accomplishments              FY 2021            FY 2022                FY 2023 Project
: 1) Developed draft Integrated      1) IDHEAS-G        1) IDHEAS-DATA          HRA method Human Event Analysis Data          NUREG              NUREG                  improvements in report (IDHEAS-DATA) - the        2) IDHEAS-ECA      2) IDHEAS-ECA          uncertainty, errors data basis for the IDHEAS          RIL Update          NUREG                  of commission, methodology                        3) New method      3)Technical Letter      and minimum joint HRA
: 2) Developed IDHEAS for            for dependency      Report on              human error Methodology Event and Condition                analysis in        Minimum Joint          probability Assessment (IDHEAS-ECA)            IDHEAS-ECA          Human Error methodology for modeling                              Probability accident and FLEX scenarios                            4) NUREG on
: 3) Developed IDHEAS-ECA                                expert elicitation computer tool Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Nuclear Regulatory Report (NUREG), Research Information Letter (RIL)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Sean Peters (Sean.Peters@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis 20
 
Resources FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals          FY21 Enacted Budget          Trend Business                    CS&T                  CS&T                    CS&T                  Research Product                  FTE                    FTE                      FTE Line                      ($K)                  ($K)                    ($K)                Planning Risk Operating Analysis      $630        3.4      $850        3.0        $850          3.0 Reactors Research New New Reactors        $0        0          $0          0        $600          0 Reactors Research Total                $630        3.4      $850        3.0        $1,450        3.0 Funding increases in FY22 for the Halden Human Technology Organization project. These resources are expected to be moved to the Operating Reactors Business Line in future years Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - HRA Method Support/IDHEAS-Data.
* Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) - EPRI HRA Users Group.
* Halden - Halden Program Group (Human Technology Organization).
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MOU between NRC and EPRI on Human Reliability Analysis.
21
 
Human Reliability Analysis Data Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes the collection, development, and analysis of data for the improvement of the NRCs human reliability analysis (HRA) methods for NRC and licensee use.
Strategic Focus Areas:
* Continue effective and cost-effective ways of maintaining and updating data needed to support HRA analyses.
Impact and Benefits
* The research will improve realism in Probabilistic Risk Assessments through development of better HRA methods as well as providing less variability in HRA results.
* The collection and analysis of data under this program will enable the staff to evaluate the use of: 1) FLEX equipment for normal operations and severe accidents; 2) digital control rooms for small modular, advanced, and upgrading existing control rooms; and 3) computerized procedures for modernized operations.
Drivers
* Commission direction in SRM-M061020 and M140529 to improve upon uncertainties in HRA analyses and identify appropriate methodologies for NRC staff use. SRM-M090204b directed the staff to keep the Commission informed of the NRCs HRA data program.
* Requests from NRR and the regions for assistance in modifying and improving HRA methodologies based upon identified programmatic issues.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 Accomplishments              FY 2021                FY 2022              FY 2023 Project HRA              1) SACADA modification to      1) Development of        1) NUREG on data      Targeted Database          collect ex-control room data  International            for incorporation    improvements to and HRA          2) Draft RIL - IDHEAS-        Cooperative to          into NRC HRA          selected NRC Methodology      DATA using SACADA data        exchange Human          methods              methods Improvement      to inform HRA methods          Reliability Data        2) Targeted through the Halden      improvements to
                                                  - Human                  selected NRC Technology              methods Organization
: 2) Analysis report on the use of SACADA data for HRA method improvement Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Scenario Authoring Characterization and Debriefing Application (SACADA), Nuclear Regulatory Report (NUREG), Research Information Letter (RIL), Integrated Human Event Analysis System (IDHEAS)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Sean Peters (Sean.Peters@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis 22
 
Resources FY22 Presidents  FY23 FY20 Actuals          FY21 Enacted Budget      Trend Business                      CS&T                  CS&T                          CS&T              Research Product                      FTE                    FTE                          FTE Line                        ($K)                ($K)                          ($K)            Planning Risk Operating Analysis          $73        0.9    $285            1.6          $285          1.6 Reactors Research Total                  $73        0.9    $285            1.6          $285          1.6 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Idaho National Laboratory (INL) - SACADA.
* University of Central Florida - Human Performance Test Facility Data Collection.
* GSE Systems Inc. - PWR Simulator Maintenance.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MOU between the NRC and EPRI on Human Reliability Analysis.
* MOU between the NRC and South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) on the SACADA project - STPNOC is contributing cost-free human performance data for the NRC to analyze.
* MOU with the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) on HRA Data Exchange -
KAERI has a similarly sized data program and shares the information with the NRC.
* The Halden Reactor Project and INLs Advanced Test Reactor also supply data to the NRCs SACADA database.
23
 
Fire Protection Activities and Fire Risk Training Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes the development and implementation of tools, methods, and data to improve realism in fire probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) to support risk-informed decision-making and support fire risk training activities.
Strategic Focus Areas:
* Continue ongoing collaborative efforts with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to improve realism in fire PRAs.
* Assess if new research efforts are needed in this area to support advanced reactor licensing.
* Support Program Offices with development of specialized tools and training.
Impact and Benefits
* Reduce conservatism and uncertainties in fire PRAs leading to a better understanding of plant risk.
* Shorten timeline for licensing decisions and minimize requests for additional information.
* Consistent understanding and application of fire PRA tools by NRC licensing and inspection staff and by licensees through training.
Drivers
* Resolve Pre-Generic Issue 018 Aluminum High Energy Arcing Faults (HEAF).
* Improve and maintain the knowledge and tools needed to support regulatory oversight activities.
* Collaborate with EPRI on research identified as high priority to improve realism in fire PRA.
* Confirmatory analysis and assessment of new industry proposed methods for fire PRA.
* Provide fire risk training to support the NRC's policy to increase the use of PRA technology.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021                  FY 2022                  FY 2023 Project            Accomplishments Published final version NUREG-2230 Published final version    Resolution of Pre-GI NUREG-2178 volume 2        018 Aluminum HEAFs Conducted testing and      Document additional analysis to expand        transient fuel package Fire PRA        transient fuel package    testing and Realism          models                    development of spread model Published draft and        Testing, analysis, and  Testing, analysis, and  Testing, analysis, and final versions of          documentation for        documentation for        documentation for NUREG-2233                additional topics as    additional topics as    additional topics as appropriate              appropriate              appropriate Fire Risk        Supported delivery of      Support delivery of fire Support delivery of fire Support delivery of fire Training        fire risk training        risk training            risk training            risk training Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Nuclear Regulatory Report (NUREG) 24
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* MarkHenry Salley (MarkHenry.Salley@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents          Fy23 FY20 Actuals          FY21 Enacted Budget              Trend Business                      CS&T                CS&T                    CS&T                  Research Product                  FTE                  FTE                    FTE Line                      ($K)                ($K)                    ($K)                  Planning Risk Operating Analysis        $306      2.2      $401        3.7        $401        3.7 Reactors Research Total                $306      2.2      $401        3.7        $401        3.7 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contract Support
* Sandia National Laboratories - Support for fire PRA methods development.
* National Institute of Standards & Technology - Support for fire testing for fire PRA.
* Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development - Support for HEAF (NRC Led)
PRISME 3 and Incident Exchange Project.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MOU between the NRC and EPRI on Cooperative Fire Research.
* Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations Fire Propagation in Elementary Multi-Room Scenarios (PRISME 3), HEAF and Incident Exchange Project.
25
 
High Energy Arcing Fault Hazard Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research related to high energy arcing fault (HEAF) hazard on nuclear power plant reactor safety.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Continue current work to support closeout of pre-generic issue (GI) 018, Proposed Generic Issue on High Energy Arc Faults Involving Aluminum.
* NRC/Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) working group PRA methodology development.
* Continue work with the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) to complete Phase 2 Project.
Impact and Benefits
* Adequate characterization and understanding of HEAF hazard.
* Reduced uncertainties in fire probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) in the area of HEAF modeling.
* Resolution of pre-GI 018.
Drivers
* Pre-GI 018.
* International agreement on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) NEA HEAF Phase 2 Project.
* Enhance realism in PRAs used in risk-informed decision-making.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021            FY 2022          FY 2023 Accomplishments Project Assessment of plant risk (GI Assessment NRC/EPRI working Report) group PRA draft                            Finalize and Pre-GI 0018                              Conduct Decrement methodology                                publish HEAF testing (if development deemed necessary by NRC/EPRI WG)
HEAF Initiating Finalize and Event publish Frequency FY 2020 tests Phase II -
postponed due to      Testing of OECD    Testing of OECD  Finalize and International COVID-19 impacts      sponsored HEAF      sponsored HEAF  publish HEAF NIST FDS model Fire PRA          development Finalize and Model              SNL HEAF source        Model refinement    Model refinement publish Refinement        term model development Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Operating Experience (OpE) 26
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* MarkHenry Salley (MarkHenry.Salley@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY23 FY20 Actuals          FY21 Enacted          FY22 Presidents Budget Trend Business                          CS&T                  CS&T                      CS&T                  Research Product                        FTE                    FTE                        FTE Line                          ($K)                  ($K)                      ($K)                Planning Risk Operating Analysis          $621        2.5      $443          1.0        $443          1.0 Reactors Research Total                  $621        2.5      $443          1.0        $443          1.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* National Institute of Standards & Technology - Support for HEAF test thermal measurements.
* Sandia National Laboratories - Support for photometrics, spectroscopy, and model development.
* KEMA Laboratories - Support for use of power test laboratory.
* Brendan Stanton Inc. - Support for electrical contractor.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MOU between the NRC and EPRI on Cooperative Fire Safety Research related to HEAF methods refinement for fire PRA.
* International Agreement on the OECD NEA HEAF Phase 2 Project.
* MOU Between the NRC and Japans Nuclear Regulatory Authority (JNRA) on joint publication of relevant JNRA work.
27
 
Risk Analysis Research Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research to maintain state-of-the-art risk assessment methods, tools, data, and technical information to support the NRCs safety mission and increasing use of risk--informed regulatory decision-making. In support of this research, cooperative partnerships have been established with other government agencies, universities, industry organizations, international regulators, and technical support organizations.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Continue to support efforts to increase the use of risk insights in regulatory decision-making.
* Continue efforts to support licensing reviews through resolution of industry-identified probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) issues.
* Investigate PRA research needs for advanced reactors.
Impact and Benefits
* Directly supports program office oversight and licensing activities by providing guidance, methods, and data for use in risk-informed decision-making (i.e., updates to the Risk Analysis Standardization Project (RASP) Handbook, support in resolving issues such as common cause failure, support in the staffs review of new methods and approaches proposed by industry).
* Supports advancements in the state-of-art in PRA by working with universities through periodic grants.
Drivers
* NRR User Need Request (UNR) NRR-2015-009, User Need Request for Support in the Development and Enhancement of NRC Risk Analysis Tools.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021              FY 2022            FY 2023 Accomplishments Project Risk Analysis of      Provided technical    Provide technical    Continue to        Continue to provide Operational          support to NRR        support to NRR and    provide technical  technical support to Events                and Regions in the    Regions in the risk  support to NRR    NRR and Regions in risk analysis of      analysis of          and Regions in the the risk analysis of operational events    operational events by risk analysis of  operational events increasing the        operational events number of SPAR models updated using staff resources to supplement contractor resources RASP Handbook                              Provide input for the Provide input for  Provide input for the RASP Handbook (as    the RASP          RASP Handbook requested)            Handbook (as      (as requested) requested)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY) 28
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* John Nakoski (John.Nakoski@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents    Fy23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget        Trend Business                    CS&T                    CS&T                      CS&T                Research Product                    FTE                    FTE                      FTE Line                      ($K)                    ($K)                    ($K)              Planning Risk Operating Analysis      $113        5.3        $295        2.7          $295        2.7 Reactors Research Total              $113        5.3        $295        2.7          $295        2.7 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE).
Contractor Support
* OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) - The NRC is a member of the International Common Cause Failure Data Exchange under the NEA. This project provides information used in understanding common cause failure and provides data used in determine dependencies in failures of like components.
* Energy Research, Inc. (ERI) - ERI provides technical support on general topics on the application and development of risk tools in support of NRC oversight and licensing.
* Sandia National Laboratories - Support for implementing and developing non-LWR PRA tools and regulatory guidance for risk-informed activities associated with internal events, internal flood, internal fire, seismic, high wind, and external flood PRA for at-power Level 1/LERF, Level 2, Level 3, LPSD, and treatment of parameter uncertainties. Also serves as independent body to support development of national consensus PRA standards.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort by sharing of information related to research programs of mutual interest.
* MOU with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to support the development of advanced risk analysis techniques and tools to support risk-informed decision-making.
* Participate in the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Committee for the Safety of Nuclear Installations Working Group on Risk Assessment (WGRISK) to foster continual improvement in the application of risk assessment methods by NEA member countries to improve the safety of nuclear installations.
* Participate in the NEA Working Group on External Events (WGEV) to enhance the understanding of the phenomenological aspects of external hazards to better inform regulatory decisions within a risk-informed framework.
29
 
Development and Enhancement of NRC Risk Analysis Tools Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes research to maintain and update the capabilities of the Systems Analysis Programs for Hands-on Integrated Reliability Evaluation (SAPHIRE) computer code and the NRC--developed Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) plant-specific probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) models. Research under this EPID also includes risk-related topical activities such as updating and confirming PRA success criteria; developing approaches to assess the risk for new issues (i.e., NUREG-2195 on consequential steam generator tube ruptures issued in May 2018); and adopting new approaches (i.e., mitigating strategies -
FLEX equipment) and technology (i.e., improved reactor coolant pump seals) within a risk-informed decision-making framework.
Strategic Focus Areas:
* Continue to update SPAR models and the SAPHIRE code.
* Continue efforts to perform more SAPHIRE code updates in-house.
* Assess modeling needs to support advanced reactors.
Impact and Benefits
* Directly support the Significance Determination Process, implementation of Management Directive 8.3, NRC Incident Investigation Program, the Accident Sequence Precursor Program, Generic Safety Issues screening and prioritization, and risk impact studies on system and components by making tools available for staff to perform accurate and efficient risk calculations.
* Provide tools for the program office to develop industry-wide risk insights using state-of-practice methods.
* Support development of methods for assessing risk from potential safety issues; and for understanding the risk impact of advances in state-of-practice, operational approaches and new technologies.
Drivers
* The Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) User Need Request (UNR) NRR-2015-009, User Need Request for Support in the Development and Enhancement of NRC Risk Analysis Tools.
* New Reactor business line Research Assistance Request dated May 22, 2018, for new and advanced reactor SPAR model development.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021              FY 2022              FY 2023 Accomplishments Project
* Updated SPAR models
* Continue updates to
* Continue updates
* Continue updates incorporating external  SPAR models            to SPAR models      to SPAR models hazards                  incorporating          incorporating        incorporating
* Performed routine        external hazards      external hazards    external hazards Risk Analysis updates to six SPAR
* Continue routine
* Continue routine
* Continue routine Tools models with plant        SPAR updates          SPAR updates        SPAR updates specific information    (target six models a  (target six models  (target six models
* Incorporated FLEX into year)                    a year)              a year) all SPAR models 30
 
Year FY 2020 FY 2021                FY 2022                FY 2023 Accomplishments Project
* Published Success
* Apply lessons
* Direct support to
* Direct support to Criteria NUREG            learned to all SPAR      Regional staff and    Regional staff and
* Provided direct support models from                user office staff on  user office staff on to Regional staffs and    incorporating FLEX      use and                use and user office staff on use
* Secure portal (cloud)    implementation of      implementation of and implementation of      based SAPHIRE            models                models models                    operational
* Continue
* Continue
* Piloted risk-app to
* Direct support to        development and        development and support broader access Regional staffs and          maintenance of        maintenance of to risk insights from the user office staff on      risk applications for risk applications for SPAR models for non-      use and                  broader risk-          broader risk-risk analyst use          implementation of        informed decision-    informed decision-models                  making                making.
* Expand pilot to all
* Expand pilot for
* Apply IDHEAS-plants using the risk-  IDHEAS-ECA use        ECA to routine app to support          in SPAR models        risk-informed broader access to                              decisions risk insights from the SPAR models for non-risk analyst use
* Pilot the approach to incorporate IDHEAS-ECA into SPAR models.
* Began the
* Finish the update to
* Maintain the Vogtle
* Develop new risk development of the        the Vogtle 3/4 SPAR      3/4 SPAR model.        tools to address Vogtle 3/4 plant-          models
* Identify gaps and      gaps in regulatory specific SPAR models
* Assess current state        tools to address      framework to New and
* Maintained awareness      of practice in the use  gaps in the            support new and Advanced          of status of NUSCALE      of advance PRA          regulatory            advanced reactors Reactor SPAR      PRA development by        methods (such as        framework to          that rely on Models            applicant                  dynamic PRA) - this      support use of        advanced PRA
* Maintained awareness      work supports            advanced PRA          methods (such as of advanced reactor        current operating        methods (such as      dynamic PRA)
PRA development            reactors as well        dynamic PRA) activities
* Added internal flooding
* Develop and
* Continue to
* Continue to scenarios to three        implement                incorporate new        incorporate new Incorporation SPAR models                approaches to            insights on external insights on external of External
* Updated seismic            incorporate advances    hazards into NRC      hazards into NRC Hazards into binning and the use of    in the understanding    risk tools            risk tools NRC Risk plant specific NTTF 2.1 of external hazards Tools hazard curves for          into NRC risk tools seven SPAR models.
* Participated in internal
* Continue research on
* Continue research
* Continue and external              advanced risk tools in  on advanced risk      development of stakeholder  meetings    areas such as            tools in areas such    advanced risk tools Develop for awareness    of      security, digital        as security, digital  in areas such as Advanced ongoing  activities      Instrumentation and      Instrumentation        security, digital PRA Methods related to advanced        Controls (I&C),          and Controls (I&C), Instrumentation PRA methods in            emerging                emerging              and Controls (I&C),
support of new and        technologies and        technologies and      emerging 31
 
Year FY 2020 FY 2021                FY 2022                  FY 2023 Accomplishments Project advanced reactor              operating challenges, operating                  technologies and designs.                      new methods to          challenges, new          operating
* Started research on            account for dynamic      methods to account      challenges, new advanced risk tools in        processes  within        for dynamic              methods to account areas such as security, existing PRA models, processes within                    for dynamic digital Instrumentation        and improved            existing PRA            processes within and Controls (I&C),            understanding of        models, and              existing PRA emerging technologies          success criteria used improved                    models, and and operating                  to determine results    understanding of        improved challenges, new                of representative        success criteria        understanding of methods to account for        sequences in PRAs        used to determine        success criteria dynamic processes
* Begin development        results of              used to determine within existing PRA            of PRA model for        representative          results of models, and improved          advanced reactor        sequences in PRAs        representative understanding of              concept using
* Finalize PRA            sequences in PRAs success criteria used to advanced PRA                  model for determine results of          methods                  advanced reactor representative                                          concept sequences in PRAs.
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* John Nakoski (John.Nakoski@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents            FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget              Trend Business                      CS&T                CS&T                      CS&T                        Research Product                  FTE                    FTE                      FTE Line                        ($K)                ($K)                      ($K)                      Planning Risk Operating Analysis      $2,113      3.2    $2,095        5.6        $2,095        5.6 Reactors Research New New Reactors          $0      0.1      $100          0.2          $100        0.2 Reactors Research Advanced Advanced    Non-LWR              $0      0      $300            1        $600*          1*
Reactors    Regulatory Readiness Total              $2,113      3.3    $2,495        6.8        $2,795        6.8 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
*FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
Contractor Support
* Idaho National Laboratory (INL) - provides support in the development and maintenance of SAPHIRE, SPAR All Hazards, interactions with EPRI under the MOU, New Reactor SPAR model development, and technical support for risk-informed decision-making. INL will support the development of new applications to meet the needs of NRR in the areas of 32
 
reactor oversight and licensing, support the integration of IDHEAS HRA methods into the suite of risk tools, prepare for the use of advanced PRA methods (such as dynamic PRA),
and provide support to NRC Headquarters and Regional risk analysts in the use of NRCs risk tools.
* Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) - provides support through the licenses for CAFTA and FTREX risk tools that support the development of NRC risk tools and in understanding the use of risk tools by the nuclear industry.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* EPRI under MOU to support identification and resolution of SPAR model issues.
* Sharing of SPAR models with licensees (currently all licensees have SAPHIRE and SPAR models for their plants).
* Sharing of SAPHIRE with other U.S. Federal Agencies (NASA, NAVSEA, U.S. Air Force, Bureau of Reclamation, etc.) as well as Non-Government Organizations (universities, technical support organizations, individual researchers) and foreign regulatory authorities (Spain, Japan, Ghana, etc.) subject to acceptable non-disclosure agreements.
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Level 3 Probabilistic Risk Assessment Project Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes research on the state-of-practice methods, tools, and data reflecting advances in the application of probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) to gain new insights on PRA for enhancing the agencys capabilities for regulatory decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Continue efforts to complete and document the Level 3 PRA work.
* Look for ways to incorporate insights to support current licensing work and advanced reactors work.
Impact and Benefits
* Inform and update the staffs understanding of reactor risk in relationship to the Commission Safety Goals to support the use of risk insights in decision-making.
* Advance PRA state-of-practice for integrated site-wide assessment of risk to public health and safety from all major radiological sources.
* Advance PRA state-of-practice by developing a human reliability analysis approach for post core damage response.
* Advance PRA modeling concepts for new and advanced reactor designs (e.g., non-reactor source terms, multi-unit risk, use of risk metric other than core damage frequency).
* Demonstrate and increase NRC staff capability in PRA and related technical areas.
* Pilot and identify improvements to PRA standards (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, risk aggregation, etc.).
* Demonstrate the NRCs expert elicitation guidance.
Drivers
* Response to Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM) for SECY-11-0089, Options for Proceeding with Future Level 3 Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Activities, dated September 21, 2011.
* Response to SRM-SECY-11-0172, Response to Staff Requirements Memorandum COMGEA-11-0001, Utilization of Expert Judgment in Regulatory Decision Making, dated February 7, 2012.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021                FY 2022                FY 2023 Accomplishments Project
: 1) Finalized internal      1) Finalize internal    1) Finalize internal    Publish Final NUREG technical reports on      technical report on    technical reports on    on Level 3 PRA reactor, at-power, Level 3 reactor, at-power,      reactor, at-power,      Project PRA for internal events    Level 2 PRA for        Level 3 PRA for and internal floods and    internal fires, seismic internal fires, seismic Level 3 PRA    reactor, at-power, Level 1 events, and high        events, and high Activities      PRAs for internal fires    winds                  winds; reactor, low and seismic events                                power and shutdown,
: 2) Finalize internal    Level 3 PRA for
: 2) Completed technical    technical reports on    internal events; and work on reactor, at-      reactor, low power      spent fuel pool Level 3 power, Level 2 PRA        and shutdown, Level 1  PRA for all hazards models for internal fires, 34
 
