ML23031A160

Summary of Public Meeting for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Kairos Hermes Test Reactor Construction Permit Application

ML23031A160
Person / Time
Site:	Hermes
Issue date:	03/21/2023
From:	Tami Dozier NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ENRB
To:	Kenneth Erwin NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ERMB
Shared Package
ML23030B852	List: ML23031A160 ML23031A165
References
EPID L-2021-NEW-0012
Download: ML23031A160 (1)

Text

March 20, 2023 MEMORANDUM TO: Kenneth Erwin, Chief Environmental Review New Reactors Branch Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguard Signed by Dozier, Tamsen FROM: Tamsen Dozier, Project Manager on 03/20/23 Environmental Review New Reactors Branch Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguard

SUMMARY

OF THE NOVEMBER 16, 2022 PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE KAIROS HERMES TEST REACTOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION (EPID NO.: L-2021-NEW-0012)

On November 16, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a comment-gathering hybrid public meeting in Oak Ridge, TN. The purpose of this meeting was to provide an opportunity for the staff to describe the environmental review of the construction permit application from Kairos Power for the Hermes test reactor and to solicit comments from the public on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) from attendees both in-person and virtually through the Microsoft TEAMS application. This meeting allowed the NRC staff to meet directly with individuals to receive comment from participants to ensure that the staff understands their views and concerns.

The meeting notice and agenda are available in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML22314A017. The NRC staffs presentation slides are also in ADAMS at Accession No. ML22311A553. In addition, a transcript of the meeting is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML22329A011. A list of attendees is provided in the Enclosure to this summary. A total of 102 attendees were recorded, with 60 of those attending in-person in Oak Ridge and 42 attendees participating via the Microsoft TEAMS application.

During the meeting, following the NRC staff introductions and welcoming remarks, staff from the NRCs Offices of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards and Nuclear Reactor Regulation provided a presentation that gave an overview of the NRCs mission, described the Hermes facility that Kairos is planning to construct in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and described the NRCs safety and environmental review process. The NRC staffs presentation provided a summary of the draft EIS and described the process for interested persons to submit comments during the comment period, which ended on December 6, 2022.

CONTACT: Tamsen Dozier, NMSS/REFS 301-415-2272

K. Erwin After the NRC staff presentation, the NRC staff answered two questions on its review processes. During the comment portion of the meeting, both in-person and virtual attendees provided a total of thirteen verbal comments. The comments were generally supportive of the NRCs review, primarily emphasizing the potential benefits of new nuclear technology and encouraged the NRCs streamlining and modernizing of the licensing process. The suggestion was made that the NRCs no action alternative should include the environmental impacts from not realizing this carbon reducing technology option in the power sector. The verbal comments provided during the meeting and any written comments the NRC staff received during the scoping period will be considered in the NRC staffs development of its final EIS for the Hermes application.

Docket No. 50-7513

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc: w/enclosure:

see next page

ML23031A160 (document),

ML23031A165(Enclosure), ML23030B852 (package) *via email OFFICE PM:REFS/ENRB LA:REFS/ERMB BC:REFS/ENRB PM:REFS/ENRB NAME TDozier AWalker-Smith* KErwin TDozier DATE 02/7/2023 03/7/2023 03/10/2023 03/20/2023