Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States (2023) / Chapter Skim
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7 Nuclear Regulation in the United States
7 Nuclear Regulation in the United States
Pages 121-136
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From page 121... ...
in all phases of their life cycle -- design, construction, operations, and decommissioning. The NRC is charged with licensing and regulation of plants to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote common defense and security, and to protect the environment.1 The fundamental design of light water reactors dates from the early days of reactor operation, although there have been significant enhancements to improve operations and safety over the years.
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From page 122... ...
Of particular interest to the vendors of some advanced reactors is the opportunity to obtain a manufacturing license that allows the fabrication of a nuclear power plant at a location other than the one where it is to be installed and operated. This license may be attractive to vendors that intend to establish a factory to build a reactor to be deployed at many sites.3 These various elements of Part 52 reduce regulatory risk because the matters resolved during the approval of the COL, ESP, DC, SDA or manufacturing license cannot be reexamined absent significant and new information that calls into question the previous resolution of an issue.4 But two problems remain.
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From page 123... ...
There are proposals to eliminate NRC review fees for advanced reactor license applications.
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From page 124... ...
See generally International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group, 1996, Defence in Depth in Nuclear Safety, INSAG-10, Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency. 14 See Nuclear Energy Institute, 2022, Technology Inclusive Guidance for Non-Light Water Reactors: Safety Analysis Report Content for Applicants Using the NEI 18-04 Methodology, NEI 21-07, Rev 1, Washington, DC: Nuclear Energy Institute, https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ ML2206/ML22060A190.pdf.
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From page 125... ...
Microreactor designers seek to justify more significant modifications of the approaches to the assurance of safety than large reactors because of postulated lower risks.18 The NRC staff has observed that tailored modifications may be required relating to security requirements, remote and autonomous operations, siting considerations, environmental review, regulatory oversight, staffing requirements, manufacturing licenses, and annual fees, among other licensing issues.19 Again, a detailed review is necessary to justify any such adjustments of the regulatory requirements. At the same time, the advanced reactors may present new challenges.20 For example, sodium-cooled fast reactors will require consideration of sodium-water and sodium-air reactions that have plagued many past versions of this design.
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From page 126... ...
• Thorium/U233 cycle • U/Pu (MOX or metal) fuel • Steel cladding • Ceramic cladding • Graphite • Reprocessing/recycling • Inventory management and accounting of liquid fuels • Inventory management and accounting of pebble fuels Fuel/core analysis • Fuel element power limits • Pebble-bed modeling • Long-life cores Reactor design/materials • Advanced/high-temperature and high-dose alloys • Shutdown cooling/decay heat removal systems • In-reactor fuel handling systems Reactivity control • Control element design • Self-actuated shutdown systems • Diverse backup systems • Criticality control for liquid fuel systems Materials/structural analysis • Stress/strain limits for advanced materials • Creep • Cyclic stress/strain • Seismic analysis, including use of seismic isolation • Sloshing loads • Corrosion • Code cases for advanced manufacturing/novel manufacturing processes
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From page 127... ...
• Prevention of coolant freezing (sodium, molten salt) Plant fabrication/construction • QA rules for factory fabrication of modular/transportable reactors • QA implementation and NRC inspection of factory-fabricated reactors • Manufacturing licenses Plant operations • Remote operation • Autonomous operation Increased automation of operations Artificial intelligence Plant staffing Waste handling • On-line refueling and waste issues (e.g., pebble-bed, MSR online waste processing)
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From page 128... ...
23 See Nuclear Innovation Alliance, 2021, Unlocking Advanced Nuclear Innovation: The Role of Fee Reform and Public Investment, Nuclear Innovation Alliance, Advanced Nuclear Energy Fee Reform Brief (July 2021) , https://nuclearinnovationalliance.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/ Advanced%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Fee%20Reform%20Brief.pdf.
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From page 129... ...
The existing regulatory approach can be inconsistent with this investment strategy because of substantial cost that must be incurred before DC, an OL or a COL is issued. As a result, NEIMA requires the NRC to establish stages in the licensing process for advanced nuclear reactors.
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From page 130... ...
Moreover, the Nuclear Energy Agency has a similar effort under way, and its Multinational Design Evaluation Project, by which countries that are licensing a particular reactor coordinate their efforts, provides a model for harmonization of requirements for advanced reactors. The aviation industry may also provide a model for international harmonization.
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From page 131... ...
Recommendation 7-3: In light of the importance of international markets, significant efforts should be undertaken now to reconcile needless differences in licensing obligations from one country to another. This should involve increased engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency on these matters, as well as exploration of regulatory mechanisms like those used by the aviation industry.
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From page 132... ...
Finding 7-5: Some reactor vendors anticipate opportunities to deploy their reactors near or in urban environments or in the vicinity of industrial facilities that will use heat produced by the reactor. These applications of advanced reactors will present unique siting and emergency planning issues.
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From page 133... ...
Indeed, some vendors of microreactors claim that the risks are so slight that operation might proceed without a security force or even without operators of any kind. As discussed in Chapter 9, the NRC staff has sought authorization from the Commission to publish a proposed rule that would offer voluntary performance-based alternatives for meeting certain of the physical security requirements for advanced reactors.28 At the same time, the heightened concern for cybersecurity means that the careful consideration of the associated regulatory requirements is essential for advanced reactors, particularly because many intend to place much greater emphasis on digital systems and automated intelligence than existing reactors.
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From page 134... ...
. 32 For more information on fuel cycles for new and advanced reactors, see NASEM, 2022, Merits and Viability of Different Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Technology Options and the Waste Aspects of Advanced Nuclear Reactors, Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, https://doi.org/10.17226/26500.
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From page 135... ...
2022. Merits and Viability of Different Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Technology Options and the Waste Aspects of Advanced Nuclear Reactors.
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From page 136... ...
2021a. Completing a Rulemaking to Establish a Technology-Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Optional Use by Commercial Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies in New Reactor License Applications and to Enhance Commission Expertise relating to Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies.
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