Year FY 2020 FY 2021                  FY 2022            FY 2023 Project                Accomplishments seismic events, and high      and 2 PRAs for            2) Finalize internal winds                        internal events          technical report on dry cask storage Level 1,
: 3) Completed technical        3) Finalize internal      2, and 3 PRAs for all work on reactor, low          technical report on      hazards power and shutdown,          spent fuel pool Level 1 Level 1, and Level 2 PRA      and Level 2 PRAs for      3) Finalize internal models for internal          all hazards              technical report on events                                                  integrated site risk
: 4) Prepare public
: 4) Completed initial spent    reports on the            4) Issue draft NUREG fuel pool Level 1 and        finalized results of the  for public comment Level 2 PRA models for        Level 3 PRA project all hazards Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Nuclear Regulatory Report (NUREG)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* John Nakoski (John.Nakoski@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY21 Presidents        FY22 Presidents  FY23 FY20 Actuals Budget                    Budget      Trend Business                    CS&T                      CS&T                    CS&T              Research Product                    FTE                        FTE                    FTE Line                        ($K)                    ($K)                    ($K)            Planning Risk Operating Analysis        $0        3.9          $100            1        $100          1 Reactors Research Total                  $0        3.9          $100            1        $100          1 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) - Human reliability analysis support, spent fuel pool PRA support.
* Energy Research Inc. (ERI) - Reactor Level 2 PRA modeling and analysis support (all hazards and plant operating states) and integrated site risk assessment support.
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) - Low power and shutdown phenomena identification and ranking table (PIRT) development support.
* Idaho National Laboratory (INL) - PRA model development using SAPHIRE, internal fire, and high wind PRA modeling and analysis support.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Pressurized Water Reactor Owners Group (PWROG) support for PRA Standards-based peer reviews.
* EPRI and Westinghouse Subject Matter Expert support to the Level 3 PRA Project Technical Advisory Group.
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PRA Standards and Regulatory Guidance Development FY 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This work develops approaches determining the acceptability of probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) used to support regulatory applications to provide confidence in the results of the PRA for risk-informed decision-making. Further, it addresses the development of guidance for licensing and oversight of risk-significant technical areas.
Strategic Focus Areas:
* Maintain the ability to support the use of risk insights in licensing through updating guidance and standards.
* Continue support for licensing reviews through development of technical review guidance and participation in activities to review industry PRA initiatives.
Impact and Benefits
* Supports the development of national consensus standards for the development and application of probabilistic risk assessment tools in decision-making by participating in standards development organizations such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Nuclear Society.
* Provides broadly accepted approaches for conducting PRA analyses, which allows for greater alignment between staff and licensees assessments.
* Clarifies NRC staff position and expectations regarding an acceptable PRA in support of riskinformed regulatory activities.
* Reduces timeline and staff resources for risk-informed licensing decisions and generates fewer requests for additional information.
* Reduces uncertainties in determining structural safety margins.
* Endorses consensus PRA standards in support of risk-informed decision-making.
* Provides technical review guidance for rapidly advancing state-of-the-art control technologies and concepts of operation.
* Identifies the most risk-significant issues associated with non-destructive examination (NDE) and NDE training programs.
Drivers
* Response to Commission Direction Setting Initiative 13 requesting the staff to work with standards development organizations to develop PRA standards.
* User Need Requests NRR/NRO-2011-009 for assistance in enhancing regulatory guidance in support of risk-informed regulatory activities.
* User Need Requests NRR-2019-008 on Human Factors Engineering Technical Support and NRR-2015-001.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021                FY 2022        FY 2023 Project                          Accomplishments ASME/ANS Standard for Level    Finalizing revision to Publication as ANSI    Staff review for NRC endorses in 1/LERF LWR PRA - at-power      standard              Standard              endorsement      Rev. 4 to RG 1.200 conditions ASME/ANS Standard for Level    Finalizing revision to Finalizing revision to Publication as  NRC endorses in 2 LWR PRA                      standard              Standard              ANSI Standard    Rev. 4 to RG 1.200 36
 
Year FY 2020 FY 2021              FY 2022              FY 2023 Project                            Accomplishments Finalizing revision to Finalizing revision to Publication as      Potential staff ASME/ANS Standard for Level standard              standard              ANSI Standard        endorsement 3 LWR PRA review Finalizing revision to Finalizing revision to Publication as      Potential staff ASME/ANS Standard for Level    standard                                      ANSI Standard standard                                    endorsement 1/LERF LWR PRA - low power shutdown                                                                                    review Finalizing revision to Publication as ANSI    Staff review for      Support standard              Standard              endorsement; NRC    development of endorses in new      next revision ASME/ANS Standard for Advanced Non-LWRs PRA                                                        document; support development of next revision ASME/ANS Standard for Level    Finalizing revision to Finalizing revision to Publication as      NRC endorses in 1/LERF Advanced LWR PRA -      standard              standard              ANSI Standard        Rev. 4 to RG 1.200 design certification stage Continued              Continued              Publication as      Trial use period ASME/ANS Standard for Multi-    development of draft  development of draft  ASME/ANS            continued Unit PRA                        trial use PRA          trial use PRA          standard for trial standard              standard              use NEI revised based      NRC endorses in        Industry guidance    Industry guidance on pilots and NRC-    Rev. 3 to RG 1.200    available for use as available for use as NEI 17-07, LWR PRA Peer        issued approval                              endorsed by the      endorsed by the Review Guidance                letter                                        NRC; observation    NRC; observation of guidance          of guidance implementation      implementation NEI developed draft    Revised based on      Staff review for    Industry guidance for staff              NRC draft staff        endorsement; the    available for use as NEI 20-09, ANLWR PRA Peer      consideration          position              NRC endorses in      endorsed by the Review Guidance                                                                                    NRC; observation new document of guidance implementation Received              Publish Rev. 3          Development of      Publish draft Rev 4 Regulatory Guide 1.200          stakeholder input on                          draft guide          for public review Rev. 3                                                            and comment Staff reviewed draft  Continued              The NRC endorses    Staff endorsement Staff Endorsement of the documents and          development of draft  documents in new    available for use; ASME/ANS Standard for developed draft staff  staff positions and    endorsement          observation of Advanced Non-LWR PRA and positions              endorsement            vehicle              guidance NEI 20-09 implementation N/A                    Initiate the          Complete the draft  Finalize the work Catalog of state-of-practice development of the    product for review  product and approved PRA methods catalog                and comment Planning phase        Initiate next revision Continue            Publish draft NUREG-2122, Glossary of                                                      development of      revision for public PRA Terms                                                                    draft revision      review and comment Planning phase        Initiate next revision Continue            Publish draft Enhanced guidance on the development of      revision for public treatment of uncertainty (e.g.,
draft revision      review and NUREG-1855) comment Completed              1) Technical letter    Technical Letter      NUREG on HF in Technical Letter      reports on training    Report on HF in          encoded UT Human Factors (HF) of Non-Report on              and practice in NDE    encoded UT Destructive Examination challenges of HF in    2) NUREG on HF in (NDE) manual Ultrasonic      Manual UT Testing (UT) 37
 
Year FY 2020 FY 2021            FY 2022                FY 2023 Project                              Accomplishments
: 3) Complete field research on HF in encoded UT Completed NUREG-        Develop              1) Develop HFE        Targeted updates 0700, Rev. 3,          recommendations      technical training    to the NRCs HF Human System          for innovation of    program                technical review Human Factors Review              Interface Design        human performance    2) HFE Review              guidance Guidance                          Review Guidelines      operational          Guidance for Small experience trending  / Non-LWR Nuclear Power Plant Designs Deliverables are driven by ASME and ANS Joint Committee on Nuclear Risk Management (JCNRM)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Mehdi Reisi Fard (Mehdi.Reisifard@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents          FY23 FY20 Actuals              FY21 Enacted Budget              Trend Business                        CS&T                      CS&T                      CS&T                    Research Product                    FTE                          FTE                      FTE Line                          ($K)                      ($K)                      ($K)                    Planning Operating      Risk Analysis
                                    $329        3.9          $345          3.4        $345          3.4 Reactors        Research New New Reactors        $0        0.9          $385          1.0        $385          1.0 Reactors Research Adv. Non-Advanced            LWR
                                    $145        0              $0            0          $0          0 Reactors        Regulatory Readiness Total                  $474        4.8          $730          4.4        $730          4.4 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE), light water reactor (LWR)
Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratories - Support for implementing and developing PRA tools and regulatory guidance for risk-informed activities associated with internal events, internal flood, internal fire, seismic, high wind, and external flood PRA for at-power Level 1/LERF, Level 2, Level 3, LPSD, and treatment of parameter uncertainties. Also serves as independent body to support development of national consensus PRA standards.
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - Support for human factors engineering of NDE.
* Brookhaven National Laboratory - Support for human factors engineering technical review guidance development.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Collaboration with ASME and ANS JCNRM to develop PRA standards.
* Collaboration with Nuclear Energy Institute to develop peer review guidance.
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* Collaboration with BWR and PWR Owners Groups to conduct workshops to resolve technical issues.
* Collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute on human factors of NDE.
* Collaboration with the Nuclear Energy Agencys Working Group on Human and Organizational Factors with respect to human factors guidance development.
39
 
MACCS Code Development, Maintenance, and V&V Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID covers development, maintenance, verification, validation, documentation, and distribution of the MACCS computer code (MELCOR Accident Consequence Code System),
a tool used to perform consequence analysis from potential accidents of nuclear reactors and spent fuel. MACCS supports a wide variety of regulatory applications listed below.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Complete MACCS near-field modeling updates and guidance to support emergency planning applications for non-LWR.
* Complete state-of-practice updates consistent with the cost-benefit improvement project.
* Use information exchanges to maximize external and international resource leverage.
* Maintenance, development, and MACCS documentation activities will continue to build staff expertise and ensure that a modern, state-of-practice code can be used to address current and future regulatory applications (e.g., emergency planning, consequence analyses for safety studies and cost--benefit analyses, environmental reviews, changes to rules and regulatory guides, backfit reviews, etc.).
* Address obsolescence issues related to computing architecture to improve flexibility.
* Continued focus on customer support to improve ease of use and to address bugs identified by staff or Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP) members.
Impact and Benefits
* MACCS is the only U.S. code for probabilistic consequence analysis that is used by nuclear power plant licensees and applicants, academia, DOE, and international regulators.
* MACCS use in SAMDA and SAMA environmental reviews minimizes litigative risk in large-scale applications such as design certifications, license renewals, and subsequent license renewals.
* MACCS provided technical basis for risk-informed rulemaking such as decommissioning and emergency preparedness (EP) small modular reactor (SMR) rule.
* MACCS studies (e.g., SOARCA, spent fuel pool studies, containment protection and release reduction) enable risk-informed decision-making by providing unique insights on margins to the quantitative health objectives (QHOs).
Drivers
* Non-LWR Implementation Action Plan Strategy 2, Acquire/develop sufficient computer codes and tools to perform non-LWR regulatory reviews. This is an advanced reactor driver that is also applicable to emergency planning calculations under the operating reactor business line.
* User Need Request NMSS-2020-002, Consolidated Cost-Benefit Guidance Improvement Activities.
* MACCS Code Suite Maintenance, Development, Documentation, Verification, Distribution, User Support, Workshops, and International Collaboration.
40
 
Key Deliverables Year              FY20 FY21                          FY22                      FY23 Project                  Accomplishments
* Release minor
* Release minor version NMSS-2020-002:                                                                    version update to
* Release minor
* Released major            update to MACCS (v4.1)
Cost-Benefit                                                                      MACCS (v4.2) with          version update upgrade to MACCS          with near-field Guidance                                                                          health effects            MACCS (v4.3) with (v4.0) with                atmospheric transport Improvement                                                                        valuation model            state-of-practice long-alternative                and dispersion (ATD)
Activities
* Incorporate new            term protective action atmospheric model          model and associated radionuclide options      and cost modeling with significant          documentation Non-LWR                                                                            identified from the      updates code distribution
* Complete radionuclide Implementation                                                                      radionuclide
* Address improvements              screening analysis for Action Plan                                                                        screening analysis,      obsolescence issues non-LWRs Strategy 2                                                                          if needed
* Develop MACCS
* Draft MACCS User Modernization Plan Guide
* Complete MACCS
* Address MACCS
* Address MACCS MACCS Code
* Draft MACCS Verification Report,            obsolescence issues        obsolescence issues theory manual Development and                                    MACCS User Guide,
* IMUG 2022 meeting
* IMUG 2023 meting
* MACCS Maintenance                                        MACCS theory manual
* User support for new
* User support for new architecture
* IMUG 2021 virtual              release                    release modernization meeting
* Held virtual IMUG
* User support for MACCS 2020 meeting (v4.0) release Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
* NOTE: Currently budgeted contract funds are not sufficient to support all the planned accomplishments.
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Luis Betancourt (Luis.Betancourt@nrc.gov), Chief, Accident Analysis Branch in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY21            FY22        FY23 FY20 Presidents      Presidents    Trend Actuals Budget            Budget Business                                                                                              Research Product                    $K    FTE        $K        FTE    $K    FTE Line                                                                                                Planning Operating Risk Analysis                $624    3.3      $300      2.0    $400    2.0 Reactors New New Reactors Research              $45    0.2 Reactors Advanced      Advanced Non-LWR Regulatory
                                                                $200              $200      0.4  $100*    0.3*
Reactors                Readiness Total                          $869    3.5      $500      2.4    $500    2.3 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
          *FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
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Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratories - MACCS Code Suite Maintenance, Development, Applications and Technical Support.
* Southwest Research Institute - MACCS Code Suite Development.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Interactions with EPA to incorporate its BPIP source code into the MACCS code to support our effort to improve MACCSs capability to more accurately model near-field atmospheric transport.
* MOU with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the development of modern atmospheric dispersion tools for nuclear power risk and consequence analysis techniques.
* MACCS development is leveraged domestically (e.g., DOE, NOAA) and internationally via the NRCs CSARP. CSARP contains over 25 member countries, and their membership dues are used to support MELCOR and MACCS code development, maintenance, and international meetings and cooperative projects. The number of MACCS users by country is shown in the map below.
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WinMACCS, MelMACCS, and SecPop Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID covers development, maintenance, verification, validation, documentation, and distribution for the user interface, utility, pre-processor, and post-processor codes that support MACCS (MELCOR Accident Consequence Code System) consequence analysis calculations and enable its use in a variety of regulatory applications.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Address obsolescence issue related to computing architecture to improve flexibility.
* Complete COMIDA2 updates and documentation.
* Complete MelMACCS updates including user interface and documentation.
* Continued focus on customer support improving ease of use and address bugs identified by staff or Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP) members.
Impact and Benefits
* Use of the following MACCS utility codes enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory analyses and assessments:
o WinMACCS is the graphical user interface for MACCS.
o MelMACCS is the pre-processor code that converts MELCOR source term results into MACCS input format.
o SecPop is the pre-processor code that prepares site-specific data including population, land use and land fraction, and economic data.
o COMIDA2 is the pre-processor code that prepares food chain/ingestion model input data.
o AniMACCS is the post-processor code that enables visualization of plume dispersion and air and ground concentrations of modeled accident releases.
o LHS is the pre-processor code that supports uncertainty analysis by generating values of uncertain parameters based on user-defined probability distributions.
* These codes plus MACCS support regulatory applications including (1) regulatory cost-benefit analyses, (2) environmental analyses of Severe Accident Mitigation Alternatives (SAMA) and Design Alternatives (SAMDA), (3) Level 3 PRA, (4) research studies of accident consequences, (5) support for emergency preparedness, and (6) dose-distance evaluations for emergency planning.
Drivers
* MACCS Code Suite Maintenance, Development, Documentation, Verification, Modernization, Distribution, User Support, Workshops, and International Collaboration.
* Improving robustness and runtime performance of MACCS calculations for NRC and other external domestic and international code users.
43
 
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 Project                Accomplishments                  FY21                  FY22                    FY23
* Publish MelMACCS User Guide, Theory
* Complete              Manual, and COMIDA2 input        Verification parameter            Report MACCS Code Suite
* Release technical basis
* Update SecPop        Transition to new Development and          AniMACCS report                code to include      interface Maintenance              publicly
* Complete              2020 US Census FogBugz
* Address implementation        WinMACCS Graphical User Interface obsolescence Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Luis Betancourt (Luis.Betancourt@nrc.gov), Chief, Accident Analysis Branch in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY20          FY21 Presidents      FY22 Presidents        Research Actuals            Budget                  Budget            Planning Business Line      Product        $K      FTE      $K        FTE          $K      FTE            Trend Operating          Risk
                                    $187    0.1      $50        1.0        $50        1.0 Reactors        Analysis Risk New Reactors                        $14 Analysis Total                  $201    0.1      $50        1.0        $50        1.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratories - MACCS code suite maintenance, development, and verification and validation.
* Southwest Research Institute - Verify Sample Problem Input Parameters.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MACCS and its supporting utility codes are shared internationally via NRCs Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP). CSARP contains over 25 member countries, and their membership dues are used to support MELCOR and MACCS code development, maintenance, and international meetings and cooperative projects. The number of MACCS users by country is shown in the map below.
44
 
45 Consequence Analysis Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID covers the planning, performance, documentation, and review of consequence analysis calculations for a variety of regulatory purposes. Consequence calculations generally use the MACCS code suite, but this EPID also covers analyses and projects that do not involve MACCS.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Enhance readiness to support licensing actions by o Using recently completed consequence analyses to risk-inform regulatory processes.
o Using consequence analysis to support the cost-benefit guidance improvement program.
o Using consequence analysis to support risk-informing emergency planning.
* Develop and maintain staff core capabilities in consequence analyses for light- water and non-light-water reactors.
Impact and Benefits
* Safety studies like the Commission-directed State-of-the-Art Reactor Consequence Analyses (SOARCA) studies provide technical basis for possible reactor program changes based on margins to the quantitative health objectives.
* Evacuation time estimate (ETE) studies facilitate 10 CFR 50, Appendix E reviews.
* Level 3 PRA activities enable licensing modernization for innovative non-LWR designs.
* Consequence analysis projects underpin methodology for scalable emergency planning zone (EPZ).
* Incident response E-library and ETE studies improve NRC incident response readiness.
Drivers
* SRM-SECY-11-0089 (Level 3 PRA Project).
* User Need Request NMSS-2020-002, Complete Consolidated Cost-Benefit Guidance Improvement Activities,
* Draft NRR User Need Request (Consequence Analysis Applications).
* User Need Request NSIR-2016-001, Incident Response Electronic Library.
* User Need Request NSIR-2017-002, Support Emergency Preparedness Rulemaking and Related Activities.
* Strategy 2 of the Implementation Action Plan (IAP) for advanced non-light water reactors.
Key Deliverables Year FY20 FY21                        FY22                  FY23 Project              Accomplishments
* Completed Level 3
* Complete Level 3 PRA project offsite                                      PRA project NUREG
* Complete Level 3 PRA SRM-SECY        consequence analysis                                    documentation of all project offsite consequence calculations and                                        offsite consequence 0089: Level 3                                  analysis calculations and documentation for low                                    analyses PRA Project                                    documentation for spent fuel power and shutdown pool releases sequences NMSS-2020-002:
* Completed
* Complete Cost-Benefit
* Develop screening
* Develop an electronic Cost-Benefit        Replacement Energy        Guidance Update Appendix analysis to inform    repository of MACCS Guidance            Costs NUREG Study        K on Morbidity Valuation 46
 
Year FY20 FY21                          FY22                        FY23 Project                Accomplishments Improvement
* Complete consequence            level of detail needed    analyses for use in Activities                                    analysis to inform cost          for SAMDA/SAMA            future activities uncertainty for use in regulatory cost-benefit applications
* Complete analysis to identify
* Additional offsite which accident mitigation        consequence
* Additional Offsite equipment are most              analyses, as needed
* Completed Research                                                                  Consequence Analyses, important in severe accidents
* Provide technical Information Letter                                                                  as needed for SDP and reactor              advice and guidance (RIL-2020-003) on the
* Provide technical advice oversight (leverage SOARCA      on the use of the NRR                    many benefits and                                                                  and guidance on the use UA and L3PRA)                    MACCS code suite for uses of the SOARCA                                                                  of the MACCS code Consequence
* Complete SOARCA                  regulatory project                                                                            suite for regulatory Analysis
* Completed final Uncertainty Analysis            applications, as applications, as needed Applications                                  Summary NUREG report            needed revision of the
* Continue the evaluation
* Complete NUREG study to
* Begin evaluation of SOARCA brochure                                                                    of consequences from inform when site-specific        consequences from (NUREG/BR-0359,                                                                    non-LWRs source term SAMDA are needed in new          non-LWRs source Rev. 3)                                                                            demo calculations using reactor applications or          term demo MACCS, if needed whether generic SAMDA            calculations using could be used                    MACCS
* Completed NUREG/CR-7269, Enhancing Guidance for ETE Studies to NSIR-2014-002:        support NSIR Evacuation Time        development of Estimate Studies      updated ETE guidance in NUREG/CR-7002, Rev. 1.
* Closed UNR.
* Complete report NSIR-2016-001:                                                                    capturing electronic
* Complete electronic library Offsite Response                                of emergency plans and          library information Organization                                    other information useful for    useful for MACCS Emergency                                        the Operations Center            consequence Response Plans                                  during emergency response        analyses and Procedures
* Update Op Center electronic library
* Completed evaluation of non-radiological consequences of
* Conduct updated
* Infiltration of NSIR-2017-002:                                                                                              Radionuclides and evacuation and relocation        PAR study to better Emergency
* Evaluation of MACCS code          risk-inform EP (future    Impact on Shelter Dose Preparedness                                    updates and their impact on      user need)                Reduction Factors protective action recommendations (PAR)
Ad Hoc support to NRR staff reviews of NPP      Provide assistance as requested licensing amendment Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Luis Betancourt (Luis.Betancourt@nrc.gov), Chief, Accident Analysis Branch in the Division of Systems Analysis 47
 
Resources FY20        FY21 Presidents        FY22 Presidents    FY23 Actuals            Budget                    Budget        Trend Research Business Line        Product        $K      FTE      $K            FTE        ($K        FTE Planning Operating          Risk
                                      $559      1.8    $300          3.0        $300        3.0 Reactors        Analysis Risk New Reactors                        $32      0.1    $80          0.5        $80        0.5 Analysis Total                  $591      1.9    $380          3.5        $380        3.5 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratories - Providing technical support as needed.
* ICF - Replacement Energy Costs Study.
* Gryphon Scientific - Literature Survey and Analysis on Non-Radiological Consequences of Evacuation and Relocation.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MACCS is shared internationally via the NRCs Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP). CSARP contains over 25 member countries, and their membership dues are used to support MELCOR and MACCS code development, maintenance, and international meetings and cooperative projects. The number of MACCS users by country is shown in the map below.
48
 
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* Research under this EPID supports identifying and evaluating technical issues and gaps for using data science and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the regulatory programs.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Evaluate the regulatory readiness levels and gaps of data science and AI technologies.
* Build staff core capabilities in data science and AI to better position the agency to benefit from these technologies.
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-practice and state-of-art in data science and AI technologies.
* Increase awareness and develop a common understanding of data science and AI capabilities across NRC and the nuclear industry.
Impact and Benefits
* Develop Data Science and AI Strategic Plan to improve coordination of AI development and usage across the agency, prepare staff for regulatory applications, and accelerate internal NRC business improvements.
* Develop a regulatory infrastructure for using data science and AI technologies.
* Enhance staff knowledge in applications and use of data science and AI.
Drivers
* Research Assistance Request NRR-2020-018, Resource Prediction Based on Historical Licensing Actions
* Research Assistance Request NRR-2021-010, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops
* NRC initiative to use data analytics for regulatory enhancements to become a modern, risk-informed regulator, The Dynamic Futures for NRC Mission Areas Key Deliverables Year FY20 FY21                FY22                FY23 Accomplishments Project NRR-2020-018:
* Develop resource prediction tool Resource based on historical Predictor Tool                                    licensing actions
* Complete workshops for
* Complete NRR-2021-010:                                      application of        memorandum Data Science and                                  advanced data        documenting AI Workshop                                        science techniques    workshop in regulatory        proceedings decision-making
* Prepare internal
* Publish final Data
* Execute Data Data Science and                                  draft Data Science Science and AI        Science and AI AI Strategic Plan                                  and AI Strategic Strategic Plan        Strategic Plan Plan
* Continue Capstone Use
* Develop and execution of implement capstone Cases in Data                                                                                  capstone use use cases in data Science and AI                                                                                cases in data science and AI science and AI Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Artificial Intelligence (AI) 49
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Luis Betancourt (Luis.Betancourt@nrc.gov), Chief, Accident Analysis Branch in the Division of Systems Analysis
* Mehdi Reisi Fard (Mehdi.Reisifard@nrc.gov), Chief, Performance and Reliability Branch in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY20      FY21 Presidents        FY22 Presidents    FY23 Actuals          Budget                  Budget        Trend Research Business Line          Product        $K      FTE    $K          FTE        $K        FTE Planning Research Operating Reactor        $0      0.0    $0            0.0        $0        0.0 Reactors Support Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* None.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Finalized Memorandum of Understanding Addendum with the U.S. Department of Energy on Data Analytics for operating experience.
* Finalizing Memorandum of Understanding with the Electric Power Research Institute that includes, among other topics, collaboration on Data Analytics
* Collaborate with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute to better understand industrys use cases for Data Analytics and identify areas for future cooperation.
* Participation in Federal interagency workings groups (e.g., National Institute of Standards Artificial Intelligence Standards Coordination Working Group) and leverage research activities with federal agencies.
* Hosted three Data Science and AI workshops in Summer 2021.
50
 
