Configuration Management in New Reactor Construction

Tom Kozak, NRO/DCIP/CAEB

Thomas.kozak@nrc.gov

630-829-9866

CONSTRUCTION REACTOR SAFETY

License and regulate the use of byproduct, source, and special

nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of the

public health and safety

DESIGN/ENGINEERING

CONSTRUCTION/INSTALLATION

PROCUREMENT/FABRICATION

INSPECTION/TESTING

SAFEGUARDS PROGRAMS

OPERATIONAL READINESS

SECURITYPROGRAMS for CONSTRUCTION

INSPECTIONAND

OPERATIONS

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS

Cross-Cutting Areas

Baseline Inspection Program

Safety Conscious Work Environment

cROP Regulatory Framework

Construction Technical Finding SDP

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Standard Design Certifications

• Allows NSSS vendor/applicant to obtain pre-approval of design

• Certified design becomes an Appendix to Part 52

• Reduces licensing uncertainty by resolving design issues early

• Facilitates standardization

• Facilitates regulatory finality through rulemaking

• Certification good for 15 yrs + renewal

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Design Certification via Rulemaking Part 52

• Appendix A – GE ABWR

• Appendix B – C-E System 80+

• Appendix C – Westinghouse AP-600

• Appendix D – Westinghouse AP-1000

• Appendix E - Next Design

• Appendix F - Future Design

• So on

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Combined License

• Combined construction permit and operating license with conditions

• Contain ITAAC which must be met in order to operate the plant (condition)

• Fundamental licensing process in Part 52 for reducing financial risk of

applicants/licensees

• Can reference ESP, Certified Design, Design Approval, Manufacturing

License, or none

• Lasts 40 yrs + renewal

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Combined Licenses Issued by NRC

• Vogtle Units 3 and 4 COLs issued on February 10, 2012

• Summer Units 2 and 3 COLs issued on March 30, 2012

• NRC construction inspection program consists of region-based and resident inspectors

• 3 construction resident inspectors assigned to Summer Units 2 and 3

• 3 construction resident inspectors assigned to Vogtle Units 3 and 4

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Vogtle Unit 3 and 4 March 2012(courtesy of Southern Company)

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ITAAC

• ITAAC – the inspections, tests, and analyses that the licensee shall perform,

and the acceptance criteria that, if met, are necessary and sufficient to

provide reasonable assurance that the facility has been constructed and will

be operated in conformity with the license, the provisions of the Act, and the

Commission’s regulations.

• ITAAC are essentially the design requirements for the facility being

constructed

• There are approximately 850 ITAAC in the combined licenses for Vogtle

Units 3 and 4 and Summer Units 2 and 3.

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Example ITAAC Finding

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Example ITAAC Finding Continued

• Design Requirement: The nuclear island structures, including the critical

sections listed in Table 3.3-7, are seismic Category I and are designed and

constructed to withstand design basis loads as specified in the Design

Description, without loss of structural integrity and the safety-related functions.

• Facility Configuration Information: The design control document provides the

reinforcement configuration (rebar) of the connection of the nuclear island basemat

with the south exterior wall of the auxiliary building on Column Line 1. In this

figure, the top and bottom reinforcement layers are shown as being anchored

in the wall with hooks.

• Physical Configuration: NRC inspectors observed that the lower basemat

reinforcement was not anchored into the exterior walls of the auxiliary

building around the perimeter of the nuclear island.

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Example ITAAC Finding Continued

• Construction drawing was revised by the licensee to modify the connection

detail between the basemat and the exterior walls of the auxiliary building

around the perimeter of the nuclear island by deleting the hooks at the ends

of the layers 1, 2, 4 and 5 reinforcement bars.

• This change required a license amendment prior to implementation.

• Failure to translate design basis into instructions (10 CFR 50, Appendix B,

Criteria III violation).

• Failure to obtain required NRC approval of design change (similar to a 10

CFR 50.59 violation).

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Basemat Rebar