ML18254A434

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

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

Text

NRC Public Meeting on Accident Tolerant Fuel September 12, 2018

Agenda I. NRCs ATF project plan II. Major revisions III. NRCs next steps 2

I. ATF Project Plan

• Developed in anticipation of safety-enhancing technology being pursued on accelerated schedule

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

• Addresses the complete fuel cycle

- Fuel fabrication and fresh fuel transport

- In-reactor requirements

- Spent fuel storage and transportation 3

Extensive Stakeholder Interaction

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

• December 2017: Published in Federal Register for public comment

• February 2018: Briefed ACRS subcommittee on draft plan

• February 2018: NRC public meeting on public comments

• April 2018: NRC Commission briefing on ATF

• May 2018: DOE/NRC ATF coordination workshop

• June 2018: NRC public meeting on ATF PIRT strategy

• Summer 2018: Individual engagements with ATF vendors

• Today 4

Addressed Overall Themes of Stakeholder Comments

• Importance of enhanced communication

• Opportunity to transform fuel licensing process

• Leverage advanced computational capabilities

• Concerns with regulatory requirements associated with lead test assemblies 5

II. Major Revisions

• One, inclusive document

• ATF licensing process details

- Milestone schedule

- Project plan paradigm

- Concept-specific licensing roadmaps

- ATF PIRT strategy

• Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS)

• Code development details to appendix

• Path forward 6

ATF Milestone Schedule Milestone/Activity Schedule Complete ATF project plan. Summer 2018 Issue final LTA guidance. Early 2019 Conduct PIRTs and refine review infrastructure for near-term concepts. 2019-2020 Identify and implement adjustments to the regulatory infrastructure, if necessary, to enable the full potential of ATF (e.g., increase enrichment, 2019-2025 increase burnup).

Conduct TR reviews for near-term concepts. 2020-2022 Conduct LAR reviews for near-term concepts. 2022-2023 TBD (in accordance Conduct LTA/TR/LAR reviews for longer term concepts. with industry schedules) 7

New Fuel Technical Basis Development 8

ATF Licensing Process 9

ATF PIRT Strategy

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

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

- NRC review of industry developed failure mode analysis

• Coated claddings

- Coordinated NRC/vendor exercise

• Vendor technology specific ATF

- Multi-day PIRT panel of topical experts

• Severe accidents and transportation

• Necessary to consider full intended use of concept to ensure meaningful results and prevent re-work 10

Concept-specific Licensing Roadmaps and Technology-specific Licensing Approaches

• Map of phenomena important to safety to regulatory infrastructure

• Outline the pathway for vendors to ensure technical basis meets staffs expectations

• Assessing best vehicle(s); possible examples:

- Interim staff guidance

- Safety review of vendor qualification plans

- Endorsement of industry guidance 11

NRC Approach to Confirmatory Analysis

• Varies based on:

- Safety significance

- Margin to safety limits

- Uncertainty

• Actively enhancing NRCs computational analysis tools for near-term concepts

• Evaluating which tools are most effective and efficient for longer-term concepts 12

Advanced Modelling and Simulation

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

• Can accelerate the development of the technical basis for ATF

- e.g., focusing experimental programs

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

Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS)

• Objective of RIS questions:

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

- Inform NRCs budget and resource planning

• Recent precedent

- Mo-99

- Advanced reactors

• Publish draft while awaiting OMB clearance 14

Public Comment Period 15

Break 16

III. Next Steps

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

- Phenomena important to safety

- Fuel qualification plans

- Licensing schedules

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

• Immediate actions:

- Finalize ATF project plan

- Publish draft Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS)

• Near-term actions:

- Compile knowledge base on all near-term concepts to prepare for expert elicitation / PIRT exercises

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

- Schedule meetings with vendors of near-term concepts to understand draft fuel qualification plans

- Determine appropriate vehicle for review guidance 17

Public Comment Period 18