MELCOR Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes the research to enable the NRC to develop, validate, and maintain the state-of-the-art MELCOR computer code used to perform severe accident and source term analysis in support of safety issue resolution and risk-informed decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Efficiently maintain code at state-of-the-practice especially for a variety of regulatory applications, Fukushima forensics, and other long-running analysis.
* Modernize MELCOR to enhance its technical and regulatory readiness.
* Develop and maintain staff core capabilities in source term and severe accident analyses for light- water and non-light-water reactors.
* Continued focus on customer support improving ease of use and address bugs identified by staff or Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP) members.
* Use commercial entities to increase CSARP participation and leverage advanced reactor capabilities.
Impact and Benefits
* MELCOR code development activities have supported many regulatory analyses, inspection support, emergency response support, and formal studies activities that are described in the Source Term and Accident Consequences EPID one-pager, such as o Technical Specifications Amendments.
o Formal studies (e.g., Spent Fuel Pool Study [NUREG-2161], containment protection and release reduction rulemaking [NUREG-2206]) that led to hundreds of millions of averted costs.
o Updates to Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) models and development of Severe Accident Management Guidelines (SAMG) insights.
o Rulemaking technical basis (e.g., decommissioning rule, spent fuel pool petition for rulemakings).
o Upgrades the Reactor Technical Tool designed for responses to emergencies at the NRCs Operation Center.
* Note that drivers and resources for Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF), High Burnup and High Enrichment MELCOR Code Development and Maintenance are covered by the Accident Tolerant Fuel EPID.
* MELCOR supports non-LWR source term demo calculations and regulatory reviews.
Drivers
* NRR-2020-010 - MELCOR State-of-Practice Modernization Project.
* Code development and maintenance supports other user needs (i.e., NRR-2019-009, NRR-2019-010) and NRC projects and regulatory applications.
* Strategy 2 of the Implementation Action Plan (IAP) for advanced non-light water reactors.
51
 
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 Project                                                          FY21                        FY22                      FY23 Accomplishments Release of MELCOR          Release of MELCOR 2.2 Release of MELCOR Release of MELCOR 2.2 with      2.2 with improvements      with improvements and 2.2 build 15254 with MELCOR Development                                  code stability & robustness      and bug fixes & interim    bug fixes &
improvements to fission
& Modernization                                    improvements for source term    release of modernized      implementation of core product models and prediction                      code (hydrodynamic        damage models in the code stability package)                  modernized code Code release with model improvements to support source term demo calculations Code release with Models implemented for    and regulatory reviews model improvements to      Code release with model MELCOR for non-LWR      various technologies &
support source term        improvements to support applications            support for source term    Complete source term demo calculations and      regulatory reviews demo calculations          demonstration project for regulatory reviews representative heat pipe, gas-cooled, and salt-cooled reactors.
Preparation of workshop          Preparation of workshop    Preparation of workshop MELCOR user group        Delayed due to COVID-materials and hands-on          materials and hands-on    materials and hands-on workshops and training  19 problems                        problems                  problems Conducted virtual          Develop presentations and        Develop presentations      Develop presentations MELCOR technical annual technical          exchange technical information  and exchange technical    and exchange technical review meetings exchange meetings          to improve MELCOR modeling      information to improve    information to improve (MCAP/EMUG/AMUG)
MELCOR modeling            MELCOR modeling Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Hossein Esmaili, Ph.D. (Hossein.Esmaili@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY21        FY22 Presidents        FY23 FY20 Actuals Enacted            Budget            Trend Business                                                                                              Research Product                $K      FTE      $K    FTE        $K        FTE Line                                                                                                Planning Operating Risk Analysis          $1,293      1.0    $1223    1.0      $1350        1.0 Reactors Advanced      Advanced Non-LWR
                                                        $1,376      0.4      $800    0.4      $600*      0.3*
Reactors      Regulatory Readiness Total                      $2,669      1.4    $1050    1.4      $1950        1.4 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
        *FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratories - Development and Maintenance of MELCOR computer code.
52
 
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Through the CSARP, RES provides MELCOR to international code users (about 1,000 users in 30 countries). The NRC receives about $1M annually from fees collected from international organizations (not reflected in above amount).
53
 
Severe Accident Verification and Validation Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes cooperative research to enable the NRC to obtain experimental data and analyses for verification and validation of its severe accident codes, mainly MELCOR, which are used to formulate a technical basis for regulatory decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Remain almost exclusively leveraged and focused on supporting industry driven projects.
* Reduced source term engagements unless useful for accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) or advanced reactors.
* Support the Japanese, DOE, and industry cooperation on Fukushima forensics.
* Rebuild severe accident phenomenology expertise due to losses in expertise associated with staff retirements.
Impact and Benefits
* Provides technical leadership and support to highly leveraged (often 10:1 benefit to cost ratio) international projects that reduce key uncertainties in severe accident code and knowledge (e.g., spent fuel pools, severe accidents, source terms).
* Provides access to the largest repository of severe accident verification and validation information since Three Mile Island for pennies on the dollar.
* Cost for participation in cooperative experimental programs is offset by funding from the Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP).
Drivers
* Need to continue improvements in the predictive capability of MELCOR as a state-of-the-practice reactor safety analysis code to provide independent confirmatory reactor analysis capability.
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 FY21                    FY22                FY23 Project                    Accomplishments Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI)/Nucl                                                    Publish NEA Published annual report Publish annual report ear Energy Agency                                                            summary reports (NEA) PreADES & ARC-F Continue with Continue with testing Continue with testing                          additional semi-and synthesis of and synthesis of results.                      integral and CSNI/NEA ESTER            Initiate ESTER program                            results. Focus on Start of semi-integral                          EPICUR testing tests with VERDON and EPICUR test                                and synthesis of samples results MEDEA steam/water Institut de                                        Synthesize cladding spray penetration into Radioprotection et de                              oxidation test results;  Prepare final reports bundle test; MIDI and 54
 
Year            FY20 FY21                    FY22                FY23 Project                    Accomplishments Surete Nucleaire (IRSN)  ASPEC - spray cooling        conduct ASPEC spray DENOPI experiment        test matrix development      cooling Development of database related to Benchmarking HYMERES-2 for CSNI/NEA HYMERES-2                                    advanced simulation Knowledge (2017-2021)                                            tools using HYMERES-Management and future 2 results.
benchmarking and validation.
Conduct additional Agreed on the first test                              Conduct additional CSNI/NEA Reduction of                                  DCAM-1 first test                                tests in to be carried out;                                    tests in DCAM/MST Severe Accident                                        results and MST-1 test                          DCAM/MST test completed necessary                                    test matrix, analysis, Uncertainties (ROSAU)                                  specifications                                  matrix, analysis, facility modification                                  and reporting and reporting Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
* OECD/NEA/CSNI Senior Expert Group on Safety Research Opportunity Post-Fukushima (SAREF) near term projects - Preparatory Study on Analysis of Fuel Debris (PreADES) and Analysis of Information from Reactor Buildings and Containment Vessels of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (ARC-F).
* OECD/NEA/CSNI Experiments on Source Term for Delayed Releases (ESTER) project -
experiments and analysis on long-term radionuclide release mechanisms focusing on revaporization of surface deposits in the reactor coolant system and containment and on iodine chemistry, specifically organic iodide formation performed at the Cadarache Nuclear Center in France.
* IRSN DENOPI experiments at Cadarache Nuclear Center - spent fuel pool related (e.g.,
spray droplets penetration into PWR bundle and air/steam oxidation of zirconium cladding).
* OECD/NEA/CSNI HYMERES project - Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) quality experiment data on hydrogen behavior in containment and pool scrubbing (of aerosols).
* OECD/NEA/CSNI Reduction of Severe Accident Uncertainties (ROSAU) project - Ex-vessel molten core concrete interaction (MCCI) experiments conducted at the Argonne National Laboratory.
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Hossein Esmaili, Ph.D. (Hossein.Esmaili@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY21 Presidents    FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals Budget                Budget          Trend Research Business Line        Product            $K      FTE        $K      FTE          $K        FTE Planning Operating Risk Analysis        $1,558    1.0      $100      1.0        $100        1.0 Reactors New Reactors New Reactors                              $55 Research Total                    $1613      1.0      $100      1.0        $100        1.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE) 55
 
Contractor Support & Payment for International Projects
* Sandia National Laboratories - CSNI/Pre-ADES and ARC-F projects providing information on Reactor Building, Containment Vessel, and Water Sampling at Fukushima
* NEA/CSNI ESTER - long-term radionuclide release and Iodine chemistry experiments.
* IRSN DENOPI - Cladding oxidation in air/steam and spray penetration into PWR bundle testing.
* NEA/CSNI HYMERES - CFD quality experiment data on hydrogen behavior in containment and pool scrubbing.
* NEA/CSNI ROSAU - MCCI experiments.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Nuclear Energy Agency/Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (NEA/CSNI).
* Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, or Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety.
* Canadian Regulatory body (CNSC) and national laboratory (CNL) on code assessment and validation against Canadian experiments.
* Japanese Regulatory body (NRA-J) and other organizations (TEPCO, JAEA).
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Accident Progression and Source Term Analysis Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes research for the NRC to perform independent plant safety and risk analyses using the MELCOR code to formulate a technical basis for risk-informed regulatory decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain state-of-the-practice severe accident and source term staff expertise and analytic capability for licensing and inspection applications Impact and Benefits
* Licensees continue use of RG 1.183 to request Technical Specifications (TS) changes to reduce operational cost and regulatory burden in maintaining equipment used to control and or mitigate radionuclides releases, such as o Relaxation of TS operability requirements allowing for a more efficient execution of reactor outage work with a resulting reduction in operator radiation exposure.
o Relaxation of TS allowable main steam isolation valve leak rate which reduces the need for refurbishing main steam isolation valves and commensurate operator radiation exposure.
* Analyses support updating Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) models, providing best-estimate thermal-hydraulic calculations to confirm or enhance specific success criteria for system performance and operator timing used in the Significance Determination Process.
* Analysis of the NEA-led Fukushima forensic analysis efforts will improve severe accident realism and more risk-informed decisions.
Drivers
* User Need Request NRR-2013-011, which provides support for the SHINE Operating License licensing review.
* Informal Assistance Request IAR 2020-11-30, re-evaluation of settling velocity distribution and the multi-group method in support of revision to RG 1.183.
* Regulations in 10 CFR Part 50 (Design Criteria), Part 51 (NEPA), and Part 100 (Siting) require source term analysis to support TS and License Amendment Requests.
* Other drivers include on-call support to modify the Reactor Technical Tool for the Operation Center, for petitions for rulemakings and rulemaking support, and for SPAR model development.
* Note that drivers and resources for Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF), High Burnup, and High Enrichment analyses are covered by the Accident Tolerant Fuel EPID.
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 FY21                    FY22            FY23 Project                          Accomplishments Published final NUREG-                                    Perform Grand    Decide on the SPAR model development                                      Develop model for 2236 for the Duane                                        Gulf analysis and next SPAR (RES/DRA led)                                                Grand Gulf Arnold model                                              documentation    model Finalize internal          Publish draft Site Level 3 analysis (reactor Documented final spent                                                      Publish final technical report for        NUREGs for and spent fuel pools          fuel pool analysis                                                          NUREGs spent fuel pool (SFP)      public comments Research and Technical        Maintain state-of-practice for fuel coolant interactions (FCI) phenomenology and the TEXAS Assistance on Severe          code§ 57
 
Year                FY20 FY21                  FY22          FY23 Project                              Accomplishments Accidents - University of Wisconsin Re-evaluation of the Fission Documented fission Product Release and product assessment and Transport for a Fuel Handling FHA reports.
Accident [FHA]
Complete the re-Re-evaluation of aerosol evaluation analysis characteristics in support of and propose updated RG 1.183 particle characteristics Ad Hoc support to NRR staff reviews of NPP licensing            Provided assistance as requested amendment CSNI Analysis of Information from Reactor Building and Containment Vessel and TEPCO provided latest Fukushima forensic investigation and data to Water Sampling in continue forensics analysis and code improvements Fukushima Daiichi NPS (ARC-F) - MELCOR analysis of Fukushima accidents
    § TEXAS is a stand-alone code for fuel coolant interaction (FCI), a severe accident phenomenon that takes place in a very short timescale that it is not feasible to incorporate into MELCOR.
Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Hossein Esmaili, Ph.D. (Hossein.Esmaili@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY20          FY21 Presidents      FY22 Presidents  FY23 Actuals              Budget              Budget        Trend Research Business Line            Product            $K      FTE        $K        FTE        $K      FTE Planning Operating Risk Analysis          $74    0.2      $50        1.7        $50      1.7 Reactors New Reactors New Reactors                                $150    0.1 Research Total                      $224    0.3      $50        1.7        $50      1.7 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratories - MELCOR Analysis Support.
* University of Wisconsin - Fuel coolant interaction and the TEXAS code.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Through the CSARP, the NRC receives about $1M annually from fees collected from international organizations (not reflected in above amount).
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Dose Assessment Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes computer code development and maintenance for design-basis accidents (DBAs) using the Symbolic Nuclear Analysis Package/Radionuclide Transport, Removal And Dose Estimation (SNAP/RADTRAD) computer code and incident response using the Radiological Assessment System for Consequence Analysis (RASCAL) dose assessment computer codes.
* Also includes computer code development and maintenance of Radiation Protection Computer Code Analysis and Maintenance Program (RAMP) codes that support licensing of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Examples include atmospheric codes (ARCON & PAVAN),
siting and effluent codes (NRCDose & the Gaseous and Liquid Effluent (GALE) code), and the control room habitability (HABIT) code.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain a high level of technical and regulatory readiness for all RAMP NPP codes.
* Develop and maintain staff core capabilities in dose assessment.
* Identify resource savings and consolidation opportunities across dose projection and atmospheric codes. Examples include merging former NRO-supported atmospheric codes (ARCON, PAVAN & XOQDOQ); siting and effluent codes (NRCDose software suite &
GALE); and control room habitability (HABIT) into this EPID.
* Determine a baseline computer code development and maintenance budget for all RAMP NPP codes.
Impact and Benefits
* The RASCAL computer code is a key Protective Measures Team tool supporting the NRC incident response function. RASCAL is used to assess and confirm protective action recommendations of NRC-licensees (NPPs) to make informed protective action decisions.
* The SNAP/RADTRAD code allows users to efficiently and effectively perform confirmatory design basis accident radiological dose calculations to confirm compliance with the applicable criteria of 10 CFR 100.11 and 50.67 by applying either the TID-14844 source term or Alternative Source Term (AST). Analysis with the AST has resulted in more efficient execution of reactor operations and relaxation or deletion of various structures, systems, and component operability and surveillance requirements in the Technical Specifications.
* The RAMP atmospheric computers codes of ARCON and PAVAN are used to calculate the relative ground-level air concentrations (X/Q) for the assessment of potential accidental releases of radioactive material from NPPs. The ARCON code is used in support of control room habitability assessments required by 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, General Design Criterion (GDC) 19 and RG 1.194. The PAVAN code is used in support of the exclusion area boundary and the outer boundary of the low population zone assessments required by 10 CFR Part 50, 10 CFR Part 100, and RG 1.145.,
* The NRCDose (GASPAR, LADTAP, and XOQDOQ) and GALE codes implement the NRCs current requirements for As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) for radioactive effluents from nuclear power plants required by 10 CFR Part 20 and RGs 1.109, 1.111 and 1.113.
* The HABIT code is used in support of control room habitability in the event of chemical release as required by 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, GDC 19, and RG 1.78.
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Drivers
* User Need Request NRR-2017-012, User Need Request to Support and Enhance the SNAP/RADTRAD Computer Code for Use in Nuclear Regulatory Commission Licensing Activities, (ML17184A139) requests RES assistance in addressing specific enhancements specific enhancements and continued code support for the SNAP/RADTRAD computer code.
* Research Assistance Request NRR-2021-002, GALE-NRCDose3 Computer Code Development, (ML20346A056) requests RES assistance in addressing specific enhancements specific enhancements and continued code support for the GALE and NRCDose3 computer code.
* User Need Request NSIR-2021-002, RASCAL Computer Code Maintenance and Development, (ML21041A150) requests the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) assistance in addressing specific enhancements to the RASCAL computer code and the evaluation of other technical assessment tools used for assessing possible effects of a radiological incident.
* Strategy 2 of the Implementation Action Plan (IAP), NRC Non-Light Water Reactor (Non-LWR) Vision and Strategy, Volume 4 - Licensing and Siting Dose Assessment Codes, (ML21085A484).
Key Deliverables Year              FY20 FY21                FY22                FY23 Project                  Accomplishments Code maintenance Released beta version  Update RASCAL 5.0 with RASCAL 5.0                                                            and add user of RASCAL 5.0 (Java)  all NPP Models and                          Code maintenance NSIR-2015-002                                                          requested features for testing            further testing into RASCAL 5.0 Released RADTRAD-      RADTRAD-AC v5.0.1 SNAP/RADTRAD 5.0 AC versions 5.0.0 and  validation testing and  Code maintenance  Code maintenance NRR-2017-012 5.0.1                  code maintenance Code maintenance and consolidation Code maintenance  ALARA Siting codes -
and consolidation  GALE with NPP Licensing Update NRCDose3          ATD codes -        NRCDose3 and Support Computer      Released NRCDose3 release v1.1.3 and HABIT ARCON, PAVAN &    development of Codes (NRCDose3,      v1.1.2, HABIT v2.1 and v2.2 & provide code      XOQDOQ -          normal effluent source HABIT, GALE,          ARCON v2.0 maintenance              Release            term module for non-ARCON & PAVAN) consolidated ATD  LWRs. Update of code.              Regulatory Guides (RGs) 1.109, 1.111, 1.145, and 1.194 Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* John Tomon (John.Tomon@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis 60
 
Resources FY22        FY23 FY20 Actuals    FY21 Enacted          Presidents    Trend Budget Research Business Line            Product            $K  FTE      $K      FTE        $K      FTE Planning Operating Risk Analysis        $863  1.1    $372      2.0      $472      2.0 Reactors New Reactors New Reactors                                $446  0.4    $300      0.6      $300      0.6 Research Spent Fuel Storage and        Waste Research                          $40      0.2      $200      0.2 Transportation Advanced Non-Advanced LWR Regulatory          $200  0.2    $200      0.4      $100      0.3 Reactors Readiness Total                      $1,509  1.7    $912      3.2      $1,072      3.1 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Athey Consulting - RASCAL computer code and emergency response assessment tools and training for the NRC Operations Center.
* Sandia National Laboratories - Code development, updates, and maintenance for the source term models in the RASCAL computer code.
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - Code development, updates, and maintenance for the atmospheric transportation and dispersion models in the RASCAL computer code & the licensing and siting ATD codes (ARCON & PAVAN).
* ISL - Code development, updates, and maintenance for the SNAP/RADTRAD computer code.
* Leidos, Inc. - RAMP Web site development and maintenances and the HABIT computer code development, updates, and maintenance.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Through RAMP, RES provides RASCAL to about 212 international users (20 countries) and 603 domestic users (as shown below).
61
* Through RAMP, RES provides SNAP/RADTRAD to about 144 international users (8 countries) and 306 domestic code users (as shown below).
* Leverage assets of the DOE developed for the Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC) computer code (Turbo FRMAC) into RAMP. The Turbo FRMAC code is a tool used in conjunction with the Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex (NRIA) to the National Response Framework (NRF) during the intermediate and late phase of a radiological event at an NPP facility.
* Leverage (add) New Reactor Business Line funding related to code development and maintenance for atmospheric codes (ARCON and PAVAN), siting and effluent codes (GALE and NRCDose (XOQDOQ, LADTAP & GASPAR)), and the control room habitability (HABIT) code into this Operating Reactor Business Line EPID.
62
 
Radiation Protection Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes computer code development and maintenance for the radiation protection assessment computer codes (i.e., VARSKIN, Phantom with Moving Arms and Legs [PIMAL], and Radiological Toolbox [RadToolbox]). These codes are used to evaluate radiation safety and protection of workers and members of the public from releases during normal and accident conditions and are within the NRCs Radiological Protection Code Analysis and Maintenance Program (RAMP).
Strategic Focus Areas
* Support regulatory decision making with respect to dose assessment, emergency response, decommissioning, and environmental assessments.
* Develop and maintain staff core capabilities in health physics and radiation protection topics of regulatory importance.
* Rebuild advanced dosimetry technical expertise.
* Continued focus on customer support improving ease of use and address bugs identified by staff or RAMP members.
Impact and Benefits
* RAMP, initiated by SECY-14-0117, is a growing program intended to leverage resources for the development and maintenance of a set of radiation protection related codes (e.g.,
radiological, dose assessment, emergency response, decommissioning, and environmental codes) such that they dont become technically and functionally obsolete.
* The VARSKIN computer code is used by inspection staff and NRC licensees to calculate skin dose and to perform confirmatory calculations of licensees' submittals regarding skin dose estimates at any skin depth or skin volume with point, disk, cylindrical, spherical, or slab sources and even enables users to compute doses from multiple sources.
* The PIMAL computer program is a graphical user interface (GUI) with pre-processor and post-processor capabilities to aid NRC staff and licensees in developing realistic worker doses for Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) input decks and code execution. Users can generate realistic dose limits based upon actual scenario-based geometries (worker positioning) to calculate dose more accurately as compared to a box standing straight in a direct path to a source.
* The RadToolbox computer code provides ready access to data of interest in radiation safety and protection of workers and members of the public. The data include radioactive decay data, dose coefficients, bio kinetic data, and other tabular date of interest to radiation protection personnel.
Drivers
* The purpose, functions, and responsibilities of the RAMP cooperative research and code-sharing program are delineated in SECY-14-0117, The Radiation Protection Computer Code Analysis and Maintenance Program.
* The VARSKIN computer code is used to calculate dose to the skin resulting from exposure to radiation emitted from hot particles as required by 10 CFR Part 20.1201(c).
* Research Assistance Request (RAR) NMSS-2021-001, Dosimetry Analysis, Computations, and Support for RAMP Tools for Material Licensing and Inspection, (ML21039A665) provides dosimetry analysis support including but not limited to providing MCNP, VARSKIN, 63
 
and PIMAL calculations. Provide maintenance, support, and development for the PIMAL, VARSKIN and the Integrated Modules for Bioassay Analysis (IMBA) computer codes.
* RAR NRR-2021-011, VARSKIN Computer Code Development, (ML21082A303) provides the maintenance, development, distribution, and technical support for the VARSKIN through RAMP. Additionally, this RAR supports the development and integration the NCRP Report No. 156 and the ISO 20031:2020 biokinetic wound dosimetry calculation model for beta and gamma radiation into the VARSKIN computer code.
Key Deliverables Year              FY20 Project                                              FY21              FY22              FY23 Accomplishments Complete the update to Drupal-Started the update RAMP Web site                                9, add IMBA and    Maintain and      Maintain and to latest version of development and                              DCFPAK codes to    update RAMP      update RAMP website software technical Support                            RAMP, and update    Web site pages    Web site pages (Drupal-9)
RAMP website pages.
Release VARSKIN Developed new Plus (v7.0 +) which Code              Code dosimetry models contains new        maintenance      maintenance VARSKIN Code            (i.e., wound, eye dosimetry models    and support (as  and support (as alpha and neutron)
(including NCRP    needed)          needed) for VARSKIN wound model)
Code Explore updates to Update code to fix                      Code              maintenance include animal Java errors and                          maintenance      and support (as PiMAL Code                                    phantoms for compatibility with                      and support (as  needed) veterinary support the Windows 10 OS                        needed)
(BL-34)
Possible code      Code              Code Code maintenance consolidation with  maintenance      maintenance RadToolbox              and support (as VARSKIN and        and support (as  and support (as needed)
DCFPAK              needed)          needed)
Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* John Tomon (John.Tomon@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis 64
 
