ML24341A086

Slides for Public Meeting on Advance Act Section 507: Materials Oversight & Inspection

ML24341A086
Person / Time
Issue date:	12/12/2024
From:	Reactor Decommissioning Branch
To:
References
Download: ML24341A086 (1)

Text

Public Meeting ADVANCE Act Section 507:

Materials Oversight & Inspection Program Improvements December 12, 2024

Agenda

• Meeting Logistics

• Introductions

• NRC Presentation

• Public Comments 2

Meeting Logistics

• Virtual participants are in listen-only mode until the designated comment session.

• No regulatory decisions will be made at todays meeting.

• This meeting was publicly noticed on December 2, 2024.

3

To Participate Today

1) Use the Raise Hand button to indicate your desire to make a statement.

2) Wait for facilitator to acknowledge your turn to speak.

3) Unmute yourself 4

Introductions and Opening Remarks 5

Scope of Meeting

• NRC is gathering input on its implementation of Section 507, Improving Oversight and Inspection Programs, of the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear Clean Energy Act of 2024 (the ADVANCE Act).

• The scope of this meeting is limited to the NRCs Oversight and Inspection Programs for nuclear materials and decommissioning licensees, including:

• Decommissioning and Uranium Recovery

• Fuel Facilities

• Nuclear Materials Users

• Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation 6

ADVANCE Act Section 507

• The ADVANCE Act was signed into law in July 2024

• Section 507 requires the Commission to submit a report to Congress (due one year from the date the Act was passed) that identifies specific improvements to the nuclear reactor and materials oversight and inspection programs that the Commission may implement to maximize the efficiency of such programs through, where appropriate:

• The use of risk-informed, performance-based procedures;

• Expanded incorporation of information technologies; and

• Staff training 7

ADVANCE Act NRC

• The NRC efforts on Section 507 are part of the NRCs overall implementation of the ADVANCE Act.

• The ADVANCE Act requires the NRC to take a number of actions, while maintaining the NRCs core mission to protect public health and safety.

• The NRC has established a public website (https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/governing-laws/advance-act.html) to inform and engage external stakeholders during implementation of the ADVANCE Act.

8

To Stay Updated For NRCs public information site for ADVANCE Act updates 9

ADVANCE Act Progress

• The public website contains an interactive dashboard to help interested external parties stay informed on NRC's progress in implementing the requirements of the Act.

• The dashboard is available on the NRCs public webpage (https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/governing-laws/advance-act.html#dashboard) 10

To Stay Informed of Progress Follow NRCs ADVANCE Act implementation with this Dashboard 11

ADVANCE Act Public Meetings

• The NRC issued a Federal Register Notice on September 26, 2024, covering public meetings related to the agencys implementation of the Act.

• Individual project teams have begun hosting public meetings to inform external stakeholders and collect comments on their assigned tasks.

• See the NRC website for plans for other upcoming and past public meetings related to the Act (https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg?do=search.results&pageno=1&StartDate

=TODAY&DescrText=advancenrc) 12

For Upcoming and Past Meetings For NRCs public meeting information on ADVANCE Act 13

ADVANCE Act Input

• The NRC is inviting questions, comments, and ideas from interested parties on its implementation of the ADVANCE Act via this public website (https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/governing-laws/advance-act/contactus.html)

• You can also provide feedback via email at:

ADVANCEAct.Resource@nrc.gov 14

For Your Questions and Ideas Contact us with ADVANCE Act questions, comments and ideas 15

ADVANCE Act Section 507 Requirements

• Assess specific elements of oversight and inspections that may be modified by the use of:

• Technology;

• Improved planning; and

• Continually updated risk-informed, performance-based assessment, including use of travel resources; planning and preparation for inspections; and document collection and preparation.

16

ADVANCE Act Section 507 Requirements Identify and assess measures to improve oversight and inspections, including (A) elimination of areas of duplicative or otherwise unnecessary activities; (B) increased use of templates in documenting inspection results; and (C) periodic training of Commission staff and leadership on the application of risk-informed criteria for

• (i) inspection planning and assessments;

• (ii) agency decision-making processes on the application of regulations and guidance; and

• (iii) the application of the Commissions standard of reasonable assurance of adequate protection.

17

ADVANCE Act Section 507 Materials Process to Date

• Continued consideration of ideas from previous program evaluations

• Outreach to gather ideas to improve materials oversight and inspection programs:

• Solicited ideas from NRC staff

• Comments submitted to the internal and external comment portals

• Also considering Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) input from letter submitted October 28, 2024 (ML24302A311) 18

Some Ideas Under Consideration

• Ideas for credit for sustained higher performance

• Ideas for revisions to inspection manual chapters and procedures

• Consideration of organizational structures

• Ideas for technology and inspection reports

• Ideas for enforcement process documentation and panels 19

Ideas for credit for sustained higher performance Considering further opportunities to provide inspection credit for licensees who have displayed sustained higher performance

• How to define what is a sustained higher performing licensee?

• What does credit look like for the licensee?

• What criteria can be leveraged to provide input to a risk informed decision-making process for determining the credit given to licensees?

• How to remain consistent and transparent?

20

Ideas for revisions to inspection manual chapters and procedures Further Updates to Inspection Documents

• Are there additional ways to incorporate current risk-informed, performance-based inspection techniques?

• Are there areas of prescriptiveness and redundancies that could be streamlined?

• Do procedures need to be modified to address inspection of new technologies?

21

Consideration of organizational structures Assess ideas and opportunities to streamline and simplify the structure of the NMSS inspection programs

• What organizational structure improvements could be made to further promote consistent inspection program implementation?

• How could the NRC streamline the organizational reporting structure?

• What efficiency gains would be possible with redistribution inspection assignments?

22

Ideas for technology and inspection reports Evaluate the use of new technologies and revised techniques to document inspection reports.

• Could the type or format of inspection report issued for select inspections be changed?

• How can technology be leveraged to reduce administrative burden for inspection report development?

• What reevaluation for expansion and changes to key internal systems and programs would be necessary?

23

Ideas for enforcement process documentation and panels Evaluate measures to improve, streamline, and further risk inform the processing of enforcement actions.

• Could the documentation of very low safety significant violations be reduced in scope?

• What potential adjustments to the enforcement process could be considered?

24

25

Closing Remarks 26