July 02, 2021
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has decided to stop considering regulatory and other changes to allow reactor operators to apply for a 40-year license extension – which could potentially mean 100 years of service. However, it has recommended further assessments, among other things, to investigate the potential for reactor operations up to 100 years.
(Image: NRC)
“Our procedure for reviewing applications for the extension of reactor operating licenses provides for 20-year extension periods. In the past few years, almost every operating US nuclear power plant has applied for and received a 20 year extension after meeting our strict safety standards, ”said NRC on Facebook. “We were considering allowing nuclear power plant owners to apply for a 40 year extension, and we held a public meeting on the matter earlier this year. After fully examining the options and the public contribution, we ended the 40-year term. “Renewal discussion, and we also made recommendations on how to improve renewal-related inspections and oversight.”
After a public meeting in May 2020, the NRC staff began to evaluate the feasibility of extending the period for the extension of the license from the current maximum of 20 years to 40 years and to identify options for implementing this change to operate reactors that are beyond have an extended operating license for 60 years, this activity included the consideration of the technical issues that would be connected with the operation of the plant for 100 years, announced the regulatory authority in a memorandum that summarizes its results.
Although the NRC recommends discontinuing ongoing activities to consider regulatory and other changes to enable license renewal for 40 years, the NRC recommended: Consider an assessment of possible changes to the oversight and inspection activities related to license renewal and subsequent license renewal; Consider an assessment to identify ongoing research activities that could be extended to higher exposure levels in order to realize the potential for reactor operation for up to 100 years; Consult the industry regularly to determine interest and timing for 100 years of operation so that NRC staff can determine the need and timeframe to develop guidance documents to support 100 years of plant operation; and consider an asset risk assessment of the combined effects of multiple aged components if a future license extension to 100 years of asset operation is considered.
The earliest point in time at which an application for operation for 100 years could be submitted – i.e. the earliest expiry date for a 60-year extension of the concession – is 2029, determined the NRC working group.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News
Comments are closed.