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Home > Nuclear
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Reactors > Licensing > Renewal > Introduction > Safety
Reactor License Renewal Safety
The license renewal process is designed to assess whether a reactor can continue
to operate safely during the period of extended operation.
On this page:
- Regulatory process is adequate for ensuring
safety of operating plants
- Issues relevant to current operating plants will
be addressed by the regulatory process and carried forward into the
period of extended operation
- Compilation of the current licensing basis (CLB)
or reverification of CLB compliance is not necessary for a license
renewal review. CLB carries forward into the period of extended
operation
- Focus of renewal review is passive, long-lived
structures and components and time-limited aging analyses
- Focus on managing the effects of aging during the period of extended
operation
- Safety-related systems, structures, and components relied upon to
- Maintain integrity of the reactor coolant pressure boundary
- Ensure capability to shut down and maintain a safe shutdown
condition
- Prevent or mitigate offsite exposures comparable to
10 CFR Part 100
- Non-safety-related systems, structures, and components whose failure
could prevent safety related function as outlined above
- Systems, structures, and components relied upon for compliance with
regulations:
-
Integrated Plant Assessment
[10
CFR 54.21(a)(1)]
- Identify and list structures and components subject to an aging
management review (AMR):
- Perform intended function without moving parts or without a
change in configuration or properties (passive)
- Not subject to replacement based on a qualified life or
specified period (long-lived)
- Intended Functions:
- Functions that a system, structure, or component must be shown
to fulfill that form the basis for including the system, structure,
or component within the scope of the rule
- Describe/Justify:
- Methods to identify structures and components subject to an AMR
from those systems, structures, and components within scope
[10
CFR 54.21(a)(1)]
- Demonstrate:
- Effects of aging will be adequately managed so that the intended
function will be maintained consistent with the CLB for the period
of extended operation
[10
CFR 54.21(a)(3)]
For additional information, see Integrated
Plant Assessment.
- Time-Limited Aging Analyses (TLAAs)
- Definition
(10
CFR 54.3)
- Involve systems, structures, and components within scope of rule,
- Consider the effects of aging,
- Involve time-limited assumptions defined by current operating
term,
- Determined by licensee to be relevant in safety determination,
- Involve conclusions related to performance of intended functions,
and
- Contained or incorporated by reference in CLB
- Provide a list of TLAAs
[10
CFR 54.21(c)(1)]
- Demonstrate that for the period of extended operation
- Analyses remain valid,
- Analyses have been projected to the end of the period, or
- Effects of aging on the intended functions will be
managed
- Exemptions
[10
CFR 54.21(c)(2)]
- List of plant-specific exemptions granted pursuant to
10
CFR 50.12
and in effect that are based on TLAAs as defined in
10
CFR 54.3
- Evaluation justifying continuation for period of extended
operation
For additional information, see Time-Limited
Aging Analyses (TLAAs).
- Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) Supplement
- Summary description of the programs and activities for managing
the effects of aging and evaluation of TLAAs
- Technical Specification Changes
(10
CFR 54.22)
- Changes and their justification necessary for managing the effects
of aging during the period of extended operation
- Standards for Issuance of Renewed License
(10
CFR 54.29)
- Actions have been or will be taken with respect to
- Managing the effects of aging during the period
of extended operation on the functionality of structures and components
- Evaluating TLAAs that require review
- Reasonable assurance that activities authorized by the renewed license
will continue to be conducted in accordance with the CLB
- Reactor vessel
- Reactor coolant system pressure boundary
- Steam generators
- Pressurizer
- Piping
- Pump casings
- Valve bodies
- Core shroud
- Component supports
- Pressure retaining boundaries
- Heat exchangers
- Ventilation ducts
- Containment
- Containment liner
- Electrical and mechanical penetrations
- Equipment hatches
- Seismic Category I structures
- Electrical cables and connections
- Cable trays
- Electrical cabinets
For additional information, see "Passive" Structures
and Components.
- Pumps (except casing)
- Valves (except body)
- Motors
- Diesel generators
- Air compressors
- Snubbers
- Control rod drive
- Ventilation dampers
- Pressure transmitters
- Pressure indicators
- Water level indicators
- Switchgears
- Cooling fans
- Transistors
- Batteries
- Breakers
- Relay
- Switches
- Power inverters
- Circuit boards
- Battery chargers
- Power supplies
For additional information, see "Active" Structures
and Components.
