POLICY ISSUE 

INFORMATION 

April 22, 2008 SECY-08-0057

FOR: The Commissioners 

FROM: Luis A. Reyes 

Executive Director for Operations 

SUBJECT: AGENCY LONG-TERM RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 

PURPOSE: 

In SECY-07-0192, “Agency Long-Term Research Activities for Fiscal Year 2009,” dated 

October 31, 2007, the staff indicated that it would provide the Commission with FY 2010 

exploratory long-term research activities in a February 2008 report, with subsequent reports 

submitted yearly in December, coincidently with the initiation of the budget formulation process. 

The purpose of this paper is to provide the Commission with the results of the Fiscal Year 

(FY) 2010 long-term research activity review. In addition, this paper provides an overview of 

some of the enhancements that the staff will make to its exploratory long-term research 

identification process for FY 2011 and beyond. This paper does not address any new 

commitments. 

BACKGROUND: 

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research 

(RES) aligns its research strategies with the agency’s role as a regulator. For example, if the 

industry conducts research to establish a safety case, the NRC may conduct confirmatory, 

independent research to review the industry’s research results and applications and assess 

potentially significant beyond-design basis issues. 

CONTACT: Jocelyn Mitchell, RES/DSA 

 (301) 415-5289
The Commissioners -2- 

As part of its current processes, the NRC routinely identifies research activities that support 

current and anticipated near-term (within the next few years) regulatory needs. However, prior to 

FY 2007, it had no structured program to identify research the agency might need in the longer 

term (5-10 years). 

In SECY-07-0068, “Candidate Agency Long-Term Research Activities for Fiscal Year 2009,” 

dated April 6, 2007, the NRC staff provided the Commission a draft exploratory long-term 

research report and committed to yearly updates of this plan. In SECY-07-0192, the NRC staff 

identified those activities to be undertaken in FY 2009, following feedback from internal and 

external stakeholders and the exploration of collaborative opportunities for leveraging 

resources. 

As stated in SECY-07-0192, the staff will provide the updated plan coincidently with the initiation 

of the budget formulation process. Therefore, when the new process discussed below is 

implemented, the staff will update the plan each January, starting with the research plan for the 

FY 2011 budget. 

DISCUSSION: 

In December 2007, RES staff solicited input from the program offices, regional offices, and 

international partners on the exploratory long-term research activities that the agency should 

consider undertaking in FY 2010. As a result of that solicitation, no new issues were identified. 

Many identified issues did not meet the criteria for exploratory long-term research and were 

eliminated from further consideration. The eliminated issues were either duplicate of activities 

identified in SECY-07-0192, were outside the scope of NRC’s responsibility, or were low priority. 

In addition, no new issues were identified because many of the activities were already addressed 

in research plans currently underway. That is, NRC’s ongoing research program in fact already 

included a number of activities that meet the definition of long-term research but were not 

specifically called out as such. For instance, issues related to advanced reactor designs, license 

renewals beyond 60 years, and wireless digital instrumentation and controls are all part of existing 

research plans and are already budgeted. 

Although no new long term research programs were identified for FY 2010, it does not preclude 

the identification of new candidate issues in the future, and we will continue with periodic 

solicitations for candidate topics. However, based on our experience with the current process, 

RES is proposing some changes to enhance our identification of exploratory long-term research 

projects. The staff will pilot the process in FY 2009 as part of the FY 2011 budget preparation, 

and if it is successful, the staff will use this process in succeeding years. 

In the pilot, the staff will provide additional clarification on what constitutes exploratory long-term 

research. The staff will emphasize that exploratory long-term research activities are intended to 

provide fundamental insights, information addressing potential technical issues, or identified gaps 

to support anticipated future (>5 years) NRC needs. RES will then request staff and other 

stakeholders to propose projects that would meet the criteria for exploratory long-term research. 

