Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Briefing on New Plants

April 30, 2008

H U C L E A R

E N E R G Y

IN S T IT U I E
Industry Panel

* Christopher M. Crane, Chief Operating Officer,

Exelon Generation, Chairman, New Plant

Oversight Committee

* Stephen A. Byrne, Chief Nuclear Officer, South

Carolina Electric & Gas, Chairman NEI New Plant

Working Group

* Anthony R. Pietrangelo, Vice President,

Regulatory Affairs, NEI

I,•E, 2
Discussion Topics

* Current Process Overview

* Technical/Policy Issues

* Industry Priorities

* Conclusion

3
Current Process Overview

* Companies will move forward with COL

applications

- Construction decision based on numerous

considerations - not just COL issuance

* Constructive industry-NRC-public interaction

- Site scoping visits

- Design-Centered Review Approach

* Potential Process Issues

- Implementing new/revised rules

- Enhancing the environmental review process

Nr•EI' 4
Technical/Policy Issues

* Maintaining standardization & high quality

applications

* Level of Safety

- Industry developed safer designs consistent with

Advanced Reactor Policy Statement

- Same regulated safety standard for new and

existing plants

* Implementing PRA requirements for new plants

* Supply chain qualifications
Industry Priorities

" Generation III+ deployment (next decade)

" Response to COL & DC RAIs

" Finalize understandings on COL implementation

processes:

Construction inspection, enforcement and

assessment

ITAAC close-out process, including fuel load .authorization process

* Complete rulemakings

- Waste Confidence

- Part 73

- Aircraft Impact Assessment

r*/

6
Conclusion

* Challenges of parallel reviews recognized

-Industry & NRC staff coming to grips with

details of COL processes.

* Need for integrated industry & NRC COL

review schedules

- Incorporate benefits of design centered

reviews

* Good NRC-applicant-public communication

•EI 7J

7
List of Acronyms

" COL - Combined Construction Permit and

Operating License

* DC - Design Certification

m NRC-- Nuclear Regulatory Commission

* PRA - Probabilistic Risk Assessment

* RAI - Request for Additional Information

8
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STATUS OF NEW

REACTOR ISSUES

April 30, 2008

Luis I Reyes

Executive Director for Operations
Agenda

* Accomplishments and Recent Activities

* Status of New Reactor Projects and

Rulemaking

* Selected Safety and Environmental

Technical Issues and Potential Schedule

Impacts

2
Accompi sh.ments and

Recent Activities

Gary Holahan,m Deputy Director

Office of New Reactors

3
Accompi shments S Sicince

Last Briefing.

-Completed acceptance reviews

.I ssued limited work authorization

(LWA) rule implementation guid ance

• Completed environmental site audits

4
Other Recent Activi ties

* Vendor Inspection Initiatives

• .Planning and Scheduling Tools

* Recruitment and Knowledge

Management

5
Status of New Reactor

Proj cts and Rulemaking

Thomas Bergman, Deputy Director

Division of New: Reactor Licensing

Office of New Reactors

6
Status of Earl y Site

Perm its

* Three

issued

Early Site Permits (ESPs)

•One ESP under review

7
Status of Design

Certification Reviews

* Four Design Certifications (Des)

.issued

* Three DCs under review

* One DC Amendment under review

8
Combined L cense

Application Reviews

Nine Combined License Applications

(COLAs) submitted

-Seven acceptance reviews complete

and under review

-Two applications; under acceptance

review

9
Ensuring "Safety and

eein Schedule

Com m it meints

* Planning and review tools

" Focus on safety and execution

" Enhanced openness and

transparency of project execution

10
Status -of Key Rule makiing

Activ d[.lities

* Aircraft Impact Rulemaking

• Security Rulemaking

• Design Certification Rulemaking

Process

11
2

Conclusions

• Planning and review tools have been

beneficial

• Schedule commitments are being met

• Continue to develop infrastructure to

support new reactor reviews

12
New Reactor Sum p

Des,.i g-n Reviews

Christopher Jackson Chief

Containment and Ventilation Systems Branch 1

Office of New Reactors

13
.Key Poli nts

* Regulations, guidance and experience are

adequate to support new reactor reviews

" Level of detail lagging

" Continuing to receive application

supplements - schedule impacts

" New approaches

14
Path Forward

" Coordination between Offices

* International cooperation

• Planning and conducting safety-focused

reviews to bring issue to timely resolution

15
LidWork Authorizat on

Rule Imple:mentatoion.

Brent Clayton, Chief

Environmental Technical Support

Branch

Office of .New Reactors

16
Definl•ton of "Construction"

• New definition consistent with agency

statutory authority

* Construction or, preconstruction

* Changes affect all new reactor site and

environmental reviews

17
Preconstruc t-ion I mpacts

• Environmental Reports to describe impact of "preconstruction" activities

* Preconstruction impacts assessed only in

context of cumulative impacts

• Allows appropriate evaluation of impacts of

construction activities being authorized

18
IStaff Gui dance

* Level of analysis to separate impacts

commensurate with significance of impact

• Simple analyses sufficient in most areas

* Use request-for-additional information

process for near-term applicants

19
Other Permitting Authorities

* Potential timing issues with permits for

preconstruction activities

975 Memorandum of Understanding with

Army Corps of Engineers being updated to

address Part 52 and LWA rule

20
NRC Resources and

Schedules

* Timely notification of LWA requests-allows

proper resource and schedule planning

* Later notification addressed on application

specific basis

21
Operator Licensing for

New Reactors

Michael Junge, Chief

Operator Licensing and Human

Performance Branch

Office of New Reactors

22
Coordi nation of NRC

Reviews and Examinations

Training & I.nitial Accreditation Timeline

Task Start

Analysis instructor

started training.

(Months)

Obtain

COL

Pre-Op

testing Fuel

begins load

Submit Begin site

COLA prep

Begin

licensed

operator

training

Plant

reference

simulator

Licensed

operators

required

23
Operator, Licensing Process

• Process for acquiring knowledge and

experience required for licensed operator

duties post construction

* Topic of numerous: public stakeholder

interactions

* Industry technical paper under review

24
DgaCon:.trol Roo:m s

• Operator examination content and

administration

* Crew interactions and communications

25
NRC Readiness

0 Simulator for inspectors and examiners

* Examiner training and qualification

26
Transition to Operati'ng

Reactors

• Activities fully coordinated with NRR, TTC,

and the Regions

* Conduct of cross training

27
Acroenymse

•COLA -Combined License Application

DC- Design Certification

* ESP - Early Site Permit

LWA - Limited Work Authorization.

. NRR- Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

• TTC - Technical Training Center

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