Full Title: Recommendations for Enhancing the Safety Focus of New Reactor Regulatory Reviews
Author(s): Mike Tschiltz & NEI
Publisher(s): NEI
Publication Date: April 1, 2018
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
This report provides an assessment of new reactor licensing reviews, including information from an
ongoing review of a small modular reactor (SMR). The assessment was performed to determine whether
the NRC has effectively adapted its reviews to account for the benefits of safer designs. Data was evaluated
from NRC standard design certification (DC) and combined operating license (COL) reviews. Data from early
site permit (ESP) reviews were included as well since the reviews are an important aspect of the 10 CFR
Part 52 process.
Data was collected on the cost of the licensing review, the number of questions asked by the NRC staff
through requests for additional information (RAIs), and the number of audits conducted by the NRC staff to
seek additional information. In addition, specific instances where NRC new reactor reviews appeared to be
overly burdensome were evaluated to better understand the contributing factors. Based on this
information, this report identifies measures, beyond the actions that the NRC has already taken, that could
be used to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of NRC reviews