A committee comprising a subset of the agency’s Senior Level Technical Advisors (SLS) will 

review all suggested exploratory long-term research activities, and rank each activity. The 

committee would have expertise that spans the range of agency activities, and these SLS 

committee members would also contribute their professional stature and strategic thinking skills 

to provide the best review. RES will consider the committee’s prioritization and consult with the 
The Commissioners -3- 

program offices before funding any high-value scoping activities. Providing more clarity 

regarding the definition of exploratory long-term research will minimize the number of topics that 

are identified but are rejected, making the process more efficient. 

RES will evaluate the results of the exploratory research programs and determine if the agency 

would benefit from any additional research to support expected future regulatory 

decisionmaking and who should conduct this additional research (i.e., the NRC or the industry). 

If RES, in consultation with the program offices, determines that the agency should conduct this 

additional research, the staff will incorporate this work into an existing research plan and will 

pursue resources through the Planning, Budgeting and Performance Management (PBPM) 

process. 

In its letter dated March 6, 2008, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) 

provided the results of its review and its comments on the NRC reactor safety research 

program. The ACRS provided recommendations and basis for areas in which the NRC should 

perform additional exploratory long-term research. In response, the staff agreed with the ACRS 

comments and recommendations and noted that because of resource limitations, the staff will 

continue to prioritize their recommendations as part of the budget process and to discuss them 

further as it interacts with the appropriate subcommittees. 

RESOURCES: 

The staff can implement changes to the process within its existing full-time equivalents and 

dollar allocations. Any resources needed to address future issues identified for long-term 

research will be included as part of the PBPM process. 

COORDINATION: 

The Office of the General Counsel reviewed this package and has no legal objection. The Chief 

Financial Officer reviewed this package and has no objection. 

/RA/ 

Luis A. Reyes

Executive Director 

 for Operations 
The Commissioners -3- 

program offices before funding any high-value scoping activities. Providing more clarity 

regarding the definition of exploratory long-term research will minimize the number of topics that 

are identified but are rejected, making the process more efficient. 

RES will evaluate the results of the exploratory research programs and determine if the agency 

would benefit from any additional research to support expected future regulatory 

decisionmaking and who should conduct this additional research (i.e., the NRC or the industry). 

If RES, in consultation with the program offices, determines that the agency should conduct this 

additional research, the staff will incorporate this work into an existing research plan and will 

pursue resources through the Planning, Budgeting and Performance Management (PBPM) 

process. 

In its letter dated March 6, 2008, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) 

provided the results of its review and its comments on the NRC reactor safety research 

program. The ACRS provided recommendations and basis for areas in which the NRC should 

perform additional exploratory long-term research. In response, the staff agreed with the ACRS 

comments and recommendations and noted that because of resource limitations, the staff will 

continue to prioritize their recommendations as part of the budget process and to discuss them 

further as it interacts with the appropriate subcommittees. 

RESOURCES: 

The staff can implement changes to the process within its existing full-time equivalents and 

dollar allocations. Any resources needed to address future issues identified for long-term 

research will be included as part of the PBPM process. 

COORDINATION: 

The Office of the General Counsel reviewed this package and has no legal objection. The Chief 

Financial Officer reviewed this package and has no objection. 

/RA/ 

Luis A. Reyes

Executive Director 

 for Operations 

ADAMS Accession No.: ML080870353 WITS 200700129/EDATS: SECY-2008-0172 

OFFICE DSA BC:SPB Sunsi Review Tech Editor D:DSA RES/DRA 

NAME JMitchell JYerokun FEltawila HChang 

(by email)

FEltawila CLui 

DATE 04/03/08 04/03/08 04/18/08 04/11/08 04/03/08 04/03/08 

OFFICE RES/DE CFO NRR NRO NSIR D:NMSS 

NAME JUhle LBarnett 

(by email)

MCase 

(by email)

CAder WDean MWeber 

(by email)

DATE 04/13/08 04/15/08 04/11/08 04/15/08 04/07/08 04/15/08 

OFFICE D:FSME OGC D:RES EDO 

NAME GPangburn 

(by email)

MItzkowitz BSheron 

(JUhle for)

LReyes 

DATE 04/09/08 04/03/08 04/15/08 04/22/08 

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