ML20217A881
| ML20217A881 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/02/1997 |
| From: | Powers D Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| References | |
| ACRS-3078, NUDOCS 9803250290 | |
| Download: ML20217A881 (10) | |
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. CERTIFIED BY: Date Issued: 12/2/97 Dana A. Powers - 12/3/97 q .
- L l1' 1 6 008-3678 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS
. . SAFETY RESEARCH PROGRAM SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 4-5,1997 ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) Subcommittee on Safety Research Program held a meeting on November 4-5, 1997, in Room T-2 83,11545 Rockville Pike, RWille, Maryland, with representatives of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),
Nur Energy Institute (NEI), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The purpose of the . eting is to hold discussions with the NRC staff, NEl, and EPRI representatives regarding the NRC safety research program and to gather information for preparing a draft annual report to the Congress. Dr. Medhat El-Zeftawy was the cognizant ACRS staff engineer for this meeting.
The meeting was convened at 8:30 a.m. on November 4,1997 and recessed at 6:00 p.m., and was reconvened at 8:30 a.m. on November 5,1997, and adjoumed at 5:45 p.m.
1 ATTENDEES c
ACRS D. Powers D. Miller J. Barton R. Seale
[ M. Fontana T. Kress W. Shack R. Uhrig NRC Staff A. Thadani M. Knapp B. Sheron T. Martin Industry
=
R. Beedle, NEl J. Lang, EPRI A. Marion, NEl G. Vine, EPRI C j No of thewritten public. Acomments or isrequests list of attendees avai!able infor thetime ACRStooffice make and oral will bestatements were made available uporf received from request.
OPENING REMARKS BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Dr. Powers, Chairman of the Safety Research Program Subcommittee, convened the meeting at 8:30 a.m. and stated that the purpose of the meeting is to hold discussions with the NRC staff, NEl and EPRI representatives regarding the NRC safety research program. The Subcommittee will gather information, analyze relevant issues and facts; and formulate proposed positions and actions as appropriate, for deliberation by the full Committee to prepare a draft annual report to the Congress.
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l Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcornmittee Meeting ]
ACRS PRESENTATIOS - Dr. Dana Powers Dr. Powers stated that the ACRS obligations with respect to NRC-sponsored research stems from a variety of sources:
- Congress expects the ACRS to identify research needed to provide adequate protection of the public health and safety
- The Commission has asked the ACRS to identify and prioritize research needs
- A Staff Requirements Memorandum regarding SECY-97-149 stated that
... take an active role in reviewing ongoing research program initiatives such as those discussed in SECY-97-075 and SECY-97-167..."
- review the research programs in terms of need, scope, and balance
- examine how RES anticipates research needs
- examine how RES is positioned for the changing environment, and
- recommend whether the Nuclear Safety Research Review Committee (NSRRC) function is still needed Dr. Powers noted that the request for ACRS involvement does not include assistance in the areas of management, funding, or conduct of research. The ACRS strategy entails two phases.
The first phase is to collect information needed to prepare a draft report to the Congress by December 3,1997 with the expectation that a final report will be issued in early February 1998.
The second phase is to collect information needed to prepare a final report to the Commission by the May 1998 ACRS meeting. The ACRS plans to meet in March 1998 to review the research programs on a more detailed basis.
The intention is to focus the activities of the ACRS Research Subcommittee on the issues of needs, priorities, and requirements. Dr. Powers identified the research functions from the Energy Reorganization Act as follows:
- Develop recommendations for research deemed necessary for the performance by the Commission of its licensing and related regulatory functions
- Engage in or contract for research which the Commission deems necessary for the performance of its licensing and related regulatory functions
- The Commission shall develop a long term plan for projects for the development of new or improved safety systems for nuclear power plants Dr. Powers noted that currently there is very little functional coordination of research activities and it is difficult to identify benefits from the research programs in a way that can be compared to costs. In SECY-97-075, the staff developed six nonorthogonal regulatory functions:
- Technical bases for regulatory or safety issues and decisions for operations, material use, and license amendments m
Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting
- Technical bases for regulatory or safety issues and decisions for new technologies, evolving technologies, and research results
- Develop, maintain, and apply analytic tools, data bases, and institutional knowledge
- Improvements in the regulatory framework
- Cooperation with others (DOE, industry, other countries)
-* Respond to oversight groups The staff also developed 14 criteria that don't apply to all regulatory functions; with high, medium, and low ranking system.
