UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 

 August 30, 2016 

MEMORANDUM TO: Chairman Burns 

 Commissioner Svinicki 

 Commissioner Baran 

FROM: Victor M. McCree /RA/ 

 Executive Director for Operations 

SUBJECT: PROPOSED CLOSURE OF REQUIREMENT FOR PERIODIC 

UPDATES ON MATERIALS DEGRADATION UNDER SRM – 

M040413 

The purpose of this memorandum is to fulfill the staff requirements memorandum (SRM)-

M040413, "Briefing on Research Programs, Performance, and Plans, 9:30 A. M., Tuesday April 

13, 2004, Commissioners' Conference Room One White Flint North, Rockville, Maryland (Open 

to Public Attendance)," dated April 28, 2004 (Enclosure 1). The SRM requires the staff to keep 

the Commission currently informed on progress in the research on reactor material degradation 

issues. 

As summarized in Enclosure 2, the staff is informing the Commission of progress in researching 

reactor material degradation throughout fiscal year (FY) 2016. 

Over the last decade, the staff has fulfilled the 2004 SRM yearly requirement by identifying 

briefings or other information provided to the Commission. For example, the requirement was 

fulfilled in FY 2015 through a Commissioner Assistants Note, “Status Report on Progress of 

Ongoing Staff Activities to Assess Regulatory Considerations for Power Reactor Subsequent 

License Renewal.” That note also fulfilled the requirement in “Staff Requirements – SECY-14-

0016 – Ongoing Staff Activities to Assess Regulatory Considerations for Power Reactor 

Subsequent License Renewal on SECY-14-0016.” In FY 2014, this request was fulfilled by the 

Subsequent License Renewal Briefing to the Commission on May 8, 2014. 

The staff also provides the Commission with information on significant emergent materials 

issues. The staff provides this information in response to specific requests from the 

Commission and to fulfill its statutory obligation to keep the Commission fully and currently 

informed. The information conveyed on baffle-bolt cracking found in some pressurized water 

reactors is a recent example of such communications. 

CONTACT: Ilka T. Berrios, RES/DE 

 301-415-2404 

COMSECY-16-0018

PLEASE RESPOND BY:

September 16, 2016 
The Commissioners - 2 - 

Through these communications, the staff keeps the Commission fully and currently informed on 

progress in the research on reactor material degradation issues as required by the law and 

Commission policy. In preparing this year’s memo in response to the 2004 SRM, the staff 

considered whether there was a continuing need for the 2004 requirement and whether 

efficiency could be enhanced by ensuring the Commission continues to receive the requested 

information while eliminating the annual report. The staff concluded that the 2004 SRM 

reporting requirement does not provide information to the Commission that has not already 

been provided by the staff. Accordingly, the staff proposes that this 2004 requirement be 

eliminated. 

This memorandum requests Commission approval on closing the action item in SRM-M040413. 

SECY, please track. 

Enclosures: 

As stated 

cc: SECY 

 OGC 

 OCA 

 OPA 

 CFO 
The Commissioners - 2 - 

Through these communications, the staff keeps the Commission fully and currently informed on 

progress in the research on reactor material degradation issues as required by the law and 

Commission policy. In preparing this year’s memo in response to the 2004 SRM, the staff 

considered whether there was a continuing need for the 2004 requirement and whether 

efficiency could be enhanced by ensuring the Commission continues to receive the requested 

information while eliminating the annual report. The staff concluded that the 2004 SRM 

reporting requirement does not provide information to the Commission that has not already 

been provided by the staff. Accordingly, the staff proposes that this 2004 requirement be 

eliminated. 

This memorandum requests Commission approval on closing the action item in SRM-M040413. 

SECY, please track. 

Enclosures: 

As stated 

cc: SECY 

 OGC 

 OCA 

 OPA 

 CFO 

DISTRIBUTION: WITS 200400056

RidsResPmdaMail Resource 

 ADAMS Accession Number: ML16203A194 

OFFICE RES/DE D:RES/DE RES Mail Room Tech Edit D:RES EDO 

NAME IBerrios BThomas KJohnson JZabel MWeber VMcCree 

DATE 07/18/16 07/21/16 07/21/16 07/22/16 07/22/16 08/ 30 /16 

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY 
IN RESPONSE, PLEASE 

REFER TO: M040413 

April 28, 2004 

MEMORANDUM TO: William D. Travers 

Executive Director for Operations 

FROM: Annette Vietti-Cook, Secretary /RA/

SUBJECT: STAFF REQUIREMENTS - BRIEFING ON RESEARCH 

PROGRAMS, PERFORMANCE, AND PLANS, 9:30 A.M., 

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2004, COMMISSIONERS’ 

CONFERENCE ROOM, ONE WHITE FLINT NORTH, 

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND (OPEN TO PUBLIC ATTENDANCE) 

The Commission was briefed by the NRC staff from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory 

Research (RES) on the programs, performance, and plans for the office. 

The staff should communicate research results, particularly those involving conservative 

bounding analyses, to the public using plain English and in a manner to facilitate better 

understanding of the context and limitations of the information presented. When research 

reports are misused and quoted out of context, the staff should respond promptly. 

