STATE OF THE TECHNICAL PROGRAMS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS BRIEFING TO THE COMMISSION MARCH 17, 2008
AGENDA
Introduction Nuclear Reactor Safety and Security Nuclear Materials and Waste Safety and Security Conclusion
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Nuclear Reactor Safety and Security
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Reactor Oversight
• Program Considerations – Incorporating experience into the program – License renewal - Inspection – Fire protection - Inspection – Lessons-learned followup/implementation
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Reactor Oversight
• Potential Challenges – Early detection of performance trends – Vendor oversight – IRRS program review
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Reactor Oversight
• Potential Policy Issues – Safety culture – Fire Protection – Revision of the Enforcement Policy
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Incident Response
• Program Considerations – Implement National Framework/Communication Plan – Intergovernmental coordination – Outreach with stakeholders – Modernization – EP exercises
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Incident Response
• Potential Challenges – Incident command center concept – Communication during threat response – Comprehensive Reviews
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Incident Response
• Potential Policy Issues – Continuity plans – Emergency Planning changes
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Licensing
• Program Considerations – License renewal – Watts Bar, Unit 2 – Power uprates – Non-power reactor applications
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Licensing
• Potential Challenges – Operator licensing for new reactors/operating reactors • Potential Policy Issues – NGNP/Advance reactor priorities
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Rulemaking
• Program Considerations – Part 50, Section 50.46, ECCS – Part 73, Access Authorization during construction – Part 50, Section 50.47, Emergency Preparedness
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Rulemaking
• Program Considerations (cont) – Materials Security, Parts 20, 30, 32, 70, 73, 74, etc. – General Licenses, Parts 31, 32, 40 – Uranium Recovery Part 40, In Situ Leach
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Rulemaking
• Potential Challenges/Policy Issues – Rulemaking Priorities and Allocations of Resources – Expediting the Rulemaking Process
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Research
• Program Considerations – Advanced Reactors – State of the Art Reactor Consequence Analyses (SOARCA) – Operating reactor licenses - Life Beyond 60
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Research
• Potential Challenges – Maintaining NRC’s Independent Analytical and Modeling Skills – Expanding SOARCA
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Research
• Potential Policy Issues – Next Generation Nuclear Power (NGNP) – Presentation of SOARCA results – Technology Neutral Framework
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Nuclear Materials and Waste Safety and Security
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Nuclear Materials Users
• Program Considerations – Radioactive Materials Security – Agreement States – Materials Licensing and Inspection Programs – Regulatory Infrastructure
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Nuclear Materials Users
• Potential Challenges – Maintaining alignment with stakeholders • Potential Policy Issues – Additional Increased Controls for radioactive sources – ICRP recommendations
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Nuclear Materials Users
• Potential Policy Issues (cont) – RDD definition and consequences – Expanding NSTS – Threshold Values for Radionuclides of Concern – Additional Materials Security Rulemakings
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Uranium Recovery, Decommissioning, and Low Level Waste
• Program Considerations – Decommissioning – Waste Incidental to Reprocessing – Low Level Waste – Uranium Recovery
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UR, Decommissioning, and LLW
• Potential Challenges – Expected Number of Uranium Recovery Applications – Restricted Use of Decommissioned Sites
– Zion Decommissioning
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UR, Decommissioning, and LLW
• Potential Policy Issues – LLW Strategic Assessment Activities and Priorities – Base Realignment and Closure – Blending of Waste
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Fuel Facilities
• Program Considerations – Licensing and oversight of new facilities • Potential Challenges – Developing and maintaining the regulatory framework
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• Potential Challenges (cont) – Attention to operating and new facilities – Risk Informing Licensing and Oversight Processes – Information security – Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Review
Fuel Facilities
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Fuel Facilities
• Potential Policy Issues – Safeguards – Information Security
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High-Level Waste
• Program Considerations – Repository license application review – Transportation, aging, and disposal canisters (TAD)
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High-Level Waste
• Potential Challenges – Statutory milestones – Applications for Transportation and Storage Casks
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High-Level Waste
• Potential Policy Issues – Environmental standard and final rulemaking on Part 63 – Waste confidence – Package Performance Study – Burn-up Credit
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Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation
• Program Considerations – Licensing and inspection – Evolving national strategy on spent fuel – Regulatory infrastructure
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Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation
• Potential Challenges – Demanding performance measures – Risk-informing reviews – Stakeholder communications
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Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation
• Potential Policy Issues – Harmonization on transportation requirements – Security regulations for storage and transportation – Federal interim storage
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Acronym
ECCS – Emergency Core Cooling System EP – Emergency Preparedness ICRP – International Council on Radiation Protection IRRS – Integrated Regulatory Review Service LLW – Low Level Waste NGNP – Next Generation Nuclear Plant NSTS – National Source Tracking System RDD – Radioactive Dispersal Device SOARCA – State of the Art Reactor Consequence Analysis • UR – Uranium Recovery • • • • • • • • •
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