Resources FY20            FY21          FY22 Presidents  FY23 Actuals        Enacted              Budget      Trend Research Business Line          Product        $K      FTE    $K      FTE        $K        FTE Planning Operating            Risk
                                        $174      1.1    $85      2.0      $85        2.0 Reactors          Analysis
$K includes contract support (total resource amount includes contract support and FTE costs)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - RAMP Support.
* Renaissance Code Development - VARSKIN Technical Support and Code Development.
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) - PiMAL.
* ORNL - Radiological Toolbox.
* ORNL - Advanced Radiation Dosimetry Technical Support.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Through RAMP, RES provides VARSKIN to about 364 international users (31 countries) and 594 domestic users (as shown below).
* Leverage resources to incorporate the DCFPAK into RAMP.
65
 
Decommissioning Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes resources to maintain the following computer codes: 1) the Decommissioning and Decontamination (DandD) code, 2) the Visual Sampling Plan (VSP) code, 3) the MILDOS code, and 4) the Residual Radioactivity (RESRAD) code. These codes are commonly used in support of regulatory reviews and to improve staff effectiveness when performing confirmatory analyses in support of regulatory decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Support regulatory decision-making with respect to decommissioning and environmental assessments.
* Develop and maintain staff core capabilities in health physics and radiation protection topics of regulatory importance.
* Continued focus on customer support improving ease of use and address bugs identified by staff or Radiological Protection Code Analysis and Maintenance Program (RAMP) members.
Impact and Benefits
* RAMP, initiated by SECY-14-0117, is a growing program intended to leverage resources for the development and maintenance of a set of radiation protection related codes (e.g.,
radiological, dose assessment, emergency response, decommissioning, and environmental codes) such that they dont become technically and functionally obsolete.
* The DandD computer code is analytical tool used by the staff and NRC licensees to model soil containment to calculate radionuclide concentrations in soil for plants.
* The VSP computer code is an analytical tool used by the staff and NRC licensees to calculate coupled site, building, and sample location visualization capabilities with optimal sampling design and statistical analysis strategies.
* The MILDOS computer code is an analytical tool used by the staff and NRC licensees to estimate the radiological impact from airborne emission from uranium milling and mining facility.
* The RESRAD computer code is a suite of tools used by the staff and NRC licensees for environmental radiological dose assessment.
Drivers
* The purpose, functions, and responsibilities of the RAMP cooperative research and code-sharing program are delineated in SECY-14-0117, (ML14204A795) The Radiation Protection Computer Code Analysis and Maintenance Program.
* User Need Request (UNR) NMSS-2021-003, Decommissioning and Uranium Recovery Computer Code (RESRAD, VSP, DandD & MILDOS) Maintenance, (ML21083A118) provides for the support, maintenance and distribution of the decommissioning (i.e.,
RESRAD, VSP & DandD) and uranium recovery (MILDOS) dose assessment computer codes.
* Research Assistance Request (RAR) NMSS-2021-002, VSP Code Improvements (GPS/GIS and Scoping Subsurface), (ML21076A237) provides for modifications to the VSP code to facilitate radiological survey design, data importation, data analysis, and data visualization for complex reactor and materials decommissioning sites involving scan (e.g.,
scan surveys using autonomous vehicles and subsurface surveys).
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Key Deliverables Year                  FY20 Project                                                          FY21                  FY22                FY23 Accomplishments Decommissioning Released new code and Uranium                                            Ongoing code support, maintenance, and distribution of the versions and provided Recovery Computer                                      decommissioning (i.e., RESRAD, VSP & DandD) and uranium training and technical Code (NMSS-2021-                                      recovery (MILDOS) dose assessment computer codes.
support 003)
Ongoing code support and modifications to the VSP code to Released new code VSP Code                                              facilitate radiological survey design, data importation, data versions and provided Improvements                                          analysis, and data visualization for complex reactor and training and technical (NMSS-2021-002)                                        materials decommissioning sites involving scan (e.g., scan support surveys using autonomous vehicles and subsurface surveys).
Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* John Tomon (John.Tomon@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY20              FY21        FY22 Presidents        FY23 Actuals          Enacted            Budget            Trend Research Business Line              Product        $K    FTE      $K    FTE      $K        FTE Planning Decommissioning and            Waste
                                                  $189      0.5    $300    0.5    $300      0.5 LLW                Research
  $K includes contract support (total resource amount includes contract support and FTE costs)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - DandD, VSP & RAMP Support.
* Argonne National Laboratory - RESRAD & MILDOS.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Through RAMP, RES provides a majority of these codes to about 364 international users (31 countries) and 594 domestic users.
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Radiation Protection Analysis Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes the evaluation of radiation protection and event data, development of dosimetry tools, and the monitoring of ongoing radiation health effects research to ensure the NRCs system of radiation protection is adequately protecting public health and safety.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Develop, use, and maintain the epidemiological, radiation shielding, and radiation dosimetry skillsets to support regulatory activities.
* Monitor and support national and international radiation health effects research, especially low-dose research, to ensure the NRCs current system of radiation protection is still adequate and not overly burdensome.
* Increase Radiation Exposure Information and Records System (REIRS) database access efficiency through concept modernization (e.g., posting verified summary dose data online for public access before the NUREG is published, eventually moving the entire NUREG to an electronic format with supporting text).
Impact and Benefits
* Inform external stakeholders including Congress and the public of events that results in public health and safety and security concerns (i.e., Abnormal Occurrence [AO] Report) and radiation exposures to the workforce at certain NRC-licensed facilities [e.g., REIRS]).
* Analyses performed support safety studies, updates to regulatory guidance, petitions for rulemaking, and new health physics or radiation protection questions that arise (e.g., low dose radiation, external and internal dosimetry coefficients).
Drivers
* Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended (Public Law 93 438),
requires that the NRC report abnormal occurrences to Congress.
* REIRS is based upon the statutory and regulatory reporting requirement of annual personnel exposure to ionizing radiation in 10 CFR Part 20.2206(b) by NRC-licensees.
* Petitions for rulemaking per 10 CFR 2.802 that require expertise and technical support for various subjects related to radiation dosimetry and health effects.
Key Deliverables Year          FY20 FY21              FY22            FY23 Project                      Accomplishments Publish Volume 41:
2019: Fifty-Second NUREG-0713, Annual Published Volume      Annual Report to    Publish Volume    Publish Volume Occupational Radiation 40 2018: Fiftieth-  include the Evidence  42: 2020: Fifty- 43: 2021: Fifty-Exposure at Commercial First Annual          Act Evaluation of the Third Annual      Fourth Annual Nuclear Power Reactors Report              Radiation Protection  Report            Report and Other Facilities Program (SRM-SECY-20-0067) 68
 
Year              FY20 FY21                    FY22            FY23 Project                        Accomplishments NUREG-0090, Annual Published Volume                                      Publish Volume    Publish Volume Report to Congress on                                    Publish Volume 42: Fiscal Year                                      44: Fiscal Year  45:Fiscal Year Abnormal Occurrences                                    43:Fiscal Year 2020 2019                                                2021            2022 (FY20 - FY23)
Reviewed and                                          Support NRR Complete DG commented on            Complete draft guides        efforts to update for RGs 1.109, Regulatory Guide Support        RGs 8.24 and 1.21;      (DGs) for RGs 8.28,          RGs 1.109, 1.111, 1.145, issued RGs 8.39,        8.29 and 8.36                1.111, 1.145, and 1.194 Revision 1                                            and 1.194 Ad Hoc support to NRR staff reviews of NPP            Provide assistance as requested licensing amendment Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* John Tomon (John.Tomon@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY21                FY22        Research FY20 Presidents          Presidents    Planning Actuals Budget              Budget Business Line            Product        $K      FTE      $K      FTE        $K      FTE    Trend Risk Operating Reactors                        $119    1.7    $240      1.5      $240        1.5 Analysis Nuclear Materials        Materials
                                                  $500    1.1      $0        2.0        $0        2.0 Users              Research Decommissioning            Waste 0.2 and LLW              Research Total                      $619    3.0    $240      3.5      $240        3.5     
    $K includes contract support (total resource amount includes contract support and FTE costs)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Oak Ridge Associated University (ORAU) - Radiation Exposure Information and Records System (REIRS) and the NRC Employee Database System (EEDS).
* Information System on Occupational Exposure (ISOE) - North American Technical Center (NATC) - Membership. ISOE/NATC is sponsored by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Monitor, review, and provide feedback/comments on the low dose research being performed by the Department of Energy (DOE) - Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee, IAEA, National 69
 
Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and ISOE.
* OECD/NEA - ISOE.
* Explore options to provide contractual support for the ICRP for FY21 - FY 23, to create an opportunity for the staff to discuss technical details with the originators of the latest radiation protection recommendations and demonstrate to the international community that the United States is their partner in radiation protection.
70
 
Consequence Analysis (Subsurface Characterization and Waste Covers)
Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* The primary focus of RES/DRAs work for NMSS under the Consequence Analysis area is to develop the technical bases, guidance, and models for subsurface characterization and Final Status Surveys for decommissioning sites, and the long-term performance of earthen covers of Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) and Waste Incidental to Reprocessing (WIR sites), including evapotranspiration covers (ET) and geomembranes.
Strategic Focus Areas This program area includes tasks to develop:
* Guidance and tools for characterization and Final Status Surveys for sub-surface radioactive residual material.
* Technical basis for design and draft guidance for ET Covers.
* Guidance for evaluation of geomembranes.
* Models to estimate UMTRCA cover end-state performance for risk assessment.
* A method for characterizing (lead (Pb)-210 method) the long-term radon transport in covers in collaboration with the Department of Energys Office of Legacy Management (DOE/LM).
Impact and Benefits
* This research will expand guidance and computational tools for characterization and Final Status Surveys of subsurface residual radioactive material deeper within the subsurface than covered by existing guidance and methods.
* It will provide guidance and the associated technical bases for evaluating and identifying risks for ET covers and the long-term performance of covers including synthetic geomembranes, intruder protection, and methods to monitor the long-term performance of radon barriers.
* It will provide a probabilistic performance assessment model of UMTRCA cover end-states to evaluate the ability of age-degraded covers to meet the regulatory criteria for potential releases to air or ground water. This will provide staff with a tool to evaluate licensees plans for new and rebuilt earthen covers over uranium mill wastes.
Drivers
* These projects are coordinated with NMSS through User Need NMSS- 2020-003 (ML20100F251). The regulatory driver for the subsurface characterization task is decommissioning as regulated by 10 CFR 20 Subpart E, Radiological Criteria for License Termination, also Parts 50.75, 50.82, 51.53, and 51.95.
* Regulatory drivers for covers are to ensure appropriate long-term performance of radioactive waste covers for uranium mill tailings as required under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) and the regulations under 10 CFR Part 40 Appendix A. Regulatory drivers also include covers performance under 10 CFR Part 61 Subpart C for Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) and WIR.
71
 
Key Deliverables Year Project                  FY 2020 FY 2021                FY 2022              FY 2023 Driver (Start - Stop)    Accomplishments Technical basis for      Established contract      Continue work on      Complete              Draft sub-surface residual    with SC&A                  technical basis        technical basis      Guidance radioactivity                                      report,                report/ start to      End FY 23 characterization                                    Stakeholder            develop guidance Workshop Technical basis for      Established contract      Continue work on      NUREG/CR guidance for ET          with USGS                  technical basis covers                                              report Pb-210 methodology      Established contract      Continue sample        RIL on Pb-210 collaboration with      with Eberline,            evaluation and        method for Rn DOE/LM                  samples from Grand        method refinement      transport Junction analyzed Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Mark Fuhrmann (Mark.Fuhrmann@nrc.gov), Geochemist in the Division of Risk Analysis Resources FY21 Presidents          FY22 Presidents  Research FY20 Actuals Budget                  Budget        Planning Business Line        Product          $K        FTE        $K          FTE          $K        FTE      Trend Decommissioning          Waste
                                          $260      0.95      $310          0.5        $310      0.5 and LLW          Research Total                    $260      0.95      $310          0.5        $310      0.5 Resources increase in FY23 to support user need (NMSS 2020-003)
$K includes contract support (total resource amount includes contract support and FTE costs)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE), Low-Level Waste (LLW)
Contractor Support
* SC&A - Develop guidance for remediation of subsurface contamination.
* USGS - Assist documentation of guidance on long-term behavior of ET covers for UMTCA, Part 61 and WIR Covers.
* Eberline Laboratory - Pb-210 analysis.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Interagency agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to Support Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable.
* Interagency agreement with U.S. Geological Survey on Technology Transfer Seminars.
* Collaboration with DOE/LM on use of Pb-210 Method to characterize long-term Rn transport.
* NRC Crowd-source Challenge to gather ideas for Sub-Surface Guidance from staff in NMSS and Regions.
72
 
Engineering Research Activities 73
 
Cable and Equipment Aging Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research on the aging-related degradation of electrical and power cables, including determinations of anticipated service life and methods to monitor the condition of cables.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Collaborate with industry efforts and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program for assessing cable performance, including joint efforts on loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) tests.
* Assess the power cable performance for long-term operations in light of the failure data from operating experience and collected industry data.
* Enhance information exchanges and foster additional collaborative research activities with industry and DOE.
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-the art capabilities for cables condition-monitoring techniques and equipment qualification.
Impact and Benefits
* Enhance NRC acceptance criteria for assessment and aging management of cables to support long--term operations.
* Facilitate the review of industry guidance for managing the aging of cables in submerged environments.
* Confirm the adequacy of the most commonly used condition-monitoring techniques to track the aging of cables.
* Shorten the timeline for licensing decisions, including for subsequent license renewal application reviews.
* Endorse consensus codes and standards related to electrical cable qualification and condition monitoring.
Drivers
* Response to Commission direction to evaluate the aging of cables and cable systems during long--term operations.
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) for assistance in enhancing regulatory guidance for electrical cable condition monitoring.
* Requests from NRR to update Regulatory Guides on cable condition monitoring, environmental qualification of electrical equipment, and qualification of safety-related cables.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020                                          FY 2023 FY 2021        FY 2022 Project                              Accomplishments UNR NRR 2011-014 (60 years)        Cables completed          Cables          Continue      Complete Assessment of Electrical Cables    thermal and radiation      complete        with LOCA    LOCA Condition-Monitoring Methods        aging at Sandia National  testing at NIST Testing of    Testing of (FY13 - FY22) and UNR NRR          Laboratories (SNL)        followed by    Cables and    Cables, 2016-012 (Extends NRR 2011-014      followed by testing at the LOCA Testing    evaluation of evaluation to 80 years) - Assessment of        National Institute of      by a to be      results      of results Condition-Monitoring Techniques    Standards & Technology    awarded                      and for Electrical Cables              (NIST)                                                  complete 74
 
Year FY 2020                                              FY 2023 FY 2021        FY 2022 Project                                  Accomplishments commercial                      overall contractor                      project report UNR NRR 2011-014 (60 years)            Pacific Northwest            Complete Assessment of Electrical Cables        National Laboratory          overall project Condition-Monitoring Methods            (PNNL) issued final          report (FY13 - FY22) - Assessment of the      statistical analysis report Electric Power Research Institute      on the data collected by (EPRIs) Tan Delta Approach to          EPRI from nuclear Manage Cables in Submerged              power plants Environments Assessment and guidance development associated with Cable and Equipment Aging Ongoing staff support Projects results in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Christopher Cook (Christopher.Cook@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY22 Presidents    FY23 FY20 Actuals              FY21 Enacted Budget        Trend Business                          CS&T                        CS&T                      CS&T                Research Product                        FTE                        FTE                      FTE Line                            ($K)                        ($K)                      ($K)              Planning Operating      Engineering
                                    $266          2.1          $1295          2.0        $735        2.0 Reactors        Research Total                  $266          2.1          $1295          2.0        $735        2.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approxiately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* NIST - Assessment of Condition-Monitoring Methods for Electrical Cables.
* PNNL - Assessment of EPRIs Tan Delta Approach to Manage Cables in Submerged Environments.
* Commercial Contractor - Conduct LOCA Test on Aged Cables and complete overall project report.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NRC and EPRI on Aging, Qualification, and Condition Monitoring of Electrical Cables.
* LWRS Program where EPRI, DOE, and NRC meet face-to-face twice a year to share and discuss ongoing research activities at each institution.
* Information Exchange Meetings with the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority (JNRA) where the NRC and the JNRA discuss and exchange information on ongoing research projects related to cable aging.
75
 
Electrical System Evaluation Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research on the evaluation of design and operation of electrical power distribution systems at nuclear power plants including offsite and onsite power systems, protection, switchgear and DC systems.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Develop additional collaborative research activities with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for critical components other than cables.
* Ensure effective representation of the NRC in harmonizing industry standards and development activities for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Impact and Benefits
* Support the safety evaluation and updating of regulatory guidance concerning the use of IEEE and IEC consensus codes and standards.
* Address technical knowledge gaps related to the performance of electrical power system equipment.
* Contribute electrical engineering expertise to the assessment of emergent technical issues such as high-energy arc faults (HEAF).
* Support knowledge management in the areas of power systems operations, motor-operated valve controls, and generator islanding.
Drivers
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) to update Regulatory Guides (RGs) addressing electrical power systems.
* Requests from NRR to represent the NRC on standards development activities for IEEE and IEC.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020                                            FY 2023 FY 2021          FY 2022 Project                                Accomplishments User Need Request (UNR) NRR-                              Update draft 2018-002: UNR for developing new                          RG on newly      Issue RG and Draft RG prepared RG related to degraded (DV) voltage                      revised IEEE    final report and loss of voltage protection                            Standard 741 Anticipated UNR to develop a RG addressing IEEE Standard 946 and                          Develop draft Issue final RG NUREG/CR 7229 (Battery/Charger                            RG Fault Calculations).
Support revision of RG 1.89 to new Draft RG developed Issue final RG IEC/IEEE Standard Revision of RG 1.9 addressing new revision to IEEE 387 - emergency                          Develop draft On-going staff diesel generators (EDGs) and IEEE                        and issue support 2420 - combustion turbine                                final RG generators (CTGs)
HEAF testing electrical engineering        Staff support On-going staff support input and review                            completed 76
 
Year FY 2020                                                FY 2023 FY 2021          FY 2022 Project                                  Accomplishments Environmental Qualification (EQ)
Staff support Inspection, Training, and Issue                                              On-going staff support completed technical consulting and instruction Staff support IEEE Standards support                                                        On-going staff support completed Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Christopher Cook (Christopher.Cook@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents          FY22 Presidents        FY23 FY20 Actuals Budget                    Budget            Trend Business                        CS&T                    CS&T                      CS&T                  Research Product                      FTE                      FTE                      FTE Line                          ($K)                    ($K)                      ($K)                  Planning Operating      Engineering          $0          1.0          $0          4.0          $0            3.0 Reactors        Research Total                  $0          1.0          $0          4.0          $0            3.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* None.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging:
* Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
* International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
* Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NRC and the Electric Power Research Institute for cooperative research concerning electrical system evaluation.
77
 
Safety of I&C Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research concerning the safety of instrumentation and controls (I&C) in NRC-licensed facilities. It includes both efforts related to I&C (in general) and efforts related to applications of digital technology in I&C.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Increase the use of risk insights to inform the assessment of I&C technologies.
* Establish lessons learned from use of digital I&C in other technical sectors.
* Enhance information exchanges and foster additional collaborative research activities with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and international partners via Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and international agreements.
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-the art capabilities for I&C technologies.
* Continue participatory and leadership roles in standards development activities.
Impact and Benefits
* Enable upgrades in operating plants, confirm the safety of industry proposals for the broader adoption of digital I&C in operating plants.
* Streamline licensing guidance and clarify acceptance criteria (ISG [Interim Staff Guidance]-
06).
* Develop and resolve issues for licensing, common-cause failure (CCF), Reactor Oversight Process (ROP), online monitoring, etc.
* Participate in standards development activities to facilitate the broader endorsement of consensus codes and standards in regulations and regulatory guidance.
* Support domestic and international collaborative agreements to leverage resources and enhance staff knowledge.
Drivers
* Response to Commission direction in SRM-SECY-15-0106 and SECY-16-0070 to develop a plan to Modernize Digital Instrumentation and Controls Regulatory Infrastructure.
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) for research on specific topics to support the implementation of the IAP.
* Requests from NRR to regularly review and update Regulatory Guides pertaining to I&C in consideration of development of associated industry standards and of accumulated experience.
Key Deliverables Year        FY 2020 FY 2021            FY 2022      FY 2023 Project                              Accomplishments User Need Request (UNR) NRR-2018-001: Investigate the Completion of      Publication of        Technical Letter implications of the use of embedded Contractor Report  NUREG/CR-7273          Report (TLR) digital devices and evolving technologies 78
 
Year          FY 2020 FY 2021                FY 2022      FY 2023 Project                                    Accomplishments UNR NRR-2018-003: Investigate                                    Deliver Task 1 and 2 Task 3: TLR      Ongoing the implications of, and ways to                                  contractor reports.
staff mitigate, common -cause failures                                  Task 3 -
Ongoing staff    support for (CCF) in applications of digital                                  Recommendation                              CCF support for CCF technology                                                        Memorandum UNR NRR-2018-004: Investigate Completion of Task 1,    Closed UNR based on opportunities for the use of risk TLR; NRR requested      current program office insights in the licensing of closure of UNR          needs applications of digital technology Research Assistance Requests (RAR):
RAR-2020-006: Assessing Op Ex for DI&C RAR-2020-008: Hazard Analysis for Complete several TLRs, support updates to DI&C Regulatory Guide 1.168, develop training, and RAR-2020-016: Update RG 1.168 provide support for DI&C-related document RAR-2020-017: Training on EPRI reviews.
DEG RAR-2021-012: Guidance for DI&C Hazard Analyses RAR-2021-014: Safety of Wireless at NPPs Review of industry standards and participation in standards                                                                                    Ongoing Staff support                                      Ongoing staff development. Also support EPRI                                    Ongoing staff support                      staff completed                                          support MOU and international research                                                                                support activities.
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Christopher Cook (Christopher.Cook@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents          FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals Budget                    Budget          Trend Business                          CS&T                      CS&T                      CS&T                Research Product                      FTE                        FTE                        FTE Line                            ($K)                      ($K)                      ($K)              Planning Operating      Engineering
                                    $513          6.9          $750          8.8        $755          7.5 Reactors          Research Total                $513          6.9          $750          8.8        $755          7.5 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) - Investigate Embedded Digital Devices, Safety of Wireless.
* Idaho National Laboratory (INL) - Investigate CCF.
* Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) - Digital Engineering Guide (DEG)
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MOU between the NRC and EPRI for cooperative research concerning applications of digital technology in I&C.
* Collaboration with Halden (IFE) on applications of digital technology in I&C.
79
 
