NRC Weekly Information Report - Week Ending October 13, 2023

Strategic Insights -

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a weekly information report detailing various activities and updates for the week ending October 13, 2023. The report highlights key events, decisions, and actions taken by different offices within the NRC. From FOIA requests and nuclear plant updates to public meetings and regulatory actions, this report provides a comprehensive overview of the NRC's activities during this period.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NRC received 12 FOIA requests from October 9 to 13, 2023, seeking information on various topics, including NRC compliance, nuclear power, and spent fuel storage.
  • The Idaho National Laboratory published a report assessing the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on nuclear power and hydrogen cogeneration, which the NRC staff is reviewing and evaluating.
  • The NRC staff issued a letter to Kairos Power LLC outlining the proposed schedule and estimated resources for the review of the Kairos Hermes 2 construction permit application, with a completion date expected by November 2024 and approximately 10,000 hours of staff review time required.
  • The NRC staff accepted a subsequent license renewal application from Dominion Energy South Carolina for the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1, with a review schedule of 22 months and an estimated total of 20,000 hours of staff review time.
  • The NRC staff held an information gathering public meeting on the fusion systems rulemaking, which was attended by 180 individuals from various stakeholders, and additional meetings are scheduled for November 1 and 9.
  • The Regional Administrator, Region III, issued a formal decision on a Differing Professional Opinion (DPO) submitted on December 28, 2022, involving a disagreement on reporting in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72/50.73, and recommendations were provided to the program office to address unique reporting situations.

Statistics:

  • 12 FOIA requests were received by the NRC from October 9 to 13, 2023.
  • The Idaho National Laboratory published a report assessing the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on nuclear power and hydrogen cogeneration on October 4, 2023.
  • The NRC staff requires approximately 10,000 hours of review time to complete the review of the Kairos Hermes 2 construction permit application by November 2024.
  • 20,000 hours of staff review time are estimated for the review of the subsequent license renewal application for the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1.
  • 180 individuals attended the information gathering public meeting on the fusion systems rulemaking on October 11, 2023.
  • The NRC staff expects to complete the review of the Kairos Hermes 2 construction permit application by November 2024.

Sources:

  • NRC Weekly Information Report - Week Ending October 13, 2023 (SECY-23-0089)
  • Idaho National Laboratory Report: "Assessing the Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on Nuclear Power Update and Hydrogen Cogeneration" (INL/RPT-23-74681)
  • NRC Staff Letter to Kairos Power LLC: "Kairos Hermes 2 Construction Permit Application Scheduling and Resource Letter" (ML23269A176)
  • NRC Staff Acceptance of Subsequent License Renewal Application: "Required Assessment of U.S. Department of Energy Laboratories by Licensees, Applicants, and Suppliers to Verify the Effective Implementation of Their Quality Assurance Programs" (ML22080A051)
  • NRC Staff Holding Information Gathering Public Meeting: "Fusion Systems Rulemaking" (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML23291A441)
  • Regional Administrator, Region III, Decision on Differing Professional Opinion: "50.72, 50.73 Reporting Requirements" (DPO-2022-003)