The staff should inform the Commission through the budget process about how specific 

recommendations in the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) report, 

NUREG-1635, Volume 6, “Review and Evaluation of the Nuclear Regulatory 

Commission Safety Research Program,” dated March 2004, were dispositioned by the 

staff. 

The Commission requested that the staff keep them currently informed on progress in the 

research on reactor material degradation issues. 

cc: Chairman Diaz 

Commissioner McGaffigan 

Commissioner Merrifield 

OGC 

CFO 

OCA 

OIG 

OPA 

Office Directors, Regions, ACRS, ACNW, ASLBP (via E-Mail) 

PDR 

Enclosure 1 
 Summary of Products Associated with 

Reactor Materials Degradation Research in FY 2016 

A. Products provided to Commission 

1. NRC-Department of Energy Commission Briefing (June 2016) – ML16172A215 

As part of this briefing, the staff briefed the Commission on NRC collaboration 

with the Department of Energy, including research on the four key technical 

issues related to nuclear plant operation beyond 60 years. These issues 

include materials degradation related to reactor pressure vessel 

embrittlement, aging of reactor internals, concrete and containment 

degradation, and electrical cable aging. 

2. Operating Reactors Business Line Briefing (July 2016) – ML16189A231 

As part of this briefing, the staff briefed the Commission on ongoing research 

activities related to materials degradation issues. This included ongoing 

research to ensure safety with an emphasis on the development of 

probabilistic piping integrity analysis tools and their use in risk-informed 

decision making. 

B. Products provided to Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) 

1. Briefed the ACRS Plant License Renewal Subcommittee on Subsequent License 

Renewal (SLR) technical issues and associated research (November 2015) – 

ML16011A228 

The NRC staff briefed the ACRS on research involving materials degradation 

involving neutron fluence evaluations, reactor pressure vessel neutron 

embrittlement at high fluence levels, irradiation assisted stress corrosion 

cracking of reactor internals, concrete aging, and aging of electrical cables.

2. Briefed the ACRS Metallurgy and Reactor Fuels Subcommittee (May 2016) on Draft 

Regulatory Guide 1.230, “Regulatory Guidance on the Alternate Pressurized 

Thermal Shock Rule,” and draft NUREG-2163, “Technical Basis for Regulatory 

Guidance on The Alternate Pressurized Thermal Shock Rule” – ML16134A203 

The NRC staff briefed the ACRS in detail on materials degradation research 

related to the public comments and corresponding revisions to the drafts of 

RG 1.230 and NUREG-2163 in preparation for final issuance of this guidance 

and supporting technical basis. 

3. Briefed the ACRS full committee (July 2016) on Draft RG 1.230 and Draft NUREG2163 – ML16209A213 

The staff briefed the ACRS regarding an overview of the public comments 

and corresponding revisions to Draft Final RG 1.230 and Draft NUREG-2163 

to support staff’s request for an ACRS letter supporting the staff’s proposal to 

issue the RG and NUREG as final. 

Enclosure 2 
 

C. Documents/Reports made publicly available 

1. NUREG-1925, Revision 3, “Research Activities FY 2015-FY 2017 (February 2016) – 

ML16060A414 

This NUREG describes research being conducted by NRC's Office of Nuclear 

Regulatory Research across a wide variety of disciplines, including materials 

performance and materials degradation research. This is the fourth issuance 

of NUREG-1925 and this revision captures new research and updates 

ongoing research projects. The staff provided copies of this report to the 

Commission. 

 

2. NUREG-2191, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, “Generic Aging Lessons Learned for Subsequent 

License Renewal (GALL-SLR) Report – Draft Report for Comment” (December 

2015) – ML15352A084 

This NUREG provides guidance for SLR applicants. This report contains the 

staff’s generic evaluation of plant aging management programs (AMPs) and 

establishes the technical basis for their adequacy. It also contains 

recommendations on specific modifications for existing AMPs for the SLR 

operating period. This guidance is largely based on knowledge gained from 

operating experience and research on materials degradation. 

3. NUREG/CR-4513, Revision 2, “Estimation of Fracture Toughness of Cast Stainless 

Steels during Thermal Aging in LWR Systems (May 2016) – ML16145A082 

This NUREG revises the procedure and correlations used for predicting the 

change in fracture toughness and tensile properties of cast austenitic 

stainless steel components due to thermal aging during service in light water 

reactors at 280–330°C (535–625°F). The report is based on current and 

relevant research on materials degradation performed by the NRC. 

4. Technical Letter Report, "Review of Aging Management Programs: Compendium of 

Insights from License Renewal Applications and from AMP Effectiveness Audits 

Conducted to Inform Subsequent License Renewal Guidance Documents." Public 

Report (1400 pages) - ML16167A076 

This technical letter report provides the staff’s observations from reviewing 

license renewal applications for the first round of license renewal reviews and 

from the AMP audits. The results of this effort expanded NRC’s knowledge 

base related to materials degradation and provided valuable initial preliminary 

information to consider in developing guidance documents for SLR.