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Home > Nuclear Reactors > Advanced Reactors > PBMR
Preapplication Review -
Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)
On December 5, 2000, Exelon Generation Company requested a pre-application review of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) design for possible licensing in the United States. The
staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) presented its recommendations for the PBMR pre-application review in
SECY-01-0070, "Plan for Pre-Application Activities on the Pebble Bed
Modular Reactor," dated April 25, 2001. For additional detail, see the following topics on this page:
Overview
During 2001 and early 2002, the NRC staff conducted a series of public meetings with Exelon and interested stakeholders to obtain
information on topics related to the staff’s pre-application review. At Exelon’s request, the NRC focused its initial pre-application review
on legal and financial issues and Exelon’s proposed licensing approach.
In SECY-01-0207
 , "Legal and Financial Issues Related to Exelon’s
Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)," dated November 20, 2001, the staff provided its preliminary position on operator staffing,
fuel cycle impacts, financial qualifications, decommissioning funding, minimum decommissioning costs, antitrust review, number of licenses, annual fees, financial protection, and testing requirements
for a combined license (COL). The staff also completed a preliminary assessment
of Exelon’s proposed licensing approach for the PBMR. The results of this
assessment were documented in a letter dated March 26, 2002.
On April 16, 2002, Exelon announced that it will not be proceeding with the PBMR project beyond the completion of the current
feasibility study phase. On May 16, 2002, the staff held a public meeting with Exelon to discuss plans for "wrap-up" of the PBMR
pre-application review. Then, by letter to Exelon dated September 9, 2002, the NRC closed the PBMR pre-application review.
Subsequent to the closure of the PBMR pre-application review, the staff provided final policy recommendations to the
Commission in
SECY-02-0180, "Legal and Financial Policy Issues Associated with Licensing New Nuclear Power Plants," dated
October 7, 2002. In a related staff requirements memorandum (SRM), dated March 31, 2003, the Commission approved the staff's three specific recommendations on
environmental effects, financial qualifications, and decommissioning costs.
By letter dated February 18, 2004, PBMR, Pty. LTD, notified the NRC that it intends to apply for certification of
the PBMR design once the detailed design for a PBMR demonstration plant to be built in South Africa is sufficiently completed. To enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the staff's design certification application review process, PBMR, Pty. requested
that discussions be initiated with the NRC to plan the scope and content of a PBMR pre-application review. In support of
pre-application planning, the staff has held two public meetings, one on June 30, 2005, and the other on September 21-22,
2005. The discussions have resulted in identification of the topics that are expected to be the focus of the pre-application
phase. The endpoint of the pre-application phase is expected to be the submittal of a design certification application.
Pre-Application Review
The following pages list, in chronological order, the notices, responses, and letters regarding the pre-application
review of the PBMR design.
2000s:
| 2007
| 2006
| 2005
| 2004
| 2002
| 2001
Public Meetings
The following pages list, in chronological order, the notices, transcripts, slides, and summaries documenting the public
meetings held concerning PBMR.
2000s:
| 2007
| 2006
| 2005
| 2004
| 2002
| 2001
Modular HTGR Safety Analysis and Licensing Challenges
The Modular HTGR Safety Analysis and Licensing Challenges document provides a list of challenges for licensing the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor. These challenges include establishing an acceptable HTGR licensing basis, establishing an acceptable technical basis for plant safety analysis, and revieiwng an HTGR application.
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