Security of I&C Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area primarily encompasses research on the cybersecurity of instrumentation and control (I&C) systems in NRC-licensed facilities [i.e., Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs)].
Strategic Focus Areas
* Establish core capabilities and technical expertise in cybersecurity to support emerging needs.
* Increase the use of risk insights to inform cybersecurity assessments.
* Enhance information exchanges and foster additional collaborative research activities with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and international partners via Memoranda of Understanding and international agreements.
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-the art for cybersecurity evaluations.
* Continue participatory and leadership roles in standards development activities.
Impact and Benefits
* Enhance awareness of the threat environment for cybersecurity of I&C systems.
* Enhance staff guidance for addressing cybersecurity issues for licensing or inspection activities.
* Confirm nuclear power plant resilience against geomagnetic or EMP disturbances.
* Expand the use of risk information to inform cybersecurity evaluations.
Drivers
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR) for research concerning specific topics related to the support of the cybersecurity program and the evaluation of I&C measures to improve security, including cybersecurity approaches.
Key Deliverables Year Project                                          FY2020                    FY 2021        FY 2022        FY 2023 Accomplishments Research Assistance Request (RAR)-        Expert seminars to provide NRC staff with a broad technical 2020-001: Cyber Security Expert          overview on a number of topics to support regulatory Seminars .                                oversight for security of digital systems.
RAR-2021-001: Research on Security                                                      Draft report on Produce final Implementation of Wireless                                                              research        composite Communication Technologies at NPPs                                                      findings        report RAR-2021-003: Attack Surface Draft report on Product final Measurement: a quantitative research        composite measurement of the vulnerability of a findings        report cybersecurity attack surface.
RAR-2021-005: Feasibility of Licensee                                                  Draft report on Product final Network Replica for Cyber Security                                                      research        composite Training                                                                                findings        report New RAR(s): Research on cybersecurity posture quantification Draft report methods and Field Programmable on research Gate Array (FPGA)-based applications findings related to industrial control and safety systems in use at NPPs 80
 
Year Project                                            FY2020              FY 2021          FY 2022        FY 2023 Accomplishments Review of industry standards, participation in standards Staff support development, and assist with guidance                                            Ongoing staff support completed.
to support cybersecurity inspections and licensing reviews Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Christopher Cook (Christopher.Cook@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals              FY21 Enacted Budget            Trend Business                        CS&T                      CS&T                    CS&T                  Research Product                    FTE                      FTE                      FTE Line                          ($K)                        ($K)                  ($K)                  Planning Operating      Engineering
                                    $0          0.1          $210        0.5        $630          2.0 Reactors        Research Total                  $0          0.1          $210        0.5        $630          2.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Sandia National Laboratory
* Idaho National Laboratory Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MOU between the NRC and EPRI for cooperative research concerning applications of digital technology in I&C, which covers cybersecurity.
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Seismic Analysis and Evaluation Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research to support seismic hazard analyses for operating and new reactor applications.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Keep abreast of advances in technical knowledge and new methodologies developed by the technical community to modernize and risk-inform the NRCs seismic regulatory activities.
* Enhance information exchanges and foster collaborative activities with other government agencies to achieve efficiency in the NRCs regulatory research activities.
* Enhance fidelity and capability of tools used for seismic assessments.
* Continue participatory and leadership roles in international activities through the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency.
Impact and Benefits
* Clarify and simplify the NRCs acceptance criteria for seismic hazard analyses of operational and new reactors, increase the efficiency of NRC licensing reviews and decisions.
* Reduce uncertainties and enhance the use of risk information in determining seismic hazard estimates.
* Support situational awareness and incident response for seismic events that affect licensed facilities.
* Support the Process of Ongoing Assessment of Natural Hazard Information (POAHNI) activities.
Drivers
* Closeout of key research items identified in the Seismic, Geotechnical, and Structural Engineering Research Plan 2017-2021 (SGSERP).
* User Need Requests (UNRs) to maintain capability for seismic event analysis to support safe operation of existing reactors and new reactor licensing applications.
* The POANHI process research engagements with external groups.
Key Deliverables Year            FY 2020 Accomplishments                    FY 2021                FY 2022              FY 2023 Project Completed technical        Complete Technical Letter    Develop draft of RG      Issue Final RG UNR NRO-2015-006 - Research to reports on updated data    Report on seismic hazard    1.208                    1.208 Revision develop the technical bases to and models to support      and ground motion models support revision to Regulatory Guide Probabilistic Seismic (RG) 1.208 Hazards Assessments Completed Phase I and      Complete research            Develop draft RG 1.198  Issue Final RG UNR NRO-2015-008 - Research to initiated Phase II        activities and collaboration                          1.198 revision, develop the technical bases to research activities in    with external experts on                              and if needed, support revisions to RG 1.198 and probabilistic liquefaction probabilistic liquefaction                            updates to SRP the Standard Review Plan (SRP) model development          model development 82
 
Continue joint research    Continuation of joint        Develop Technical      Update RGs efforts with the USGS on    research efforts with the    Letter Reports on      and SRP, as SGSERP - Seismic source seismic hazards and        USGS on seismic hazards      updated seismic and    appropriate characterization, ground motion seismic source              and seismic source            ground motion models models, and seismic hazard characterization in the    characterization in the calculations central and eastern        central and eastern United United States              States Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Dogan Seber (Dogan.Seber@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents              FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals                                                                  FY23 Trend Budget                      Budget Business                        CS&T                        CS&T                        CS&T                    Research Product                      FTE                          FTE                        FTE Line                          ($K)                        ($K)                        ($K)                    Planning Operating      Engineering
                                  $1302          1.9          $200            1.9          $600          1.9 Reactors          Research New New Reactors      $576            3.1          $595            3.1          $595          3.1 Reactors Research Total                $1878          5.0          $795            5.0        $1195          5.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - Research to support NRC's seismic hazard analyses.
* Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) - Technical assistance for geologic and seismic evaluations and guidance.
* SwRI - Liquefaction model development.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Leveraging resources of the USGS to jointly conduct research on seismic hazard issues of mutual interest.
* U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) resources are to be leveraged in the SwRI liquefaction model development contract as liquefaction model development is also a priority item for USBR.
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Structural and Geotechnical Evaluations Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research to support nuclear power plant structural integrity, potential degradation mechanisms, and design and construction issues.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain awareness of operating experiences to identify emergent degradation issues and/or performance trends that could affect plant safety.
* Increase the use of risk-informed decision-making in seismic and structural safety assessments.
* Enhance information exchanges and foster collaborative research activities with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) via the respective Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-the art capabilities for structural modeling and simulation using modern and efficient computational tools.
* Continue participatory and leadership roles in international cooperative activities through the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency.
Impact and Benefits
* Clarify and simplify the NRCs acceptance criteria for assessment and aging management of safety--related structures to support long-term operations.
* Shorten timeline for licensing decisions including subsequent license renewal application reviews.
* Improved understanding of risk significance of structural issues to focus attention on those most important to safety.
* Reduce uncertainties in determining structural safety margins.
* Endorse consensus codes and standards for structural design, analysis, and inspection.
Drivers
* Evaluate and assess the structural integrity of existing nuclear power plants to support long-term operations.
* User Need Requests (UNRs) for assistance in enhancing regulatory guidance for performing structural integrity calculations, analyzing structural degradation, and conducting periodic inspections or surveillances.
* Closeout of activities identified in the Seismic, Geotechnical, and Structural Engineering Research Plan 2017-2021 (SGSERP).
Key Deliverables Year      FY 2020 Accomplishments              FY 2021                  FY 2022        FY 2023 Project UNR NRR-          Completed the ASR    Complete knowledge    Complete Regulatory 2012-004 -        concrete degradation  management            Guidance updates on Alkali-Silica    project. Obtained    documents, Technical  how to deal with ASR Reaction (ASR)    extensive data on    Letter Reports        affected concrete Research          ASR expansion.                              structures for future activities UNR NRR-          Issued draft          Complete interim      Conduct accelerated  Issue 2015-007 -        NUREG/CR.            technical documents on testing and          Technical 84
 
Year          FY 2020 Accomplishments                FY 2021                    FY 2022              FY 2023 Project Research on the                            irradiation- induced        modeling/simulation of    Letter Reports Effects of                                  concrete degradation;      concrete degradation      and, as Irradiation on                              start concrete              and safety implications. needed, Concrete                                    degradation research        Analyze harvested          updates to Structures                                  based on harvested          materials and conduct      NUREG-1801 material from a            research to confirm decommissioned              models and simulations.
nuclear power plant.
SGSERP -            Reviewed creep and      Conduct VERCORS 1/3        Issue technical reports to Develop Aging and          shrinkage of            scale containment          document the research      updates to Degradation of      post-tensioned          testing and modeling.      findings and make          Regulatory Post-tensioned      containment                                        recommendations for        Guide 1.35.1, Concrete                                                                enhancing the              NUREGs Containments                                                            effectiveness of staff    1801/2191/219 regulatory guidance on    2.
aging management of concrete structures SGSERP - Risk- Completed Phase I            Identify alternative        Support establishing      RG on RIPB Informed,          of seismic RIPB        regulatory pathways for    regulatory pathways for    approaches in Performance-        research activities    RIPB seismic safety        RIPB seismic safety        seismic safety Based (RIPB)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Dogan Seber (Dogan.Seber@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents          FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals                                                              FY23 Trend Budget                    Budget Business                        CS&T                      CS&T                      CS&T                    Research Product                      FTE                        FTE                      FTE Line                          ($K)                        ($K)                      ($K)                    Planning Operating      Engineering
                                    $727        6.6          $1000          5.3        $1200        5.8 Reactors        Research New New Reactors          $0          1.3            $0          0            $0          0 Reactors Research Advanced Advanced Reactors Non-LWR (FY23                            $0          0              $0          0          $200*          1*
Regulatory funding Readiness proposed)
Total                $727        7.9          $1000          5.3        $1400        6.8 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
*FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
Contractor Support
* National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - ASR degradation in concrete.
* Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) - Radiation effects on concrete.
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) - Bond strength in irradiated concrete.
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* Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) - Risk-informed seismic safety.
* ORNL - Fluence calculations in concrete.
* Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) - Aging and Degradation of post-tensioned concrete.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* MOU Between the NRC and DOE on Cooperative Nuclear Safety Research Related to LongTerm Operations.
* MOU Between NRC and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on Long Term Operations Beyond 60 Years.
* Committee on Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) Assessment of Structures Subjected to Concrete Pathologies (ASCET).
* CSNI Observatoire de la durabilité des ouvrages en béton armé (ODOBA).
* MOU between the NRC and the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority (JNRA).
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Methodology and Evaluation Tools for Digital Twin Applications Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research to support the identification and evaluation of technical issues and gaps that would impact regulatory outcome and the development of a regulatory infrastructure for use of digital twins as part of the regulatory programs.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Keep abreast of advances in technical knowledge and new methodologies for applications of reactor digital twins.
* Facilitate information exchanges and foster collaborative activities with other entities to obtain the latest information regarding the technique.
* Build capabilities in applications of artificial intelligence/machine-learning, data analytics, and advanced sensors and instrumentation.
* Evaluate the regulatory readiness levels and gaps of digital twin technologies.
Impact and Benefits
* Identify the technical challenges and assess gaps for the digital twins technique in cornerstones like data quality and analytics, machine learning/artificial intelligence algorithms, and multi-physics modeling.
* Enhance staff knowledge in applications and use of artificial intelligence/machine learning and multi--physics tools used in digital twins.
* Enhance staff knowledge and technical capabilities leading to better decision-making regarding confirmatory research.
* Develop a regulatory infrastructure for use of digital twins.
Drivers
* Future Focused Research.
Key Deliverables Year          FY 2020 Accomplishments                    FY 2021                    FY 2022          FY 2023 Project Interagency project    Complete TLR on the state of    Prepare and issue RIS team established      technology of applications of    (or other appropriate working group and      DTs                              communication) to awarded the contract                                    gauge industry interest with Idaho National    Complete TLR documenting the Laboratory            state of art, technical          Conduct workshops challenges, and gaps for DT in  and complete report 001728 NB-OR-                            using data analytics, ML/AI, and documenting workshop Future Focus                              multi-physics models            proceedings focus on Research                                                                  technology advances, Complete TLR on                  industry plans, and documentation of regulatory      regulatory topics readiness levels and gaps pertaining to DT                Complete TLR documenting the state-Complete summary of technical    of-technology in and regulatory gaps pertaining  communication to DT 87
 
Conduct workshop and                  between physical complete report documenting            system and digital twin.
workshop proceedings focus on technology advances, industry plans, and regulatory topics Complete TLR              Complete TLR documenting the state-    documenting the of-technology and        potential technical challenges      methodologies for online monitoring    that address the for enhanced              technical and diagnostics and          regulatory prognostics              challenges for DT application Complete TLR documenting              Complete TLR challenges and current    describing the state-of-practice in the  different elements representation of        and functions of a physical systems in      potential digital platforms and    regulatory associated standards      infrastructure required for use of DT as part of TBD                                                                                                          regulatory program Complete regulatory guidance framework document for use of DT as part of regulatory oversight program Conduct training programs on technology and regulatory use of digital twins Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), Digital Twin (DT), Artificial Intelligence AI), Machine Learning (ML)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Raj Iyengar (Raj.Iyengar@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering 88
 
Resources FY21 Presidents FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals                                            FY23 Trend Budget          Budget Business                        CS&T                    CS&T            CS&T              Research Product                        FTE                      FTE              FTE Line                            ($K)                    ($K)            ($K)            Planning Operating Engineering Reactors                        $334.2        0        $797          0  $474          0 Research (FFR)
Operating    Engineering
                                    $0          0          $0          0    $0          0 Reactors      Research New        Engineering
                                    $0          0          $0          0    $0          0 Reactors      Research Advanced Advanced      Non-LWR
                                    $0          0          $0          0    $0*        1*
Reactors    Regulatory Readiness Total                  $334.2        0        $797          0  $474          1 CS&T ($K) includes contract support Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
*FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
Contractor Support
* Idaho National Laboratory (INL) - Technical Support for Assessment of Regulatory Viability of Digital Twins.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging N/A 89
 
Aging and Materials Research Activities 90
 
91 Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) Action Plan - RES Support Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes regulatory research tasks on the use of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMTs) for safety-related applications in operating nuclear power plants and advanced reactors.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Support the Agency Action Plan for AMTs.
* Maintain awareness of developments in pertinent AMTs and of applications for the use of AMT -fabricated structures, systems, and components (SSCs).
* Ensure AMT knowledge base is adequately captured for regulatory use.
* Participate in codes and standards development in the area of AMTs.
* Perform gap analysis in the areas of modeling and simulation and non-destructive examination (NDE).
* Develop an interagency agreement (IAA) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to support development of data package requirements.
Impact and Benefits
* Assess the safety significant differences between AMTs and traditional manufacturing processes from a performance-based perspective.
* Identify and address AMT characteristics pertinent to safety that are not managed or addressed by codes, standards, regulations, etc.
* Inform regulatory decisions associated with installation of AMT components in NRC-licensed facilities.
* Establish guidance and tools for review consistency, communication, and knowledge management for AMT activities.
* Provide transparency to stakeholders on AMT activities.
Driver
* Revision 1 of the Agency Action Plan for Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (ML19333B980).
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Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021                      FY 2022              FY 2023 Accomplishments Project AMT Action Plan          External interaction    Technical letter reports    TLRs on:                    Additional and plan developed;          (TLR) on:
* Powder metallurgy - hot  follow-on tasks Knowledge
* Additive Manufacturing      isostatic pressing        defined in future Management Plan            (AM) - Laser Powder
* Electron beam welding    AMT Research developed; RES            Bed Fusion
* AMT components for        Plans.
seminars from
* AM - Directed Energy        advanced fuel assemblies ORNL and INL on            Deposition AMT-related
* Cold Spray                Additional and follow-on activities
* Inspection and NDE for    tasks defined in future AMTs                      AMT Research Plans
* Modeling and Simulation for AMTs Activities:
* Internal seminars on AM and cold spray
* Public workshop on AMTs Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contacts
* Steve Ruffin (Steve.Ruffin@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering
* Raj Iyengar (Raj.Iyengar@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents          FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals                                                              FY23 Trend Budget                    Budget Business                        CS&T                        CS&T                      CS&T                    Research Product                        FTE                          FTE                        FTE Line                          ($K)                        ($K)                      ($K)                  Planning Aging and Operating Materials          $282          2.3            $250        1.5          $700          3.0 Reactors Research Total                  $282          2.3            $250        1.5          $700          3.0 CS&T ($K) includes contract support Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) - Modeling and Simulation for AMTs.
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) - NDE for AMTs and Cold Spray Assessment and Gap Analysis.
* Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) - AMT Assessments and Gap Analyses.
* NIST - AMT Technical Support and Training.
* Idaho National Lab - AMT components for advanced fuel assemblies.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Finalized Memorandum of Understanding Addendum with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for AMT Research in July 2019.
93
* Ongoing quarterly meetings with the EPRI and DOE, Office of Nuclear Energy on Advanced Methods for Manufacturing.
* Workshop on Advanced Manufacturing for Nuclear Applications in December 2020.
* Seminar series by NIST to address AMT issues in November/December 2020 and in March/April 2021.
* Two NRC staff rotations at ORNL.
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Evaluation Techniques (NDE)
Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area supports research on nondestructive examination (NDE) of nuclear plant systems and components as well as the effects of human performance issues on NDE reliability.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Increase in-house capability for NDE modeling and simulation.
* Continue to identify areas for improvement in NDE performance via the research on human performance for NDE.
* Enhance information exchanges and foster additional collaborative research activities with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and international partners via Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and international agreements.
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-the art capabilities for NDE.
* Continue participatory and leadership roles in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code activities.
Impact and Benefits
* Confirm the performance of new NDE technologies and methodologies proposed by industry for more effective in-service inspections (ISI).
* Provide support to the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and Regional Offices to efficiently disposition in-service inspection findings.
* Identify and develop a resolution path for key knowledge gaps related to NDE performance such as human factors.
* Participate in ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code) activities to facilitate the endorsement of standards in regulations and regulatory guidance.
* Support domestic and international collaborative agreements to leverage resources and enhance staff knowledge.
Drivers
* Requests from NRR for assistance in evaluating the accuracy and reliability of NDE methods used by industry for the inspection of plant components including the efficacy of modeling, the implications of incomplete examination coverage, and human performance issues
* Emergent requests from NRR and Regional Offices to assist with the analysis of findings from ISI of plant components.
* Requests from NRR to represent the NRC on Committees of the ASME Code related to NDE and ISI.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020                FY 2021          FY 2022      FY 2023 Project                        Accomplishments User Need Request (UNR)    Issued NUREG/CR-7263,      Complete TLR on  Completion of NRR-2013-009, Evaluating    NDE Reliability Issues for CASS round robin  Task 5 the Reliability of NDE for  the Examination of CASS    analysis with Vessels and Piping, Task    Components                specimen data 5 - Cast Austenitic                                    revealed (pending 95
 
Year FY 2020                FY 2021                FY 2022          FY 2023 Project                        Accomplishments Stainless Steel (CASS)                                release of flaw true Examination Wrap-Up                                    state by EPRI)
UNR NRR-2020-002, Task      Issued PNNL-28362,        Complete TLR          Issue draft          Finalize RG 1 - Ultrasonic Modeling &    Ultrasound Modeling and  summarizing the        Regulatory Guide Simulation                  Simulation: Status Update results of NDE        for public modeling round robin  comment; DG will exercise              describe standard Issue NUREG/CR        method for documenting            licensees to standard method to    perform and evaluate modeling      present modeling results from          data commercially available software packages UNR NRR-2020-002, Task      Issued PNNL-30238,        Continue work on        Issue NUREG/CR      Completion of 2 - Effects of Missed        Evaluating Flaw          limited coverage      documenting the      Task 2 Volumetric Coverage          Detectability under                              effects of limited Limited-Coverage                                coverage Conditions UNR NRR-2020-002 Task      Complete Analysis of      Issue TLR              Issue a summary 9 - International            Empirical Probability of  summarizing results    report Collaboration                Detection Data for        of POD analysis and    documenting Dissimilar Metal Welds                          PIONIC activities.
PIONIC virtual round Initiated PIONIC Program robin study User Need Request to        Issued PNNL-29761, NDE    Close UNR Explore the Effects of      Training and Human Performance            Qualifications:
Issues on NDE Reliability-  Implications of Research Training and Practice        on Human Learning and Memory, Instruction, and Expertise UNR NRR-2020-002            Initiated work on human  Issued PNNL-31245,    Issue NUREG          Completion of (FY20-FY24) Task 3 -        factors in analysis of    Human Factors of      summarizing          Task 3 Human Factors in Analysis    encoded data              Encoded Ultrasonic    findings, of Encoded Data                                        Examinations in        conclusions, and Nuclear Power Plants  recommendations from Human Factors and Training and Practice studies NRR-2020-002 Task 8 -        Complete PNNL-29113.      Continue work on      Issue TLR            Completion of Eddy current inspections    Baseline Evaluation of    eddy current          describing          Task 8 for partial penetration weld Eddy Current Testing for  inspections of partial worldwide examinations                PWSCC Susceptible        penetration welds      literature survey to Materials                                        ID existing COTS Continue work on eddy                            technology for current inspections of                          volumetrically partial penetration welds                        examining partial penetration welds 96
 
Year FY 2020                FY 2021              FY 2022            FY 2023 Project                          Accomplishments UNR NRR-2020-002Task          Initiated work on          Continue work on      Issue TLR            Completion of 7 - Advanced PAUT            assessing capabilities and assessing capabilities describing          Task 7 limitations of Advanced    and limitations of    capabilities and PAUT                      Advanced PAUT          limitations of Advanced PAUT UNR NRR-2020-002Task          Initiated assessment of    Continue assessment    Continue            Issue TLR 7 - Automated Data            capabilities of machine    of capabilities of    assessment of        describing the Analysis (deliverable due    learning systems and      machine learning      capabilities of      current in FY23 not shown)            automated data analysis    systems and            machine learning    capabilities of automated data        systems and          machine analysis              automated data      learning analysis            systems and automated data analysis Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Steve Ruffin (Steve.Ruffin@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents          FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals                                                          FY23 Trend Budget                    Budget Business                        CS&T                    CS&T                      CS&T                    Research Product                        FTE                      FTE                    FTE Line                          ($K)                    ($K)                      ($K)                    Planning Aging and Operating Materials        $2260          2.7      $1750            3.0      $1525        2.5 Reactors Research Total                $2260          2.7      $1750            3.0      $1525        2.5 CS&T ($K) includes contract support Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) - Evaluating the Reliability of NDE of Vessels and Piping.
* PNNL - Evaluation of Advanced NDE Techniques.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* NDE Addenda for NRC/EPRI MOU addressing several topics including ultrasonic modeling and simulation. Recently completed topics include human factors for NDE, visual testing, and CASS round robin. PIONIC being added.
* Program for Investigation of NDE by International Collaboration (PIONIC) - International collaborative research program with six countries and EPRI participating. Research topics include NDE modeling and simulation, flaw relevance evaluation, material degradation monitoring, probability of detection analysis, and machine learning in NDE.
* NRC/French Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN) Specific Topic of Cooperation Sheet No. 01, Modeling and Simulation. Topics 3 and 4 added to address Advanced PAUT and Machine Learning for Automated Data Analysis, respectively.
97
 