Generally, the NRC Strategic Plan on Research requires:
- Research programs to include both confirmatory and anticipatory elements
. ~ Focus on areas of highest risk and regulatory significance a Maintain " Core Research Capabilities"
= identify research capabilities to be maintained by in-house staff !
- Consolidate research activities at a smaller number of contractors
- Enter into a cooperative research agreements with DOE, industry, and other countries
- Use innovative procurement vehicles to facilitate university participation in NRC research The ' TOP" level mission from the strategic plan would require the following: ,
- Prevent radiation-related deaths or illness due to civilian nuclear reactors
- Prevent radiation-related deaths or illness due to civilian use of source, byproduct, and special nuclear materials
- Ensure treatment, storage and disposal of wastes produced by civilian use on nuclear rea: tor material in ways that do not adversely affect this or future generations
- Prevent the loss or theft of special nuclear materials regulated by the NRC, and support U.S.nationalinterests in the safe use of nuclear materials and in non-proliferation l
Protect the environment in connection with the civilian use of source, byproduct and special nuclear materials through implementation of the Atomic Energy Act and the National Environmental Policy Act
Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting
- The public, those we regulate and other stakeholders in the national and intemational community will have clear and accurate information about, a meaningful role in and will have respect for and confidence in, NRC's regulatory program a The NRC regulatory program will be efficient and will allow the nation to safely use nuclear materials for civilian purposes Dr. Powers noted that the ACRS report to the Congress could identify research on regulation effectiveness and the use of modem risk analysis techniques to identify rules and regulatory practices of minimal safety significance. The Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW) will develop its own views with respect to research on disposal of radioactive waste and prepare a write up to be included in the report to the Congress. In addition, Dr. Powers has prepared several questions for the NRC staff and industry that will help the ACRS gain an understanding of how needs are identified and met. Dr. Powers noted that the report to the Congress should focus on the NRC research program within the context of the existing research programs done intemationally and research sponsored by industry. The report should also note the potential for a loss of safety leadership as the U.S. nuclear safety research declines and the possible marketing consequences of this loss of leadership. There will be no discussion of the Federal budget cycle or the issue of public funding of safety research except as needed in the identification of the problems.
ACTING DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR REGULATORY EFFECTIVENESS - Ashok Thadani Mr. Thadani stated that the NRC's research program has been providing significant part of the Commission's independent technical capability since the NRC was established in 19'75.
Congress in the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 mandated the formation of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research to ensure that the Commission would have "an independent capability for developing and analyzing technicat information related to reactor safety, safeguards ,
and environmental protection in support of the licensing and regulatory process." J NRC's research includes both a longer range " exploratory" and a shorter range " confirmatory" research components. The confirrr.etory research is based primarily on requirements specified !
by NRC's program offices in user need memoranda. Confirmatory research comprises approximately 80 percent of the current research budget.
The scope and emphasis of NRC's reactor research program have changed over the years an !
nuclear technology has changed and matured. For example, during the 1970s and early 196., j the research program was focused on postulated design-basis accidents and LOCAs. In the !
l early 1990s the emphasis was to support the NRC's review of newly emerging technologies such as digital instrumentation and control systems and new advanced reactor designs, including ;
designs in which passive safeiy systems are used. In addition, there was an increase in emphasis on nuclear plant aging issues caused by operating experience and anticipated license renewal. By this time budgets were declining and fewer experimental programs were being conducted. More emphasis was given to improving analytical tools to increase confidence in their predictions, i
I
. l Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting Mr. Thadani stated that the NRC goal regarding nuclear reactor safety is to prevent radiation-related deaths or illness due to civilian nuclear reactors. A major part of the NRC mission is to ensure that the licensees design, construct, operate, and decommission civilian reactor facilities safely. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Energy Reorganization Act of ,
1974, as amended, provide the foundation for regulating the nation's commercial nuclear power l industry. The safety of commercial reactors is the responsibility of the licensees. The regulatory oversight oflicensee safety is the responsibility of the NRC. Thus, safety performance reflects the collective results of the efforts of the NRC and the nuclear industry.