- Catalog of generic aging management evaluations
- Builds on previous aging studies
- Reviews aging effects
- Identifies relevant aging programs
- Evaluates program attributes to manage aging effects
- An applicant may reference
GALL
in the license renewal application
if it is applicable to the plant
- Evaluation conclusion
- Program is adequate and no further evaluation
is needed, or
- Program should be augmented or new program considered
- Not a scoping document
- Systems, structures, and components (SSCs)
listed in GALL do not imply they are within scope of license renewal
for all plants
- Conversely, SSCs not listed in GALL do not imply they are not
within scope of license renewal for all plants
- "One acceptable way" to manage aging
- GALL does not preclude other alternative programs
Table of Contents: GALL Report
(Standard Review Plan, Section A.1)
There are generally 10 elements for acceptable aging
management programs. The programs in a license renewal
application are evaluated against these 10 elements:
- Scope of program
- Preventive actions
- Parameters monitored or inspected
- Detection of aging effects
- Monitoring and trending
- Acceptance criteria
- Corrective actions
- Confirmation process
- Administrative controls
- Operating experience
- Provides staff guidance in reviewing license
renewal applications
- References GALL report for generic aging
evaluations
- Focuses on areas where programs should be
augmented
- Incorporates lessons learned from initial license renewal
reviews
Table of Contents: Standard Review Plan
Guidance consistent with
NUREG-0800,
"Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports
for Nuclear Power Plants."
- Areas of Review
- Acceptance Criteria
- Review Procedures
- Evaluation Findings
- Implementation
- References
- The purpose of the ISG process is to provide
timely guidance to applicants on new staff positions
- ISG process includes identification and
implementation of ISGs for current and future applicants
- Approved ISGs are available on the
Reactor License Renewal Guidance Documents page.
- Examples:
- Station Blackouts
- Fire Protection Piping Inspections
- Concrete Aging Management Programs
- Fuse Holders
The staff reviews the license renewal applications, plant drawings,
Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, and other current licensing basis
documents to determine if the applicant has identified the necessary
structures and components subject to an aging management review.
This is generally done in two steps:
- Scoping
- Definition: Identification of components within the scope of license
renewal
- Portions of the system identified as being
within the scope of license renewal by the applicant do not have to be
reviewed because the applicant has the option to include more
components within the scope than the rule requires
- The review focus is on those components that are not identified by
the applicant as within the scope of license renewal
- Screening
- Definition: Identification of components subject to an aging management
review
- For those structures and components that are in scope of license
renewal, the review verifies that the applicant has not omitted those
that are "passive" and "long-lived"
For more information:
- Aging Management Review (AMR)
- The component, material, and environment, and
associated aging effects and aging management programs are reviewed
- Table 3.x.1 in the license renewal application
contains a summary (roll-up) of aging management review
results
Example Page
- Table 3.x.2 in the license renewal
application contains the details that is summarized in Table
3.x.1
Example Page
- Aging Management Program (AMP)
- The adequacy of the aging management programs
against the 10 program elements are reviewed
(Standard
Review Plan, Appendix A)
- Appendix B of the license renewal application contains the aging
management programs
- On-site audit and review
- AMRs and AMPs consistent with GALL
- AMRs and AMPs consistent with past NRC-approved positions
- Technical Review
- Emerging aging issue
- TLAA
- AMRs and AMPs not consistent with GALL or past NRC-approved
positions
- Request for Additional Information (RAI)
- During the safety review, the staff asks the
applicant for additional information through the RAI process. RAIs
will normally be developed by the technical staff, with the possible
assistance of contractors. The project manager is responsible
for reviewing the RAIs to verify that they are within the scope of
the license renewal rule. In accordance with
Office
Instruction 101, the project manager will send the draft RAIs
to the applicant and hold conference calls with the applicant
and technical staff, if necessary, to clarify the questions before
the RAIs are issued.
- Safety Evaluation Report (SER)
- The SER will provide the technical and legal basis for
the NRC’s disposition of a License Renewal Application. The
level of detail should be commensurate with the requirements of
the rule and consistent with the guidance in the Standard Review Plan.
The SER should document the bases for the staff’s conclusions and
provide sufficient information to explain the staff's rationale to
someone unfamiliar with the licensee's application.
- The SER is assembled by the project
manager with inputs from the audit, and
technical staff.
- Audit and review report for the on-site audits and review
- Inspection reports from the regional inspectors
- Safety Evaluation Report (SER)
Take the Review.
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