Integrity Analysis Tool (IAT) Development and Guidance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research to develop probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analytical tools to evaluate the structural integrity of reactor piping systems and pressure boundary components.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Probabilistic component integrity analysis tools and methodologies.
* Develop Regulatory Guide to enhance quality in PFM applications.
* Enhance staff capabilities in reviewing probabilistic submittals.
* Complete probabilistic evaluations of leak-before-break of nickel-based alloys exposed to primary water environments and assessment of current leak-before-break regulations and guidance.
* Maintain and develop the state-of-practice for the Extremely Low Probability of Rupture (xLPR) and Fracture Analysis of Vessels-Oak Ridge (FAVOR) PFM codes.
Impact and Benefits
* Update NRC acceptance criteria for the use of PFM analyses on piping systems with active degradation mechanisms.
* Develop and maintain PFM analysis in-house capabilities of xLPR.
* Reduce conservatisms associated with deterministic submittals by enhancing staff capabilities in the area of probabilistic integrity assessment.
* Use risk-insights to make further enhancements and to expand the use of PFM tools.
Drivers
* Request from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) to develop and implement probabilistic methods to evaluate leak-before-break of nickel-based alloys exposed to primary water environments.
* Request from NRR to develop supporting regulatory guidance to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of PFM analyses used for licensing actions and in consensus codes and standards.
* Request from NRR to maintain and develop state-of-practice of probabilistic tools for nuclear power plant component integrity risk assessments.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021              FY 2022  FY 2023 Project                          Accomplishments User Need Request (UNR)      Completed domestic and      Issue Technical Letter NRR-2014-004,                international public release Report (TLR) on select Implementation of            of the xLPR code and        probabilistic evaluations of Probabilistic Methods for    public outreach meetings to  leak-before-break; issue Evaluating Leak-Before-      build base for user group;  TLR on generalization Break                        drafted NUREG on xLPR        study to bound Version 2.0 code            probabilistic evaluations of development; completed      leak-before-break xLPR Version 2.1            requirements and guidance 98
 
Year FY 2020 FY 2021                FY 2022        FY 2023 Project                              Accomplishments UNR NRR-2016-004,                Completed final draft of        Complete PFM regulatory      Publish final Development of Regulatory        PFM regulatory guide and        guide comment resolution    RG for PFM Guidance on PFM Best-            technical basis; completed Practices                        Interactions with public for PFM regulatory guide New UNR to Maintain and                                                                        Commence      Continue Develop State-of-Practice of                                                                  incremental    incremental Probabilistic Tools for                                                                        xLPR code      xLPR and Nuclear Power Plant                                                                            release(s);    FAVOR code Component Integrity Risk                                                                      commence      releases; Assessments                                                                                    assessment of  continue results of    assessment of benchmarking  results of studies        benchmarking studies UNR NRR-2014-004,                Completed domestic and          Complete draft TLR on Implementation of                international public release    select probabilistic Probabilistic Methods for        of the xLPR code and            evaluations of leak-before-Evaluating Leak-Before-          public outreach meetings to    break; complete draft TLR Break                            build base for user group;      on generalization study completed draft NUREG on        to bound probabilistic xLPR Version 2.0 code          evaluations of leak-before-development; completed          break requirements and xLPR Version 2.1                guidance Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Raj Iyengar (Raj.Iyengar@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents          FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals                                                              FY23 Trend Budget                    Budget Business                        CS&T                          CS&T                      CS&T                  Research Product                        FTE                        FTE                          FTE Line                            ($K)                        ($K)                      ($K)                  Planning Aging and Operating Materials        $679          4.1          $1350          3.5          $500          3.0 Reactors Research Total                  $679          4.1          $1350          3.5          $500          3.0 CS&T ($K) includes contract support Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* EMC2 - probabilistic leak-before-break evaluations; xLPR code maintenance, support, and distribution.
* NUMARK - FAVOR maintenance and development.
* Sourcery, Inc. - FAVOR maintenance and development.
99
 
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between the NRC and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on xLPR code documentation and leak-before-break applications.
* MOU between the NRC and EPRI on xLPR code maintenance, support, and distribution.
* Engagement with domestic and international stakeholders to receive feedback on development of the PFM regulatory guidance.
100
 
Materials Degradation, Analysis, and Mitigation Techniques Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area covers research on the degradation of primarily metallic reactor materials by corrosion, irradiation, cracking, and other forms of physically and chemically induced damage.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain awareness of operating experience to identify emergent degradation issues or materials performance trends that could affect plant safety.
* Pursue information sharing and cooperative research with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and industry counterparts.
* Identify opportunities to harvest ex-plant materials for analysis and testing.
* Remain cognizant of new materials and manufacturing technologies that may be used for plant components.
* Engage with DOE, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and international counterparts to identify alternatives to the Halden Reactor Project (Halden/HRP) for ex-plant materials irradiation and irradiated materials testing.
* Develop long-term plans for use of NRC-funded materials testing infrastructure at DOE laboratories.
Impact and Benefits
* Enhance NRC acceptance criteria for assessment and aging management of safety-related structures, systems, and components (SSCs) for continued and long-term operations.
* Shorten timeline for licensing decisions including for subsequent license renewal (SLR) application reviews.
* Improve understanding of risk significance of materials degradation issues to focus attention on those most important to safety.
* Identify and develop a resolution path for key knowledge gaps related to the adoption of new materials and manufacturing technologies.
Drivers
* Response to Commission direction to evaluate the aging-related degradation of SSCs including irradiation-assisted degradation of reactor internals for long-term operations.
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) for assistance in independently confirming industry tests and analyses that support licensing actions related to materials degradation including primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC),
irradiation-assisted degradation (IAD), and neutron absorbing materials degradation 101
 
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021            FY 2022          FY 2023 Accomplishments Project UNR NRR-2017-006:          Conducted Cables Aging              Complete meeting Research Assistance on    Workshop; participated in Joint    summaries, Research Potential Significant      Harvesting Workshop at NEA          Information Letters, Technical Issues During    Developed Joint Roadmap for        and other summary the SPEO                  Metals and RG 1.188 Rev.2 on        reports; Ageing Standard Format and Content for    Management Training Applications to Renew Nuclear Power Plant Operating Licenses New UNR to replace                                                                  Conduct Concrete    Continue NRR-2017-006:                                                                        Aging Workshop;    related Research Assistance on                                                              complete            support Potential Significant                                                                documentation of    with new Technical Issues During                                                              NRC and            User Need LTO                                                                                  counterpart        Request technical meetings UNR NRR-2020-005:          Obtained results from Cooperative  Obtain final results Irradiation-Assisted      Zorita Plate Materials Testing at  from Zorita materials Degradation of Reactor    Studsvik; obtained initial results  testing at ANL; Pressure Vessel Internals  from confirmatory testing of Zorita complete NRC for LTO                    baffle plate samples at ANL;        assessment of Zorita obtained results from cooperative  testing results Zorita welds testing                Kickoff of FIDES and SMILE projects New UNR to replace                                                                  Continue related    Continue NRR-2020-005:                                                                        support with new    related Irradiation-Assisted                                                                User Need          support Degradation of Reactor                                                              request            with new Pressure Vessel Internals                                                                                User Need for LTO                                                                                                  request UNR NRR-2013-005: To        Completed TLR on the evaluation Develop the Technical      of Boral surveillance programs; Bases for the Evaluation    completed TLR on the of Neutron Absorbing        measurement uncertainty Materials in Spent Fuel    associated with in-pool neutron Pools (SFPs)                absorber areal density measurements using the BADGER system Research contracts closed out; UNR closed out UNR NRR-2020-004,          Completed NUREG/CRs of            Complete TLR on Alloy Complete TLR on Task C: Environmental      PWSCC Crack Growth Rate            182 Testing of Stress PWSCC Initiation Materials Degradation for  Testing (ANL/PNNL)                Effects              of Alloy Reactor Coolant Pressure                                                            690/52/152 Boundary Components New UNR to continue                                                                                      Complete NRR-2020-004, Task C:                                                                                    TLR on Environmental Materials                                                                                  PWSCC Degradation for Reactor                                                                                  Initiation of Coolant Pressure                                                                                        Alloy Boundary Components                                                                                      690/52/152 dilution zones and defects Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY) 102
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Steve Ruffin (Steve.Ruffin@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY21 Presidents  FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals                                          FY23 Trend Budget            Budget Business                          CS&T              CS&T              CS&T                  Research Product                        FTE              FTE                FTE Line                            ($K)              ($K)              ($K)                  Planning Aging and Operating Materials        $1095        4.7  $1830        4.5  $1460        3.0 Reactors Research International Operating Technical          $0          0.1    $0          0      $0          0 Reactors Cooperation New        New Reactors
                                      $0          0.1    $0          0      $0          0 Reactors        Research Total                  $1095        4.9  $1830        4.5  $1460        3.0 CS&T ($K) includes contract support Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Halden - HRP International Agreement.
* EPRI/Studsvik - Zorita Internals Research Project.
* EPRI/Studsvik - Irradiation-Assisted Degradation of Vessel Internals Materials.
* ANL - Ex-Plant Materials Testing.
* ANL - PWSCC Crack Growth Testing.
* PNNL - PWSCC Crack Growth Testing.
* PNNL- Ex-plant Harvesting.
* PNNL - PWSCC Initiation Testing.
* Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) - Zion Boral Evaluation.
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory - BADGER Measurement Uncertainty.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* NEA Studsvik Materials Integrity for Life Extension (SMILE) project: performs research on materials harvested from the reactor internals, reactor pressure vessel, piping, and steam generators from shutdown Swedish plants.
* NEA Framework for Irradiation Experiments (FIDES): supports irradiation-assisted degradation research on irradiated stainless-steel welds and creep/relaxation of baffle bolt materials.
* Memorandum of Understanding Addenda with EPRI for PWSCC Expert Panel Activities, PWSCC Crack Initiation Testing, Neutron Absorber Materials from Zion, Long Term Operations (LTO) research.
* International Forum for Reactor Aging Management (IFRAM).
* MOU Addendum with DOE on cooperative nuclear safety research related to LTO including information sharing with DOE and EPRI on DOEs Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program.
103
* Component Operational Experience Degradation and Ageing Program (CODAP) -
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Thirteen participating countries renewed for Phase 3 (2018-2020).
104
 
Analyses and Evaluation Tools for Advanced non-LWR Materials, Chemistry, and Component Integrity FY21 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research activities on the performance of materials and components used in advanced non-light-water reactors (ANLWRs) aimed at developing technical bases for materials applications, confirmatory predictive tools for assessing component integrity, and evaluation methods for assessing corrosion and chemistry effects on structures and components.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Assess performance needs and issues for materials, chemistry, and component integrity in ANLWRs.
* Facilitate use of existing regulatory guidance, industry codes and standards, applicable to ANLWRs.
* Acquire or develop computer codes and tools to perform ANLWR regulatory reviews.
Impact and Benefits
* Improve staff knowledge of industry-proposed timelines and focus areas for ANLWRs.
* Address the need for staff engagement on the use of consensus codes and standards related to materials that may be used in the construction and operation of advanced reactors.
* Enhance staff knowledge and technical capabilities leading to better decision-making regarding confirmatory research.
* Acquire/develop knowledge, technical skills, and capacity to perform ANLWR regulatory activities.
Driver
* Request from NRR to support the NRC Implementation Action Plan (IAP) for advanced non-LWRs (ADAMS Accession No. ML17165A069). Specifically, activities associated with acquiring or developing sufficient computer codes and tools to perform non-LWR regulatory reviews (IAP Strategy 2), and activities associated with the facilitation of industry codes &
standards for Non -LWRs (e.g., ASME B&PV Code, Section III, Division 5) (IAP Strategy 4).
Such activities include participation in code meetings, guidance development, and stakeholder outreach Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 Accomplishments                      FY 2021              FY 2022                  FY 2023 Project Issued Technical Letter Report (TLR) on    TLR addressing          TLR/Whitepaper on    Incorporate graphite environmental creep-fatigue and weld      graphite properties and molten salt          degradation POF model NRC Non-Light      creep cracking; developed post-            degradation including  compatibility of    into a simple software Water Reactor      processing tool to aid in executing the    source dependency;      structural materials tool for use by staff; TLR ASME, Section III Division 5 design rules; complete report        and graphite high    documenting systematic Near-Term issued RIL 2020-09, International          documenting materials,  temperature;        comparison of static Implementation    Workshop on Advanced Non-Light Water      chemistry and          corrosion/erosion/o  corrosion Action Plans      Reactor - Materials and Component          component integrity    xidation of          methodologies; TLR on (Strategy 2)      Integrity; issued TLR addressing          accomplishments, and    structural materials the effect of containment adequacy of ASME, Section III Division 5  plans regarding IAP 2. in gas-cooled and    material on corrosion design rules related to high temperature                          Na fast reactors    test results; TLRs on the 105
 
Year FY 2020 Accomplishments                        FY 2021          FY 2022                FY 2023 Project metallic materials and graphite; provided                                          use of FLiNaK as a recommended guidance based on                                                      FLiBe surrogate; literature review and gap analysis of High                                          corrosivity of fission Temperature Corrosion/Oxidation of                                                  products; evaluation of Structural Material; developed technical                                            the effects of sample basis for the thermal embrittlement effects                                        surface to salt volume of anticipated structural materials used in                                        ratio; and effects of ANLWRs; issued TLR on gap identification                                            oxide and hydroxide and recommendations on consensus                                                    contents of salts codes and computational codes Provided Input to a NUREG documenting      Continued support for the NRCs review/endorsement of the        development and NRC Non-Light      ASME Code, Section III, Division 5.        issuance of a RG and Water Reactor                                                  NUREG documenting
                    .                                          NRCs Near-Term review/endorsement of Implementation                                                  the ASME Code, Action Plans                                                    Section III, Division 5.
(Strategy 4)                                                    Draft NUREG and RG to be issued for public comment FY2021 Q3 Resources FY22 Presidents FY20 Actuals              FY21 Enacted                                  FY23 Trend Budget Business                          CS&T                      CS&T                    CS&T                      Research Product                          FTE                          FTE                FTE Line                            ($K)                      ($K)                    ($K)                      Planning Advanced Advanced      Non-LWR
                                      $733            0.2        $700              2.0  $768*        2.6*
Reactors      Regulatory Readiness Total                  $733            0.2        $700              2.0  $768        2.6 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
*FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Raj Iyengar (Raj.Iyengar@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering
* Steve Ruffin (Steve.Ruffin@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in Division of Engineering Contractor Support
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Technical assistance pertaining to advanced reactors.
* NUMARK - Graphite.
* Argonne National Laboratory - Creep-fatigue and creep cracking.
* Idaho National Laboratory - Graphite for ANLWRs.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* International Workshop on Advanced Non-Light Water Reactors - Materials and Component Integrity, December 9-11, 2019.
* Collaboration with the Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute, which have research programs on materials integrity in advanced reactors.
* NRAN Apprentice working on molten salt chemistry issues (10/20-3/21).
106
 
Piping and Other Components Integrity and Analysis Tools and Methods for Mechanical Systems and Inservice Testing Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research and codes and standards activities related to in-service inspection (particularly, flaw evaluation), repair/replacement of safety-related components in operating reactors, and evaluation of component integrity criteria and methods.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain core capabilities for conducting component integrity assessments using in-house analytical tools.
* Ensure consistency, efficiency, and transparency for participatory roles in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.
* Enhance interactions with international counterparts to support information exchanges on best practices for the use of probabilistic fracture mechanics.
Impact and Benefits
* Provide technical support for the evaluation of proposed changes to Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, which is incorporated by reference into Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50.55a.
* Develop modeling guidelines aimed at increasing the efficiency of staff reviews of licensing actions related to leaking and cracked piping welds.
* Develop and maintain in-house software tools and analytical methods used by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) staff to review industry submittals (e.g., ABAQUS capabilities and flaw evaluation software).
* Conduct research to support the NRR staff in establishing regulatory positions related to new repair techniques and materials proposed by industry (e.g., carbon fiber and high-density polyethylene).
Drivers
* Requests from NRR to represent the NRC and communicate staff positions on Subcommittees and Working Groups of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.
* Requests from NRR to develop regulatory guidance for the use of probabilistic fracture mechanics in licensing actions.
* Requests from NRR for emergent support on component integrity evaluations for operating plants.
* Requests from NRR to review and update the criteria and associated technical basis for postulating pipe ruptures in fluid system piping at nuclear power plants.
Key Deliverables Year              FY 2020 FY 2021        FY 2022    FY 2023 Project                        Accomplishments NRR 2019-001, User      Developed and implemented          Complete Technical  Complete TLR Need Request (UNR)      contracts with Numark and          Letter Report (TLR) on for Confirmatory Testing EMC2 to support required          summarizing results environmental of Carbon Fiber                                            of Carbon Fiber    durability mechanical and durability testing; Reinforced Polymer                                          Reinforced Polymer  testing completed white paper on          (CFRP) confirmatory 107
 
Year                FY 2020 FY 2021            FY 2022              FY 2023 Project                          Accomplishments IAR-NRR Risk              nondestructive examination of      testing; complete TLR  UNR closed Assessment of Repair      carbon fiber reinforced polymer    on assessment of the of Degraded Piping                                            risk (and safety significance) and consequences of the failure of repaired piping.
UNR NRR-2020-10,          Completed final publication of      Complete FES V 5 Flaw Evaluation          NUREG-2228 on weld residual        release; complete two stress validation; completed Two    TLRs on xFEM for TLRs on xFEM applications and      regulatory use limitations UNR NRR-2020-10,          Continued support for quarterly        Continue support        Continue          Continue ASME Section XI Code      ASME Code meetings and                                          support            support Technical Basis Review    activities in various Section XI and Development          task groups, working groups, subgroups, and standards committee activities NRO-2015-007, UNR        Completed TLR documenting                UNR closed on Acceptance Criteria    currently available background for Pipe Ruptures in      on break location criteria and Fluid System Piping      licensing submittals involving departure from the current Standard Review Plan 3.6.2 criteria New UNR on                                                    New UNR developed.      Complete TLR      Issue draft Acceptance Criteria for                                                              on alternative    NUREG and Pipe Ruptures in High-                                                                acceptance        Regulatory Energy Fluid Systems                                                                  criteria for      Guide for public Piping                                                                                failure of high-  comment on energy fluid      alternative systems            acceptance piping            criteria Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Raj Iyengar (Raj.Iyengar@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY22 Presidents            FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget                Trend Business                        CS&T                    CS&T                      CS&T                        Research Product                        FTE                        FTE                        FTE Line                          ($K)                    ($K)                      ($K)                        Planning Aging and Operating Materials          $216          2.3      $350            2.0        $45            2.0 Reactors Research Operating Engineering
                                  $332          0.3      $200            1.5      $200            1.8 Reactors      Research New New Reactors            $0          0.1        $85            0.7        $85            0.7 Reactors Research Total                  $548          2.7      $635            4.2      $330            4.5 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE) 108
 
Contractor Support
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - Orderly close-out of previous research project on peening effectiveness; Crack initiation testing (completed).
* Numark/Emc2 - Carbon Fiber Repair: Confirmatory testing.
* Emc2 - Carbon Fiber Repair: Durability testing.
* Numark/Emc2 - xFEM Technical support: PWSCC Crack Growth (completed).
* Enterprise Wide Commercial - High-energy fluid systems piping.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Close communications with industry stakeholders for carbon fiber repair testing campaign to avoid duplication of efforts.
109
 
Steam Generator Integrity Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes regulatory research on the inspection and structural integrity of existing and new steam generators (SGs), particularly SG tubes.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain awareness of SG operating experience to identify emergent degradation issues or materials performance trends that could affect safety.
* Keep abreast of advancing technologies in SG inspections.
* Continue leadership roles in international cooperative activities.
Impact and Benefits
* Confirm the effectiveness of new SG tube examination methodologies proposed by industry to improve inspection times.
* Provide support to the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and Regional Offices for the independent evaluation of licensee SG tube inspection data.
* Enhance the efficiency of licensing actions by assessing the risk significance and structural safety margins for SG tubes.
* Support domestic and international collaborative agreements to leverage resources and enhance staff knowledge.
Driver
* User Need Request from NRR for assistance to enhance regulatory guidance for performing SG tube structural integrity calculations, analyzing structural degradation, and conducting periodic inspections or surveillances.
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021                  FY 2022              FY 2023 Accomplishments Project NRR-2018-007              Completed Technical Letter  Complete                Issue update to        Issue update to Steam Generator Tube      Report - Evaluations on the  development of          NUREG/CR that          NUREG/CR Integrity and Inspection  Effect of Eddy Current Probe software to predict    covers probability of  that covers new Issues                    Wear on Flaw Sizing          structural/ leakage    detection in in-service developments NUREG/CR covering            integrity of SG        inspections            in automated Development and Validation  tubes; Technical                                analysis of eddy of Models for Predicting    Letter Report -                                current Leakage from Degraded        Inspection and                                  inspections Tube-to-Tubesheet Joints    structural integrity of During Severe Accidents      U-bend tubes with PWSCC flaws; NUREG/CR covering detection of cracking near volumetric defects Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Steve Ruffin (Steve.Ruffin@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering 110
 
Resources FY22 Presidents  FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget        Trend Business                        CS&T                    CS&T                        CS&T              Research Product                        FTE                      FTE                      FTE Line                          ($K)                    ($K)                      ($K)              Planning Aging and Operating Materials          $540          0.9      $600            1.5        $600        1.5 Reactors Research Total                  $540          0.9      $600            1.5        $600        1.5 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) - Steam Generator Tube Integrity Program including inspection and pressure testing.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* International agreement for the International Tube Integrity Program (TIP-6) - Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, and possibly United Arab Emirates.
* Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Addendum with the Electric Power Research Institute for SG Tube Base Research Program.
111
 
Vessel Integrity Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This program area includes research on the structural integrity of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) including the effects of irradiation-induced embrittlement and flaw analyses.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Develop and maintain staff core capabilities in RPV integrity assessments and performance of fluence analyses.
* Increase use of risk-information for RPV regulatory issues via enhancements to FAVOR
[Oak Ridge National Laboratory Software] and increase use of FAVOR by staff and stakeholders.
* Develop, maintain, and use powerful and efficient state-of-the-art computational tools for RPV integrity assessments (FAVOR, GRIZZLY [software]).
* Enhance information exchanges and foster additional collaborative research activities with industry, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and foreign counterparts on the topics of RPV analysis computational tools and of neutron fluence and embrittlement assessments.
Impact and Benefits
* Update NRC acceptance criteria for assessment and aging management of the RPV to support long--term plant operations including high-fluence material properties and RPV nozzle support embrittlement.
* Enhance the technical bases for regulatory guidance and rulemaking related to RPV surveillance requirements and pressurized thermal shock including potential revision of Regulatory Guide 1.99, Revision 2.
* Reduce uncertainties in determining structural safety margins including for the evaluation of shallow surface-breaking flaws.
* Increase the use of risk insights to inform deterministic and probabilistic RPV integrity analyses.
* Maintain in-house expertise in the use, maintenance, and development of analytical software tools critical to independent safety reviews (e.g., Flaw Analysis of Vessels -
FAVOR).
* Engage the technical community in the development of consensus codes and standards related to RPV inspection and structural analyses.
Drivers
* Response to Commission direction to evaluate the aging-related degradation of the RPV during long--term operations.
* Requests from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) for assistance in enhancing regulatory guidance for performing structural integrity calculations of the RPV such as fluence calculation methodologies.
* Requests from NRR to maintain independent analytical capabilities.
* Requests from NRR to support the updating of regulations and regulatory guidance for RPV analyses and to represent the NRC in the development of associated consensus codes and standards.
112
 