Research provides the ir.fn roation, independent analytical tools and analyses, and some of the technical expertise for making timely regulatory judgements and anticipating problems of potential safety significance. NRC's research includes both short and long range components.
The short range component, confirmatory research, delivers a well-defined product on a predetermined schedule to assist the NRC in making its safety decisions. The long range component, anticipatory research, focuses on issues of potential regulatory and safety significarce.
The NRC Strategic Plan requires maintaining a research capability to provide timely and independent technical bases for NRC regulatory decisions. The agency will focus its research on those areas in which operating experience indicates potential problems and areas with the highest safety and regulatory significance.
l OFFICE Of NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH - Dr. Malcolm R. Knapp Dr. Knapp provided a resource summary of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research for FY I 1997-2001. . He stated that the main office activities include the following:
Reactor and Plant Performance Research
- Reactor Materials and Component Behavior Research
- Materials Research and Regulation Development
- Decommissioning Organizational Support The current estimate for FY 1998 is $51 millions, and 199 FTEs. For FY 1999, it is $49 millions and 202 FTEs. Dr. Knapp described the sub-activities of the above activities.
In response to the list of questions prepared by Dr. Powers, Dr. Knapp stated that the NRC identify research areas through user needs such as NRR, NMSS and AEOD (confirmatory about 75% and anticipatory about 25%). The triggering mechanisms are issues stemming from operations, materials use, changes in technology, needs to maintain analytical tools, databases and expertise, need to close regulatory gaps, and improve the regulatory methods. This is a continuous process refreshed on an annual cycle or as needed. The user need requests are
4 Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting expanded into research programs (called operating plans). Research plans and look ahead for approximately 5 years.
The primary considerations in setting priorities for the funding of research include safety, regulatory significance of the issues being addressed, value to regulatory process, and the likelihood of success. Other considerations include burden relief. Work will continue in the following NRC-sponsored research for the foreseeable future:
- Thermal Hydraulic and Reactor Physics Fuel Behavior
- Advanced instrumentation and Control
- Human Factors / Organization Performance
+ Severe Accident Risk
- Reactor PRA
- Reactor Vessel Integrity
- Environment Assisted Cracking in LWRs
= NDE Procedures and Techniques
- Steam Generator Integrity
- Mechanical / Electrical Components and Piping
- Containment integrity / Structural Aging
- Structural and Civil Engineering
- Generic Safety Issues Dr. Knapp noted that currently, there are no program areas suitable for tuming over to industry.
The staff enters into cooperative research programs, domestically and internationally, when there is benefit to NRC subject to availability of funds. The staff is preparing a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NRC and EPRI to mutually coordinate, integrate, prioritize, review, and manage cooperative research programs. Potential areas for cooperative research include fuel performance, steam generator tube integrity, fire protection, human performance, digital l&C, reactor vessel degraded properties, containment protective coatings integrity, spent fuel dry storage, and environmental qualification of power cables.
Research has interactions with international community. RES has numerous bi-lateral and multi-lateral research agreements with CSNI and IAEA, with information exchange that addresses a broad range of subjects. No specific regulatory decisions will be made solely on the basis of intemational research.
The research areas that current budget does not cover are PWR sump debris blockage, protective coating failure, degradation of buried piping, degradation of balance of plant systems, structures and components, improved cross-sections data, and licensee safety culture.