Key Deliverables Year FY 2020 FY 2021        FY 2022        FY 2023 Accomplishments Project User Need Request (UNR) NRR                                Issued TLR, 2015-002: RPV Fluence Evaluation                            Calculational Methodology Guidance                                        Methods for Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence in Extended Beltline Locations Issued TLR, Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence, DPA, and Uncertainty Quantification in Extended Beltline Locations UNR NRR 2017-007: RPV Integrity      Completed FAVOR and FAVOR Support                    Software Quality Assurance and Verification and Validation (V&V) assessment; completed FAVOR Training for code users and code developers; completed Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.99 Revision 2 Update Scoping Analyses UNR closed in FY20 UNR NRR 2020-003: RPV and            Completed shallow flaw Ongoing FAVOR    UNR Closed in Internals Materials, Fluence, and    issue disposition;    Software Quality  FY21 FAVOR Support                        completed REAP        Assurance (SQA) modernization          and V&V; create FAVOR Users Group REAP integration with NRC Information Technology infrastructure New UNR for RPV integrity technical                        New UNR in        Conduct REAP  Conduct REAP assistance                                                  development      maintenance    maintenance Collaboration  Collaboration with DOE and  with DOE and EPRI on RPV    EPRI on RPV data analysis  data analysis Engagement    Engagement with with Codes and Codes and Standards on  Standards on RPV            RPV embrittlement  embrittlement issues        issues Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY) 113
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Raj Iyengar (Raj.Iyengar@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Engineering Resources FY22 Presidents  FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget        Trend Business                        CS&T                    CS&T                        CS&T              Research Product                        FTE                      FTE                      FTE Line                          ($K)                    ($K)                      ($K)              Planning Aging and Operating Materials        $1003          1.3      $750            2.0        $750        2.0 Reactors Research Total                  $1003          1.3      $750            2.0        $750        2.0 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Numark - RPV integrity analysis, REAP, and FAVOR support.
* Sourcery Inc. - FAVOR software development.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* International agreement with the Japan Atomic Energy Agency for exchange of information on materials and component integrity research.
* International agreement with the French Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire exchange of information on integrity assessment and mechanical modeling computational tools.
* Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between the NRC and DOE on cooperative nuclear safety research related to longterm operations.
114
 
Systems Analysis Research Activities 115
 
116 Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF)
Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* The ATF Project Plan was developed jointly between NRR, RES, and NMSS staff to ensure efficient and timely licensing of near-term ATF concepts.
* This EPID includes computer code development, literature reviews/information gathering, conducting of phenomena identification and ranking table activities (PIRTs), technical assistance, and stakeholder engagement needed to support the NRCs Accident Tolerant Fuels Project Plan (ML18236A507).
Strategic Focus Areas
* Develop staff core capabilities in ATF, high burnup, and high enrichment fuel performance phenomena.
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-the art in modeling due to the industry focus of tying ATF to benefits, reduced margins.
* Continue participatory and leadership roles in international (Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations [CSNI]/Nuclear Energy Agency [NEA], Studsvik Cladding Integrity Project [SCIP]) projects to remain aware of and influence international activities related to ATF, burnup, and enrichment.
Impact and Benefits
* Confirmatory tools are expected to play a critical role in topical reviews as limited data have the potential to increase uncertainties in the phenomena of ATF concepts.
* Literature reviews and information gathering will help develop staff core capabilities and provide a basis for developing interim staff guidance (ISG) to supplement NUREG-0800.
* The PIRT exercise(s) will serve as an additional independent resource of expertise that will aid in the development of ISGs.
* Staff and contractors will support licensing reviews and confirmatory analysis on an as-needed basis.
* Stakeholder engagement will ensure that staff and industry are properly aligned with expectations of timelines, data, and testing generation as well as the licensing approach to take benefits from ATF.
Drivers
* This EPID supports the ATF NRR-2019-010 & NMSS-2020-004 user-needs as well as the high burnup and enrichment (near-term) user needs, NRR-2019-009 & NMSS-2020-005.
* ATF-related activities support the Agencys Accident Tolerant Fuel Project Plan.
* Industry is on an aggressive schedule to license and reload ATF concepts with the request of a shortened review period.
* In conjunction with ATF, the industry is now pursuing higher burnups and enrichments that have their own unique set of new phenomena that need to be understood.
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 FY21                      FY22                    FY23 Project            Accomplishments
* FAST with ATF updates
* FAST with updates for
* FAST with ATF
* FAST with ATF updates as data becomes doped fuel, coated          updates as data                              as data becomes available Code              claddings, FeCrAl          becomes available                            available
* Assessment of Development
* Assessment of
* Nuclear data review
* Updates with vendor SCALE/PARCS for ATF, nuclear data library for    and assessment for                            information to support high burnup and SCALE                      SCALE                                        topical reports enrichment 117
 
Year            FY20 FY21                        FY22                        FY23 Project              Accomplishments
* Source term updates
* Improve
* Source term updates for for coated claddings in  TRACE/FAST              high burnup in MELCOR MELCOR                    coupling to include
* Add new ATF fuel
* Couple TRACE with          transfer of 3D          properties to TRACE FAST                      kinetics and
* Implement new models mechanistic fuel        for high burnup and high relocation data          enrichment fuel in TRACE
* Define methodology to calculate rod
* Demonstrate burst population methodology for rod burst and estimate fuel population and fuel
* Perform source term dispersal dispersal                  calculations for PWR and
* Perform source
* Perform source term        BWR with FeCrAl Supported Calvert Cliffs    term calculations for calculations for PWR and    cladding LAR for Coated              PWR and BWR with Code Analysis                                                        BWR with coated
* Perform confirmatory Cladding and Doped          high burnup fuel cladding                    calculations to support Fuel
* Perform
* Perform confirmatory        LAR and LTR reviews, as confirmation calculations to support    requested by NRR calculations to LAR and LTR reviews, as support LAR and requested by NRR LTR reviews, as requested by NRR
* High enrichment reports related to in-reactor, Severe accident PIRTs                                        transportation, and literature review storage behavior
* Complete severe accident PIRT Ad Hoc support to NRR staff Provide assistance as requested reviews of NPP licensing amendment Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Hossein Esmaili, Ph. D. (Hossein.Esmail@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis 118
 
Resources FY22 Presidents        FY23 FY20 Actuals      FY21 Enacted Budget            Trend CS&T              CS&T                  CS&T                  Research Business Line      Product                    FTE              FTE                  FTE
($K)              ($K)                  ($K)                Planning Operating        System
                                    $3,538        2.8  $4,650      4.5      $3,100      4.4 Reactors        Analysis Operating          Risk
                                    $279              $250        0.5      $250      0.5 Reactors        Analysis Spent Fuel Waste Storage and                        $600        0.3  $1,500      0.7      $2,213      0.9 Research Transportation Total                $4,417        3.1  $6,400      5.7      $5,563      5.8 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support & International Projects
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) - FAST Code Development.
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory - SCALE Code Development.
* Sandia National Laboratories - MELCOR Code Development.
* Information Systems Laboratories - TRACE Code Development.
* University of Michigan - PARCS Code Development.
* Studsvik Cladding Integrity Project Phase IV (SCIP-IV) - Focus on high burnup effects on FFRD.
* QUENCH-ATF - focus on Cr-coated bundle behavior under DBA and BDBA conditions.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* NRC-DOE Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on ATF - DOE is to provide NRC access to data and information gathered through the ATF test program.
* NRC involvement in OECD/NEA TOPATF - Working with international regulators and utilities to identify the applicability of existing fuel safety criteria to ATF concepts.
* NRC involvement in OECD/NEA research proposal on High Enrichment - working with international regulators and utilities to capture operating experience relevant to high enriched fuel utilization.
* SCIP-IV Total cost - 180.9mSEK (~$18.9 million); NRC cost of $850K.
* QUENCH-ATF Total cost - ~$1.67 million euros (~$2 million); NRC cost of $184K 119
 
Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes research for the NRC to perform independent safety analyses related to thermal hydraulics and computational fluid dynamics in addition to maintenance of thermal-hydraulic technical expertise that supports technical bases for risk-informed regulatory decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Leverage cooperative international research programs to gain reactor safety insights.
* Develop and use internal expertise in reactor safety research topics.
* Modernize and maintain TRACE plant decks so that they are ready, on-demand, for licensing decision-making.
Impact and Benefits
* Shortens timeline for licensing decisions and generates fewer requests for additional information.
* Offers insights into the relative importance of reactor safety phenomena to aid in the informed allocation of NRC resources.
* Provides foresight into new reactor system behaviors and phenomena.
Drivers
* Request from NRR for assistance in reactor accident and stability analyses for operating, small modular, and advanced reactors, support for research and test reactors (RTR) license renewal (e.g., SHINE).
* Ensure TRACE/PARCS has the capability to perform thermal-hydraulic analyses on an on-call basis.
* Maintain thermal-hydraulics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) experts.
Key Deliverables Year FY20 Project                                                  FY21                  FY22                  FY23 Accomplishments Complete LOCA and point-kinetics Complete LOCA and transient models for Complete LOCA                                point-kinetics models for Completed plant model                            AP1000, North and PARCS models                            Vogtle, Brunswick, and Oconee                                            Anna, and for Palo Verde and                          Sequoyah Monticello Plant Decks                                      Point Beach                                  Complete PARCS model Development and                                                                              for North Anna Complete PARCS Maintenance                                                              model for AP1000 NuScale, BWRX-300, and HOLTEC Licensing Support Maintain Plant Models Ensure compatibility between Plant Models and Latest TRACE Version ATWS-I confirmatory analysis of Brunswick MELLLA+                MELLLA+ with ATRIUM 11 fuel Closed UNR 120
 
Year FY20 Project                                                    FY21                  FY22                    FY23 Accomplishments
: 1) Support for License Renewal and HEU to LEU Core Conversion; 2)
Support for SHINE operating license permit Test Reactors
: 3) Pre-application support for Eden Isotopes and ACU molten salt reactor Full Spectrum LOCA      Final report complete, RAR closed Input provided to NRR GSI-191                  for closeout. RES work is done. This is closed.
Development of Nuclepedia Page Participation in related to            Benchmarking advanced Nek5000 code using CFD Reactor Analysis    OECD/NEA HYMERES-2 for        HYMERES-2 Containment test.
HYMERES-2 project Knowledge Management Complete Supported several dry uncertainty cask storage quantification of                        Complete several application reviews horizontal dry cask  Complete several  knowledge management simulator            knowledge          presentations and provide Completed validation of CFD Spent Fuel                                      (NUREG/CR-7274)      management        application review support vertical dry cask Storage and                                                              presentations and simulator (NUREG-Transportation                                      Complete several      provide            Complete Supplemental 2238)
Analysis                                            knowledge            application review NUREG to NUREG-2152 management            support            (CFD best practice Completed several presentations and                        guidelines for dry knowledge provide application                      cask applications) management review support presentations Ad Hoc support to NRR and NMSS staff reviews of NPP and      Provide assistance as requested spent fuel licensing amendments Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis 121
 
Resources FY22 Presidents    FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget      Trend CS&T                  CS&T                          CS&T            Research Business Line      Product                      FTE                      FTE                      FTE
($K)                  ($K)                          ($K)            Planning System Operating Analysis        $180          5.0    $500            6.1            $625      6.1 Reactors Research New New Reactors      Reactors          $89          1.4 Research Spent Fuel Waste Storage and                                      0.8                    1.0                      0.8 Research Transportation Total                  $269          7.2    $500            5.1            $625      5.1 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Energy Research, Inc. - TRACE Analysis and Plant Deck Modernization support.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Through the CAMP, the NRC receives about $1M annually from fees collected from international organizations (not reflected in above amount).
* RES is participating in the HYMERES-2 project and containment mixing benchmark in cooperation with DOE to develop skills and best practice guidelines for the advanced DOE code Nek5000.
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Fuels and Neutronics Analysis Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes research for the NRC to perform independent safety analyses for fuels and neutronics, supported by the SCALE, PARCS, and FAST codes, to support technical bases for risk-informed regulatory decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Enhancing readiness for next generation fuel licensing actions through analytical tool development and support for audits.
* Develop and use internal expertise in fuels and neutronics research topics including o Fuel performance phenomena and modeling, uncertainty quantification.
o Criticality and shielding modeling and uncertainty quantification.
Impact and Benefits
* Potential for shortening licensing review times by having expertise available to perform confirmatory analyses and on-call expertise, such as through audit support.
* Neutronics and fuels codes (e.g., SCALE, PARCS, and FAST) are ready to support amendments and topical report reviews for o Loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) analyses.
o New fuel designs and evaluation methods.
o Plant life extension fluence calculations.
o Source term evaluations for siting and NEPA analyses.
o Support for SMR reviews (e.g., NuScale, BWRX-300).
* Analyses performed support safety studies, updates to regulatory guidance, rulemaking regulatory bases, and generic issue resolution.
Drivers
* Neutronics and fuels codes analyses (SCALE/Polaris, PARCS, FAST) are inputs to the thermal- hydraulics (e.g., LOCA, design basis transient) analyses and the TRACE Plant Deck development work.
* This EPID supports NRR-2019-011 (TRACE Plant Deck Model Development work).
Key Deliverables Year                FY20 Project                                                          FY21              FY22            FY23 Accomplishments Site Level 3 analysis Completed associated (reactor and spent fuel Level 3 analysis pools (2018-2022)
TRACE Plant Deck          Completed plant model        Complete PARCS                        Complete PARCS Complete PARCS development                Oconee                        models for Palo Verde                  model for North model for AP1000 (neutronics input)                                      and Point Beach                        Anna Completed NuScale design NuScale certification in August 2020.
Demonstration and VERA-TRACE/PARCS comparison of VERA RAR to TRACE/PARCS 123
 
Year                  FY20 Project                                                                FY21                  FY22              FY23 Accomplishments Ad Hoc support to NRR staff reviews of NPP        Provide assistance as requested licensing amendment Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contacts
* Hossein Esmaili, Ph.D. (Hossein Esmail@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget        Trend Business                        CS&T                    CS&T                          CS&T                Research Product                      FTE                        FTE                      FTE Line                          ($K)                    ($K)                          ($K)              Planning System Operating Analysis          $100        0.4      $500              0.5          $500        0.5 Reactors Research Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) - Support for plant model update activities.
* ORNL - Support on providing technical bases for vessel and concrete fluence calculations.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* SCALE leverages ~8,000 users including 33 foreign regulators who exercise all areas of the code and provide additional assessment beyond the assessment performed by the code development team at ORNL.
* The VERA User Group and VERA code suite are CASL tools leveraged to provide high-fidelity reference solutions for specialized applications.
124
 
Advanced Non-LWR Support Using the Comprehensive Reactor Analysis Bundle (CRAB)
Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes development of tools to address Strategy 2 of the Implementation Action Plan (IAP) for advanced non-light water reactors (non-LWR).
* Specifically, this involves the development of codes suitable for confirmatory systems analysis of heat pipe cooled micro-reactors, molten salt cooled reactors (FHRs), gas-cooled reactors (GCRs), sodium fast reactors (SFRs), and molten salt fueled reactors (MSRs).
Strategic Focus Areas
* Initial efforts have been directed at understanding requirements for modeling and simulation of these new designs and identifying codes that could be used to support confirmatory analyses or to perform safety studies.
* Leverage cooperative domestic and international research programs to gain reactor safety insights.
* Develop and use internal expertise in advanced non-LWR safety research topics.
Impact and Benefits
* Codes used by the NRC for confirmatory analyses have been largely designed and assessed for light water reactors (LWRs) and are not immediately extendable to future advanced reactor designs.
* Although development and modification of NRC codes is one means to extend the applicability of NRC codes to non-LWRs, codes developed by DOE under the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program will be used and are being modified for NRC regulatory purposes at a substantial cost savings to the NRC (as compared to NRC developing its own new codes).
* NEAMS codes possess unique and advanced modeling capabilities that are directly applicable for non-LWR analyses.
* Analyses with these tools offer the potential to shorten timelines for licensing especially if safety studies can be performed in advance of developers submittals. These studies can be used to help focus the technical reviews on the most safety significant aspects.
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Comprehensive Reactor Analysis Bundle BlueCRAB SCALE                  SERPENT                                                              FLUENT Cross-sections            Cross-sections                                                            CFD PARCS                    GRIFFIN                      PRONGHORN                            Nek5000 Neutronics                Neutronics                          Core T/H                            CFD TRACE                                                        MOOSE System and Core T/H                                        Coupling, Tensor Mechanics FAST                                    BISON                                SAM Fuel Performance                          Fuel Performance                  System and Core T/H Planned          Completed Coupling          Coupling      Input/BC Data NRC Code            Intl Code    Commercial          DOE Code Slide 1                                  Current View; Jan 2020 Drivers
* The primary objective of Strategy 2 of the Implementation Action Plan (IAP) for advanced non-LWRs is the development of codes suitable for confirmatory analysis of these advanced designs (see figure above).
Key Deliverables Year              FY20 Project                                                                                    FY21                        FY22                  FY23 Accomplishments Code Development Report on                Released of Volume 1 Systems Analysis for non-LWRs              Report
* Gas-Cooled
* Heat Pipe-Cooled
* Fluoride-Salt-              Pebble Bed TBD based on Micro Reactor                        Cooled High-                  Reactor Complete reference plant models                                                                                                        industry
* Sodium-Cooled Fast                  Temperature
* Molten Salt development Reactor                              Reactor                        Fueled Reactor Vendor-specific model                                                                  Heat pipe cooled micro-reactor 2 Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis 2
Vendor specific micro-reactor model generation in response to licensing office is on hold awaiting more information from the applicant.
126
 
Resources FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals            FY21 Enacted Budget        Trend Business                        CS&T                    CS&T                        CS&T              Research Product                      FTE                        FTE                      FTE    Planning Line                          ($K)                    ($K)                        ($K)
Advanced Advanced      Non-LWR
                                  $580          2.8        $600            3.0        $600*        2.0*
Reactors      Regulatory Readiness Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
*FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
Contractor Support
* Argonne National Laboratory - Advanced Reactor Support for the SAM (Systems Analysis Module) code and analyses using SAM to support NRC needs.
* Idaho National Laboratory - Advanced Reactor Support for NRCs Blue Crab Suite and analyses using Blue Crab to support NRC needs.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Use of DOE-funded NEAMS program codes (MOOSE, BISON, SAM, GRIFFIN, PRONGHORN, Nek5000) were developed to support non-LWR analyses. Adoption, modification, and use of these codes for NRC regulatory purposes represents a substantial (many millions of dollars) NRC savings since the NRC did not possess the analytic capability for non-LWR accident analyses.
127
 
Thermal-Hydraulic Verification and Validation Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID represents the maintenance of and participation in domestic and international experimental research programs that directly support the technical basis for reactor safety code development and license application reviews.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain an independent confirmatory analysis capability at the NRC.
* Expand the robust assessment and validation framework for ensuring the applicability of TRACE to reactor safety analysis.
* Continue to refine the analysis capabilities of TRACE when applied to small modular reactors (SMRs) and non-light water reactors (LWRs).
* Leverage experimental research programs as necessary for confirmatory analysis and expansion of the capabilities and applicability range for the TRACE code.
Impact and Benefits
* Ensures that the NRC will continue to have available audit tools that are sufficiently sophisticated to confirm industry plant modification applications and updates.
* Expands the range of phenomena and designs that are within the capability of the TRACE code.
* Ensures a robust assessment base and validation framework for demonstrating TRACE applicability.
Drivers
* Continue developing TRACE as a state-of-the-practice reactor safety analysis code.
* Maintain independent confirmatory reactor analysis capability at the NRC.
* Continuous improvement of the predictive capability of the TRACE reactor safety code.
Key Deliverables Year                    FY 20 Project                                                              FY21                          FY22              FY23 Accomplishments Kick-off of OECD/NEA activity, Lead OECD/NEA International Activity that evaluates reflood rate and core RBHT          completed 11 open tests, and heat transfer rate. Prepare five blind tests and second workshop.
hosted first workshop The fifth installment of PKL, PKL-The fourth phase of the 4-year PKL    ETHARINUS, will begin. This four-program concluded. Eight              year program will investigate          PKL-              PKL-experiments were conducted,            passive heat-removal systems,          ETHARINUS        ETHARINUS PKL            covering subject areas such as loss-  core-blockages, and LOCAs under        experiments      experiments of-coolant accidents (LOCAs), cool-    design-extension conditions            conducted        conducted down procedures, and multiple          RES participation in this program is steam-generator tube ruptures still undecided Performed five tests: 1) Open test    Last test of ATLAS-2 will be            ATLAS-3 tests chosen by NRC, SBLOCA with total                                                                ATLAS-3 tests performed (SBLOCA with passive          will be failure of high-pressure injection and                                                          will be performed emergency core cooling system).                          performed actuation of the passive auxiliary                                            according to ATLAS          feedwater system, 2) direct vessel    Joint workshop with PKL. ATLAS-2                          according to the schedule injection line break, 3) steam line    wrap-up                                                  the schedule agreed upon agreed upon by break with steam generator tube                                                by the ATLAS-3 kickoff                                          the participants rupture, 4) shutdown coolability                                              participants 128
 
Year                    FY 20 Project                                                              FY21                      FY22          FY23 Accomplishments without the residual heat removal system, 5) counterpart test small vessel head break Completed KATHY experimental Complete final experimental        Complete program KATHY                                                  program report and finalize a      TRACE NUREG/CR                          assessment Continued assessment of TRACE Continued development and testing COAL for the COAL experimental program        Complete COAL Preliminary Report  Preliminary (cladding deformation in a 7x7 rod PERFROI                                                1, COAL Preliminary Report 2,      Report 3, and bundle) and COCAGNE COCAGNE Final Report              COAL Final experimental program (single rod Report cladding deformation)
: 1) Finished TRACE PERSEO project analyses and documentation
: 2) Merged TRACE PERSEO results into      Complete PERSEO benchmark the state-of-the-art report of the      and final documentation.
PERSEO OECD/WGAMA passive system reliability workgroup for workgroup peer review Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY22 Presidents      FY23 FY20 Actuals              FY21 Enacted Budget            Trend Business                        CS&T                      CS&T                                              Research Product                          FTE                      FTE        CS&T ($K)        FTE Line                          ($K)                      ($K)                                              Planning System Operating Analysis          $585            1.7      $300            2.9          $300          2.9 Reactors Research New New Reactors                            2.2 Reactors Research Total                  $585            3.9      $300            2.9          $300          2.9 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Pennsylvania State University - Rod Bundle Heat Transfer program (RBHT).
* IRSN - PERFROI.
* Information Systems Laboratories (ISL) - Large System Code Performance Evaluation and Uncertainty Quantification.
* Orano (previously Areva) - KATHY experiments.
* University of Illinois - TRACE assessment against KATHY data.
129
 
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* The RBHT program has been transformed into an international cooperation effort with the OECD.
* Participate in international research programs such as PERFROI, ATLAS, and PKL that provide valuable assessment and validation data for confirmatory codes and analysis.
130
 
FAST Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes computer code development, maintenance, and research related to obtaining experimental data and analyses used to support the NRCs thermal-mechanical fuel performance code FAST, which is used in support of formulating a technical basis for regulatory decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain staff core capabilities in steady-state, anticipated operational occurrences (AOO),
and Design-Basis Accident (DBA) fuel performance as well as non-light water reactor technologies.
* Develop staff core capabilities in Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF), high burnup (HBU), and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel performance.
* Keep abreast of advances in state-of-the-art fuel performance modeling and phenomena.
* Continue participatory and leadership roles in [NEA] and Studsvik Cladding Integrity Project
[SCIP]) projects to obtain experimental data and analyses to further fuel performance code modeling and to maintain state-of-the-art modeling capabilities.
Impact and Benefits
* FAST is used to support confirmatory studies for new fuel designs, methods, and fuel vendor code update including ATF and HBU activities for NRR.
* FAST is used to support technical bases such as DG-1327 and 10 CFR 50.46(c).
* FAST provides the input conditions used to support plant licensing decisions such as loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs).
* FAST maintains the material library (MatLib) used by other NRC tools such as TRACE.
* Experimental programs provide independent data used to validate FAST as well as serve as an independent data source used to compare to fuel vendor topical reports (TRs).
* FAST is used to support non-LWR regulatory reviews.
Drivers
* The RES FAST Code Development and Maintenance program supports a variety of user needs from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) such as NRR-2019-009 & NRR-2019-010 for ATF, HBU / HALEU, NMSS-2020-004, and NMSS-2020-005 for ATF and HBU activities respectively, and NMSS-2020-006 Research Assistance Request (RAR) on the assessment of gross ruptures in HBU Fuel.
* FAST is used to perform confirmatory calculations to support the review of new fuel designs and updates to codes/methods for vendor thermal-mechanical codes.
* FAST provides inputs to TRACE for full-core NRR reviews, such as LOCA analysis
* RES provides FAST to both domestic and international users, including regulators and technical support organizations (TSOs).
* Strategy 2 of the Implementation Action Plan (IAP) for advanced non-light water reactors.
131
 
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 FY21                      FY22                      FY23 Accomplishments Project Released FAST-1.0 Release of FAST-1.1 Completed with incorporation of all assessments of                                        Perform targeted FRAPTRAN features cladding and steady-                                  assessments of and improvements to                                    Perform targeted stat g creep e and                                    fission gas release FAST Development,                                  ATF, code stability, and                              assessments of transient FGR                                        (FGR), chromium-Maintenance, and                                    assessment                                            advanced cladding modeling                                              coated cladding, and Assessment                                          Implement axial fuel                                  and fuel material and reactivity-initiated relocation model                                      high burnup fuel Completed literature                                  accidents (RIA) reviews for advanced                                  models Perform LOCA fuel and cladding assessments materials FAST User Group          Presentations of          Presentations of Code      Presentations of          Presentations of Meeting                  Code updates              updates                    Code updates              Code updates Hands-on training to      Hands-on training to        Hands-on training to      Hands-on training to FAST Training            NRC staff; updated        NRC staff; updated          NRC staff; updated        NRC staff; updated training materials        training materials          training materials        training materials Assess FAST for Improve metallic and      Model improvement Completed gap            metallic fuel against TRISO fuel models          and assessment for analysis of FAST for      EBR-II data and TRISO FAST for non-LWRs                                                              and quantify              TRISO and metallic U(Pu)-10Zr metallic      fuel against IAEA uncertainties in the      fuel needed for fuel                      benchmarks (TECDOC-models                    emerging issues CD-1674)
Used to support audit Assessment/updates        Assessment/updates of Calvert Cliffs lead    Assessment/updates for for near-term ATF          for near-term ATF test assembly of          near-term ATF concepts FAST for ATF                                                                    concepts as                concepts as chromia-doped fuel in    as information is made information is made        information is made chromium-coated M5        available available                  available cladding Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Hossein Esmaili, Ph.D. (Hossein.Esmaili@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY22            FY23 FY21 FY20 Actuals                              Presidents          Trend Enacted Budget Business                                  CS&T                  CS&T                CS&T                Research Product                          FTE                FTE                  FTE Line                                    ($K)                  ($K)                ($K)                Planning Operating      System Analysis 0.5    $300      1.5      $300      1.5 Reactors            Research New            New Reactors 0.2 Reactors            Research Advanced Non-LWR Advanced Regulatory                          0.3    $200      0.3      $200*      0.2*
Reactors Readiness Total                                    1.0    $500      1.8      $500      1.7 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
    *FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
132
 
Contractor Support & International Projects
* Pacific Northwest National Lab - FAST Code Development, Assessment and Maintenance.
* Commercial contractor (Information Systems Laboratories) - FAST Code Improvement and Feature Extension.
* CABRI - In-pile Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA) testing.
* FIDES Framework, including P2M in-pile power ramp testing and High-burnup Experiments in Reactivity Initiated Accidents (HERA) testing, under development.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* SCIP-IV Total cost - 180.9mSEK (~$18.9 million); NRC cost of $850K (on shortfall list).
* Along with items listed above, Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN) receives FAST and provides DRACCAR to NRC at no cost; provides the NRC with code updates and data to support code assessment.
* DOE provides ATF and non-LWR fuel performance data through MOU agreements.
* FIDES Total cost - 12.9 million euros (~$15.4 million); NRC cost of $2.15 million 133
 
SCALE Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes research to enable the NRC to develop, validate, and maintain the state-of-practice with the SCALE computer code, which is used to develop capability and understanding in neutronics-related phenomena (e.g., nuclear data libraries, depletion and activation, criticality and shielding, and sensitivity uncertainty analysis methods), and initialize other NRC codes (i.e., TRACE/PARCS, MELCOR, and MACCS) in support of safety issue resolution and risk-informed decision-making.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Support regulatory decision-making with respect to reactor physics phenomena, criticality, and shielding.
* Understand the safety impact of changes to nuclear cross section data including ENDF/B-VIII.
* Expand review capabilities to support accident tolerant fuel (ATF), high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), high burnup (HBU) fuel, and non-light water reactors (non-LWRs).
* Improve methods and modeling enhancements to help the NRC better understand advanced applications that involve more sophisticated operation of the existing LWR fleet (e.g., ATF)
* Understand impact of design changes in the front-end and back-end of the fuel cycle including the spent fuel pool.
Impact and Benefits
* SCALE analyses capabilities to enable ATF concepts including support of HALEU and HBU efforts.
* Provides staff and contractors with a core physics tool to support independent regulatory decision-making.
* SCALE is coupled with PARCS, TRACE, MELCOR, MACCS, and FAST to solve integrated and complex simulations.
* SCALE supported a number of formal studies (e.g., Spent Fuel Pool study, Level 3 PRA, MELLLA+, generic plant decks, non-LWR code strategy) that provide the technical basis for agency risk informed decision-making that have resulted in hundreds of millions of averted costs to industry.
Drivers
* Licensed SCALE userbase of ~70 NRC staff and ~8,000 users globally, including 33 foreign regulators.
* Used extensively to provide Part 50 safety analysis calculations, core physics, source term, criticality, and shielding calculations.
o SCALE capabilities underpin 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A GDC Criteria 26-28, 50.68 spent fuel pool analyses, Appendix G and 50.61, Part 100 requirements with Regulatory Guide 1.183 and Technical Specifications Amendments that reduce operational cost and regulatory burden.
* SCALE capabilities are used to inform staff review of core designs and operating regimes, shutdown margin, reactivity control, etc. (10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, GDC Criteria 10, and 26 through 28).
o Provide MELCOR and MACCS with inventory, reactor kinetics data, decay heat, etc.
o Support FAST by providing radial power distribution data.
134
 
o Support criticality and shielding applications.
* SCALE supports the MELCOR Code Development and Maintenance program, which supports a variety of research projects and user needs and requests from NRR -
International research potential impact on Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.183, Independent Review/Update of RG 1.183, Alternative Radiological Source Term for Evaluating Design Basis Accidents at Nuclear Power Reactors.
* Supports MELCOR confirmatory source term analysis capabilities for 10 CFR Part 50 (Design Criteria), Part 51 (NEPA), and Part 100 (Siting) reviews.
* ATF/HBU/HALEU User Needs NRR-2019-009 & NRR-2019-010.
* TRACE Plant Deck development User Need NRR-2019-011.
* Strategy 2 of the Implementation Action Plan (IAP) for advanced non-light water reactors.
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 FY21                FY22                  FY23 Project                        Accomplishments Released SCALE 6.2 with updated nuclear data libraries, MC- based Release of SCALE SCALE Development            nodal data capabilities,                      Release of SCALE 7    Release of SCALE 7.1 6.3 code stability &
robustness improvements Preparation of      Preparation of Preparation of workshop                                            Preparation of SCALE user group                                      workshop materials  workshop materials materials and hands-on                                              workshop materials and workshops and training                                and hands-on        and hands-on problems                                                            hands-on problems problems            problems Assessments and Assessments and    Assessments and SCALE code modeling for      Reviewed available                                                  model validation model validation    model validation Accident Tolerant Fuel,      benchmark data & code                                              including data gaps including data gaps including data gaps HALEU & HBU                  updates                                                            (focus on design (focus on reactor)  (focus on spent fuel) specific activities)
Code updates to    Code updates to Code updates to support  support MELCOR      support MELCOR for    Code updates to SCALE code modeling for MELCOR for source term    for source term    source term demo      support MELCOR for non-LWRs demo calculations        demo calculations & calculations &        regulatory reviews regulatory reviews  regulatory reviews Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Hossein Esmaili, Ph.D. (Hossein.Esmaili@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis 135
 
Resources FY22 Presidents    FY23 FY20 Actuals        FY21 Enacted Budget        Trend CS&T                CS&T                  CS&T              Research Business Line            Product                          FTE                    FTE                FTE
($K)                ($K)                  ($K)              Planning Operating          System Analysis
                                                  $375    0.5        $450        0.5      $450        0.6 Reactors              Research Spent Fuel Storage and        Waste Research              $338    0.1        $105        0.9      $300        0.4 Transportation Advanced        Advanced Non-LWR
                                                  $1,032    0.4        $800        0.3      $900*    0.2*
Reactors      Regulatory Readiness Total                          $1,745    1.0      $1,355        1.7    $1650        1.2 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
*FY22 Advanced Reactor resources are still being finalized.
Contractor Support
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Maintenance and Development of SCALE computer code.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* RES/DSA actively collaborates with the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) to have the code assessed by international regulators.
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PARCS Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* The aim of this EPID is to support regulatory decisionmaking through the development of the Purdue Advanced Reactor Core Simulator (PARCS) code as software to be used in safety reviews of power plant operator actions, power uprates, license amendments, and the design certification of advanced reactors.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Support regulatory decisionmaking with respect to core reactor physics phenomena.
* Improve methods and modeling enhancements to help the NRC better understand more advanced applications that involve more sophisticated operation of the existing LWR fleet (Accident Tolerant Fuel [ATF] and power uprates), and advanced non-LWRs.
* Core reactor physics directly supports thermal-hydraulic analysis by providing three-dimensional power feedback during transients as well as by providing cycle specific edits (burnup and history) from which to execute the transient calculations.
* Making PARCS easier to use for NRC staff, contractors, and international collaborators (Code Applications and Maintenance Program [CAMP]).
Impact and Benefits
* Robust core physics tool for staff and contractors to perform independent analysis.
* Simulation and visualization with TRACE/PARCS that inform BWR operating behavior during anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) scenarios.
* These types of calculations will become more important as fuel vendors, licensees, and reactor designers move towards more complex, optimized, and heterogeneous fuel designs with the expectation that they will operate with reduced thermal-hydraulic margins to fuel damage.
* Capabilities to perform complex coupled simulations including control rod ejection, multicycle core depletion, and reload calculations.
Drivers
* NRC/RES develops and assesses independent simulation tools to confirm the safety of nuclear power plant designs.
* PARCS models are used to inform staff review of core designs and operating regimes with respect to shutdown margin and reactivity control at all points in the cycle (10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, GDC Criteria 26 through 28) and with respect to nuclear power plant (NPP) transients (Chapter 4 and Chapter 15 of the Standard Review Plan for LWRs [NUREG-0800]).
* PARCS analysis was central to fulfilling RES support to the MELLLA+ License Amendment Requests for Brunswick and Browns Ferry, in informing the NuScale safety evaluation under NuScale Reactor Systems Analysis Research Plan (ML19039A152), and in supporting the development of confirmatory models for the TRACE plant deck work request (ML19143A320).
Key Deliverables Year FY20 Accomplishments                FY21                  FY22                      FY23 Project Improve          PARCS v3.3.2 released    PARCS v3.3.3, v3.3.4,          PARCS v3.4              PARCS v3.4.1 robustness and                            v3.3.5, v3.3.6 137
 
Year FY20 Accomplishments                      FY21                          FY22                          FY23 Project run time          Supported staff review of performance of    the NuScale application PARCS            (ML20104C082)
Training          Provided annual training    Provide annual training          Provide annual training    Provide annual training Update training materials and instruction PARCS Watts Bar PARCS/PATHS core models        Final Models and Unit 1            completed with compared to  Completion Report Assessment        measured for hot          detector responses and zero power startu VERA (CASL) and KENO-VI p tests and HFP predictions in terms of the Cycles 1-3        boron letdown curve, multiplication factor, power shapes, and rod worth of several banks PARCS micro-      Beta micro-depletion        Final PARCS distribution depletion model PARCS/GenPMAXS version        (SDID/Completion Report, s were developed            manuals, code version, and test problems)
New cross section format developed to accommodate large amount of isotopic data Integrated new solvers which can accommodate 20 actinides and several burnable absorbers Accident Tolerant                              PARCS v3.3.3 contains        Core level code                Update PARCS/PATHS with Fuel (ATF) and                                upgrades that expand the assessment/scoping report(s)        appropriate algorithms and High Burnup/High                              staff ability to analyze more with comparisons to higher    methods (if necessary)
Assay fuel                                    advanced ATF forms            fidelity models (code-to-code) concepts1                                      through additional cards for and PARCS/PATHS                ATF Updates - due 6/23 fuel/gap/clad.                demonstrations of feasibility of operating limits with      Enrichment/High These cards                  ATF/EE/HB fuel                Burnup/ATF Updates -
further parameterization of                                  due 4/23 fuels conductivity in terms ATF assessment report -
of burnup, temperature,      due 8/22 LHGR, and MATLIB libraries                    Enrichment/High Burnup/ATF assessment report - due 6/22 Large Sodium      New SFR triangular nodal    Pull existing SFR code        Develop and document Fast Reactor      kernel (code beta) being    beta modifications into      TRACE SHRT4-45R decks (SFR) Code        used to generate point      PARCS trunk in tested        for the station blackout test Upgrades,        kinetics parameters for EBR- stages (core expansion,      experiment (run 138B)
Documentation, II SHRT45 tests (IAEA-          new Doppler averaging,        Perform TRACE/PARCS and Assessment TECDOC-1819)                    triangular nodal solver for SHRT-45R simulations steady-state, spatial        Develop and test anticipated reactivity weighting with    code fixes to support adjoint, and transient)      assessment Translate core-level and      Document assessment lattice Serpent models into through a completion report SCALE/Shift models 138
 
Year FY20 Accomplishments                      FY21                          FY22                              FY23 Project Unanticipated      Numerous enhancements        Code support of staff in the Code support of staff in the  Code support of staff in the PARCS upgrades      and code fixes to support    development of PARCS        development of PARCS          development of PARCS decks and                staff in the development of  decks for Point Beach;      decks for Vogtle, Brunswick,  for Nine Mile Point2, Calvert documentation      confirmatory PARCS models    AP1000, North Anna, and      and Sequoyah                  Cliffs, and River Bend due to modeling    for the Oconee and Palo      Monticello standard,          Verde PARCS and                                                                          Code parallelization advanced, and      TRACE/PARCS standalone                                    Fortran 2018 upgrade          Sensitivity/Uncertainty methodol nuclear power      and coupled steady-          Finalize micro-depletion    Radial/axial meshing          ogy plant operation in  states and coupled            Hexagonal node pin power refinement for flux/material expanded            transients                    reconstruction              meshes for all solvers        Develop PATHS lateral cross-domains2,3                                        Advanced point kinetics      Low-power physics              flow Development,                  Mounting of PARCS            improvement implementation,              assessment suite            TRACE/PARCS Assessments PATHS Assessments against documentation, and testing onto Cdash/Cmake                : Ringhals Stability, Peach    the following facilities:
of new nodal flux solvers                                  Bottom Turbine                FRIGG (Full-Scale Single-Trip, and Peach                Bundle BWR Test Loop);
Bottom Stability Nuclear      BFBT (BWR Full-size Fine-mesh Power Plant tests              Bundle Test Facility); and FIST (Full Integral Simulation Test)
Acronym: Fiscal year (FY), 1 -- input to ATF Research Plan, 2 - input to Improve Robustness of TRACE/PARCS, 3 - input to Uncertainty Quantification, 4 - SHRT = Shutdown Heat Removal Test Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY22              FY23 FY20              FY21 Presidents          Trend Actuals          Enacted Budget Business                                                                                                Research Product              $K    FTE        $K    FTE        $K      FTE Line                                                                                                  Planning Operating            System Analysis
                                                              $128    1.1    $200      1.0      $150      0.8 Reactors                Research Advanced            Advanced Non-LWR
                                                                              $100      0.2        $50      0.1 Reactors          Regulatory Readiness Total                      $128    1.1    $300      1.2      $200      0.9 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210 k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* University of Michigan - Maintenance and Development of PARCS computer code.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Several PARCS code assessment activities and methodology improvements are conducted through the NRC bi-lateral (Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire - IRSN) and the multiparty (CAMP) code safety programs. PARCS assessments have been completed against operational plants in Europe, Asia, and Canada, and these are documented in NUREG/IAs.
139
 
SNAP Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes the planning, development, and management of the Symbolic Nuclear Analysis Package (SNAP) computer code. SNAP provides user interface for input and output for the following NRC codes: TRACE, PARCS, FRAPCON, FRAPTRAN, FAST, RADTRAD, MELCOR, MACCS, and SCALE.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Maintain current the SNAP User Interface with NRC code suite.
* Expand SNAP capabilities for modeling fuel performance and uncertainty analysis.
* Add capability to run jobs on the cloud and couple simulations across codes.
Impact and Benefits
* Provides a common user interface for many NRC codes.
* Provides capability for uncertainty and sensitivity studies with an uncertainty plug-in that supports an interface to the DAKOTA code.
* Supports the organization and simplification of complex, multicode analysis with an engineering-template plug-in that allows for codes to be coupled via input and output files in one SNAP model.
* Provides post-processing capabilities to allow for manipulating and analyzing code results, plotting outputs, and animating/visualizing data and code results.
Drivers
* Supports User Need requests that require the use of computer code for confirmatory analysis and uncertainty quantification.
* Supports most of the TRACE, FAST, MELCOR, PARCS, and SCALE analyses performed by RES staff in support of the agency mission.
Key Deliverables Year            FY20 Project                                          FY21                      FY22                  FY23 Accomplishments
* Graphics integration
* Python directed        and improvements Job-Stream
* UQ toolbox released development
* MAACS support
* DAKOTA Support
* MELCOR 2.2 fully
* MELCOR 2.3
* MELCOR 2.4 SNAP                                      Improvements supported                                        support              Support Development
* Plugin updates
* SNAP version
* Plugin updates
* Plugin updates
* MACCS support 3.1.3 released
* Jupyter integration
* SAM plugin
* MELLLA+ wizard developed
* Direct cloud support Total of 12 training
* Preparation of workshop materials and hands-on problems SNAP training    videos, 5 created
* Preparation of training videos
& videos          this FY
* NRC staff and contractor support Acronym: Fiscal year (FY) 140
 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY20          FY21          FY22 Presidents        FY23 Actuals        Enacted              Budget            Trend Research Business Line          Product              $K    FTE    $K        FTE      $K        FTE Planning Operating        System Analysis
                                            $130    1.0  $300      0.8      $200        0.8 Reactors            Research Total                      $130    1.0  $300      0.8      $200        0.8 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210 k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Applied Programming Technologies (APT) - Maintenance and Development of SNAP computer code.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* The CAMP program provides some funding in support of features that benefit CAMP members ($50K-$100K/yr.
* Naval Reactors provides considerable code development on SNAP core and the MELCOR plug-in independently, but both organizations mutually benefit.
* SNAP supports the RADTRAD/RAMP program as well as the fuels code development program in RES.
* Some funding for SNAP is provided by the fuels code development program ($50K/yr).
* Some funding for SNAP is provided by the MACCS/MELCOR development program
($100K/yr).
141
 
RSICC Distribution of NRC Codes Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes the planning, development, and management of the NRC legacy code distribution services provided by the Radiation Safety Info Computational Center (RSICC).
Strategic Focus Areas
* Continue migration of NRC codes not actively used for regulatory applications to RSICC to ensure the code is properly archived and maintained.
Impact and Benefits
* Ensure that NRC legacy codes used for regulatory purposes in the past are readily available, if needed.
* Ensure that NRC employees and contractors are able to request software from RSICC easily.
* Ensure that software distributed to the public is in compliance with export control regulations.
Drivers
* The NRC uses RSICC to help with code distribution, minimally maintain legacy codes, and support university activities.
Key Deliverables Year              FY20 Project                                                    FY21                  FY22                FY23 Accomplishments Process Annual Participation              FY20 Procurement          FY21 Procurement      FY22                FY23 Contracting Package        Completed                Completed              Procurement          Procurement with ONRL Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY23 Presidents        FY23 FY21 Actuals        FY22 Enacted                              Trend Budget Business                      CS&T              CS&T                CS&T                  Research Product                  FTE                FTE                  FTE Line                        ($K)              ($K)                ($K)                Planning System Operating Analysis        $120      0.1      $200    0.2        $200        0.2 Reactors Research Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210 k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) - RSICC Participation.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Program is heavily leveraged with ORNL and other participants.
142
 
TRACE Code Development and Maintenance Fiscal Year 2021 Program Overview Overview
* This EPID includes the planning, development, and management of the TRACE computer code for evaluating coupled neutronic and thermal-hydraulic transient behavior of nuclear reactor and plant systems under normal, abnormal, and accident conditions for current and advanced reactors.
Strategic Focus Areas
* Implementing features for specialized applications (e.g. accident tolerant fuel (ATF) designs, advanced reactors, test reactors, code uncertainty).
* Improving robustness of advanced modeling features to aid solution stability/convergence, improve code run time, and ensure physics are being modeled correctly (e.g., implicit numerics, droplet field, fuel rod models, etc.).
* Continued focus on customer support to improve ease of use and to address bugs identified by staff or Code Application and Maintenance Program (CAMP) members.
Impact and Benefits
* Ensure that NRC simulation tools are state of the practice and match vendor code capabilities.
* Enable effective licensing reviews and analysis.
* Shorten timeline for licensing decisions and generate fewer requests for additional information.
Drivers
* Supporting User Needs (e.g., ATF, uncertainty, plant models for operating reactors, small modular reactors, high burnup/high enrichment uranium fuel, test reactors).
* Improving staff effectiveness when performing confirmatory analyses.
* Improving robustness and runtime performance of TRACE and TRACE/PARCS calculations.
Key Deliverables Year        FY20 Project                                            FY21                FY22                FY23 Accomplishments TRACE V5.0 Patch 8 will provide further TRACE V5.0 Patch TRACE 6 will improve TRACE V5.0 Patch    enhancements Improve robustness                        robustness of 7 will improve      RES will and run time            Released TRACE    droplet field and PARCS timestep      implement to performance of          versions which    implicit numerics control and          support current (in TRACE/PARCS              improved          Developmental code implement detector  FY23) NRR calculations (driven by  TRACE/PARCS      versions that signals              Licensing Topical Thermal Hydraulics      robustness        improve robustness Implements axially  Reports, License Analysis EPID)                            of level tracking offset fuel rods    Amendment Upgrade PARCS to Requests, and v3.3.3 New Reactor Design Certifications 143
 
Year            FY20 Project                                                    FY21                    FY22                  FY23 Accomplishments Uncertainty Release TRACE version with improved modeling of uncertainty quantification using parameters TRACE Improving staff effectiveness when performing                  Release TRACE version with improved modeling for flat plate confirmatory analysis      heat transfer and rectangular ducts in support of test reactors Acronym: Fiscal year (FY)
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Contact
* Chris Hoxie, Ph.D. (Chris.Hoxie@nrc.gov), Branch Chief in the Division of Systems Analysis Resources FY23 Presidents            FY23 FY21 Actuals          FY22 Enacted Budget                  Trend Business                      CS&T                CS&T                    CS&T Product                  FTE                    FTE                    FTE        Research Planning Line                        ($K)                ($K)                  ($K)
System Operating Analysis        $900      1.4        $400        3.0        $425        3.2 Reactors Research New New Reactors                    1.3 Reactors Research Total                $900      2.7        $400        3.0        $425        3.2 Total Resources = CS&T (includes contract support) + FTE (staffing at approximately $210 k per year)
Acronyms: Fiscal year (FY), full-time equivalent (FTE)
Contractor Support
* Information Systems Laboratories Inc. - Maintenance and Development of TRACE Thermal-Hydraulic Computer Code.
Collaboration and Resource Leveraging
* Through the CAMP, the NRC receives about $1M annually from fees collected from international organizations (not reflected in above amount).
* DOE sponsored code development activities to couple TRACE to BISON and TRACE to FAST using the MOOSE framework to support future ATF license reviews.
144}}

Revision as of 05:51, 8 September 2021

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research FY2021-23 Planned Research Activities
ML21175A143
Person / Time
Issue date: 07/21/2021
From:
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
To:
N. Difranesco
References
Download: ML21175A143 (144)
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