Dr. Knapp emphasized that the NRC must maintain an independent capability and not to rely solely on others. The core capability will encompass both independent expertise and cooperative efforta, as applicable, u umm_
Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION - Dr. Brian W. Sheron Dr. Sheron, Acting Associate Director for Technical Review /NRR, provided a summary of the role of NRC Research Office in the regulatory process. He stated that RES provides NRC with an independent capability to technically evaluate safety issues associated with the licensing and operation of commercial nuclear power plants in the U.S. It includes not only confirmatory research to support the more immediate licensing and operational issues, but also the longer range exploratory research designed to uncover and identify issues long before they become more immediate safety concerns.
In order for the research program to provide timely and effective input of research results into the regulatory process, there must be a close, synergistic working relationship between the regulatory program and research offices. To accomplish this, the research and regulatory offices must interact frequently and at all technical and managerial levels. The research results will provide insights on the risk significance and/or uncertainties associated with new issues. The issues can be identified as a result of industry proposals, allegations, ongoing research, and operational experience and events.
Dr. Sheron emphasized the need of a close working relationship between NRR and RES. He noted that NRR is responsible for reviewing licensee proposals, but may request RES to independently verify as necessary. The RES activities include development of new bases of knowledge and the application of knowledge bases to produce analytical tools.
The MOU between NRR and RES was updated in September 1995 to provide guidance on interactions between NRR and RES to identify, resolve and implement research activities that support licensing and inspection activities and that provide technical basis for regulatory decisions. Recent implementation of Direction Setting issues #22 "Research"is redefining some NRR and RES roles and responsibilities such as transferring of rulemaking to program offices and cooperative research with industry. Currently, the relationship between RES and NRC user office is Supplier / Customer. RES pursues user needs taking into account priorities and resource availability while ensuring a proper mix of anticipatory and confirmatory research.
I The research core capabilities include Reactor and Plant Performance, Materials / Aging, and Risk Assessment. The research programs assess beyond design bases margins associated with new or modified design proposals by industry as well as regulatory actions proposed by the staff, and to assess uncertainties associated with proposed regulatory actions. Examples include: 1
- Rebaselining analyses supports implementation of a revised accident source term at operating reactors
- Thermal hydraulic safety analyses codes, e.g., RELAP/SCDAP codes
- Review and approval of proposed high burnup fuel designs
- Reactor aging and license renewal research
- Thermal hydraulic facilities, e.g., ROSA, PUMA, to evaluate advanced reactor performance issues j
- Human performance and human reliability implementation plan l l
l
4 Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting Dr. Sheron noted that as licensees strive to become competitive in a deregulated environment, the NRC an'icipates the industry to aggressively use PRA to justify relaxation of regulatory requirements in areas which cost savings can be realized. The NRC anticipates new issues to arise as a result of industry initiatives, and that research will be needed to assess the safety impact of these initiatives and/or develop review and acceptance criteria. Examples include criteria for risk informed regulatory applications, risk informed inservice testing and inspection, and attemate repair criteria for steam generator tubes. Dr. Sheron suggested that there was a major issue of the viability of RES as an Office with continued budget reductions. He noted that declining NRC budget willincrease the need for industry sponsored research activities.
OFFICE OF ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF OPERATIONAL DATA - Mr. Thomas Martin Mr. Martin stated that many of AEOD activities are research in the broad sense. However, the Office of Research supports AEOD in many programs such as:
- Accident Sequence Precursor (ASP) program
- Pressure locking and thermal binding of gate valves
- Air operated valve study
- Human performance and Human reliability implementation plan
- Senior Management Meeting process AEOD also depends on industry and intemational community research such as:
- INPO equipment performance and information exchange (EPIX) system
- Intemational experience exchange IAEA/NEA/PWG-1
- Specialist meetings
- Input to international operating experience Generic studies
- Bilateral agreement with the OECD Halden project for technical support for the Picasso graphics systems for process control applications Mr. Martin noted that AEOD cannot do its job without the resources found in RES.
hlUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE - Mr. Ralph E. Beedle Mr. Beedle, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer /NEl, provided background on NEl and the challenges facing the industry. He noted that NEl focuses the collective strength of the l nuclear energy industry to shape policy that ensures the beneficial uses of nuclear energy in the j United States and around the world. NEl uses EPRI as its "research arm." NEl recommends to expand the opportunities for NRC-industry research cooperation, e.g., in the risk-informed area. Currently, the NRC and industry are working together and will continue to seek opportunities for cooperative resenrch. Some of the challenges include reduction in RES budget, relevance of future research, and the application of risk-based approaches.
a
Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE - Messrs. James Lang and Gary Vine Mr. Lang described EPRI as a collaborative research and development organization, non-profit, funded by voluntary payments by member U.S. utilities and intemational partners. EPRI is responsible for management of work performed by contractors. EPRI's vision is to provide science and technology-based solutions of indispensable value to global energy customers.
EPRI's miss!on is to discover, develop and deliver high-value technological advances through networking and partnership with electric industry. EPRI's nuclear power group target structure consists of six elements. These are advanced nuclear technology; fuel reliability, storage and disposal; low level waste, chemistry and radiation control; major component reliability; operation and maintenance cost control technology; safety and reliability assessment. EPRI feels that an independent NRC research capability and core competencies are essential for the industry.
The NRC and EPRI are developing a merr orandum of understanding (MOU) to establish principles of cooperation for selecting areas for cooperative research and development and directing work by mutual agreement. The MOU allows for other parties to participate in any cooperative program. The MOU stresses avoiding conflict ofinterest by focusing on basic data needs, not solutions to specific regulatory issues or conclusions. Potential areas for new NRC/EPRI cooperative research include fuel performance, steam generator integrity, fire protection, human performance, digitalinstrumentation and control, spent fuel dry storage, spent fuel repository licensing criteria, mixed oxide fuel (MOX) in commercial reactors, and environmental qualification of power cables.
SUBCOMMITTE'E DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS As a result of the Subcommittee's discussion, the Subcommittee recommends the following to the Full Committee concerning the report to the Congress:
- The report should focus on the NRC research program within the context of the existing research programs done intemationally and research sponsored by industry.
- The distinction between the NRC research program and that done by DOE should be drawn.
- The ACRS should not prepare a report to the Commission in conjunction with the report to Congress. Rather, there should be just one report to the Commission by end of May 1998.
- The report to the Congress should note the potential for a loss of safety leadership as the U.S. nuclear safety research declines and the possible marketing consequences of this loss of leadership.
- The report should define the technical needs for the continuation of a severe accident research program. Define a path that minimizes the deleterious effects of any termination of this work.
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Safety Research Program 11/4-5/97 Subcommittee Meeting
- There will be no discussion of the Federal budget cycle or the issue of public funding of safety research except as needed in the identification of problems.
- The report willidentify research on regulation effectiveness and the use of modem risk analysis techniques to identify rules and regulatory practices fc minimal safety significance.
COMMITMENTS AND FOLLOWUP ACTIONS Dr. Powers requested that each member of the Safety Research Program Subcommittee to prepare a list of items to debate and include in the report to Congress, and/or consider in the report to the Commission.
BACKGROUND MATERIAL PROVIDED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE No background material was provided by the NRC staff or NEl's representatives prior to the Subcommittee meeting. EPRI's representatives submitted the 1997 Research development &
delivery plan, Nuclear Power Group document, and EPRI's 20th anniversary special issue document.
PRESENTATION SLIDES AND HANDOUTS The presentation slides and handouts used during the meeting are available in the ACRS Office files or as attachments to the meeting transcript.
NOTE: Additional details of this meeting can be obtained from a transcript availabe in the NRC Public Document Room,2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006, (202) 634-3274, or can be purchased from Ann Riley & Associates, LTD., Court Reporters and Transcribers,1250 l Street, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005,(202) 842-0034.