U.S.

NRC Fukushima Lessons-Learned Actions

Bill Borchardt Executive Director for Operations International Atomic Energy Agency International Experts Meeting March 19-22, 2012

Ongoing Oversight of U.S. Nuclear Power Plants

Reactor Oversight Process Comprehensive inspection program Continuous licensing

NRC Actions Through Summer 2011

Activated operations center Site team in Japan Inspections at U.S. plants Near-Term Task Force convened
Evaluated safety of U.S. plants Made recommendations to further enhance safety of U.S. plants

Task Force Recommendations

Seismic and flooding protection Prolonged loss of AC power Containment venting Spent fuel pool cooling Severe accident procedures Emergency preparedness (EP) Regulatory framework for low probability, high consequence events 4 Greater attention to defense-in-depth for low probability events Seismically induced fires and floods Hydrogen control mitigation inside buildings EP topics for multiunit events and prolonged SBO EP topics on decision making, radiation monitoring, and public education

Tier 1 Recommendations
Seismic and flooding reevaluations Seismic and flooding walkdowns Station blackout (SBO) rulemaking Mitigating strategies for beyond design basis events Reliable hardened vents for Mark I and II containments Spent fuel pool (SFP) instrumentation Integration of emergency procedures rulemaking Enhanced EP staffing and communications
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Tier 2 Recommendations
Spent fuel pool makeup capability
Order licensees to provide safety-related AC electrical power for SFP makeup Order licensees to revise their technical specifications to address requirements to have one train of onsite emergency electrical power operable for SFP makeup and SFP instrumentation when there is irradiated fuel in the SFP, regardless of the operational mode of the reactor Order licensees to have an installed seismically qualified means to spray water into the SFPs, including an easily accessible connection to supply the water

Emergency preparedness regulatory actions

Require licensees to have guidance for multiunit dose assessment capability Require licensees to hold training and exercises for multi unit and prolonged SBO scenarios Require that licensees practice the identification and acquisition of offsite resources Require that licensees ensure that EP equipment and facilities are sufficient for dealing with multiunit and prolonged SBO scenarios

Reevaluation of other external hazards

Request that licensees reevaluate external hazards other than seismic and flooding

Tier 3 Recommendations
Ten-year confirmation of seismic and flooding hazards Potential enhancements to the capability to prevent or mitigate seismically induced fires and floods Reliable hardened vents for other containment designs Hydrogen control and mitigation inside containment or in other buildings EP enhancements for prolonged SBO and multiunit events Emergency Response Data System (ERDS) capability Additional EP topics for prolonged SBO and multiunit events EP topics for decision-making, radiation monitoring, and public education Reactor Oversight Process modifications to reflect the recommended defense-indepth framework Staff training on severe accidents and resident inspector training on severe accident management guidelines (SAMGs) Basis of Emergency Planning Zone size Prestaging of potassium iodide beyond 10 miles Transfer of spent fuel to dry cask storage
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NRC Actions on Lessons Learned

The Commission directed the staff to move forward on Tier 1 activities Orders and Request for Information were issued in March 2012

Mitigating Strategies for Beyond Design Basis External Events

Requires a three-phase approach for maintaining or restoring core cooling, containment, and spent fuel cooling
Phase Initial Transition Final Licensee may use Installed equipment Portable, onsite equipment Resources obtained from offsite

Reliable Hardened BWR Vents

Applicable to BWR Mark I and Mark II containments Controls containment pressure by removing decay heat if active containment heat removal capability is lost Must work under station blackout conditions
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Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation

Requires licensees to install instrumentation to be able to identify when water reaches the following levels: Level adequate for normal fuel pool cooling system Level adequate to provide radiation shielding for a person standing on the operating deck Level where fuel remains covered and actions to add make-up water should no longer be deferred
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Schedule Overview Orders

Milestone Operating Reactors August 31, 2012 October 31, 2012 February 28, 2013 Every six months December 31, 2016 Combined License Holders August 31, 2012 October 31, 2012 August 31, 2013 Every six months Prior to initial fuel load Construction Permit Holders August 31, 2012 October 31, 2012 August 31, 2013 Every six months Prior to receipt of operating license

Guidance Issued 1st Update Plan Submitted Periodic Updates Latest Completion
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Seismic and Flooding Reevaluations

Licensees were asked to perform and provide the results of a reevaluation of hazards, including actions planned to address vulnerabilities Results will be used to determine whether additional regulatory actions are necessary

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Schedule Overview 50.54(f) Letter Seismic/Flooding Reevaluations

Milestone
Guidance Issued Initial Response Licensee Seismic Hazard Evaluations Due Licensee Flooding Hazard Evaluations Due Future Steps

Operating Reactors and Construction Permit Holders

November 30, 2012 January 30, 2013 September 9, 2013 (CEUS) / March 9, 2015 (WUS) March 9, 2013 March 9, 2015 (based on prioritization) Pending NRC evaluation and prioritization, with completion of evaluations for all facilities between October 2016 and April 2019

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Seismic and Flooding Walkdowns

Licensees were asked to perform walkdowns to verify that the plant is in conformance with its design basis Any performance deficiencies are expected to be addressed by the sites corrective action program The scope includes the integrated effects of severe storms within the licensing basis
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Schedule Overview 50.54(f) Letter Seismic/Flooding Walkdowns

Milestone Operating Reactors

Guidance Issued or Endorsed Licensees Identify Walkdown Procedures To Be Used Licensees Provide Results of Walkdowns
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~ May 2012

June 9, 2012 (flooding) / July 9, 2012 (seismic)

180 days after NRC endorsement of the walkdown procedure (~November 2012)

Enhanced Emergency Planning Staffing and Communications

Licensees were requested to assess:
current communications systems and equipment used during an emergency to ensure that power is maintained during a large scale event natural event the staffing needed to respond to a large scale natural event and to implement strategies contained in the licensees emergency plan

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Schedule Overview 50.54(f) Letter Emergency Preparedness

Milestone Operating Reactors, Combined License Holders, and Construction Permit Holders

4.2 Guidance Issued or Endorsed

August 31, 2012

June 9, 2012 (communications) Licensee Responses June 9, 2012 (staffing items 3 through 6) October 31, 2012 (staffing items 1 and 2)*
* 60 days after issuance of guidance associated with Recommendation 4.2 order

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NRC Follow-Up
Review and assess licensee responses Establish necessary regulatory framework Inspect to ensure licensee compliance with all new regulatory requirements Consider implications for other types of nuclear facilities

Regulatory Development Activities

Station Blackout (SBO) Rulemaking
Modify the SBO rule to require enhanced capability to mitigate a prolonged SBO Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to be issued soon The Commission directed that SBO rulemaking be completed within 24-30 months

Emergency Procedures Integration Rulemaking

Create a new rule requiring the integration of the emergency procedures Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking under development The rulemaking is expected to be completed in 2016
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Short-Term Next Steps

Developing implementation guidance for the orders and request for information Developing the advanced notices of proposed rulemaking Providing the Commission with Tier 3 recommendation implementation plans in July 2012
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Conclusion
NRC is moving forward with identified enhancements for U.S. plants NRC is following the development of lessons learned by the international community NRC will evaluate additional lessons learned for applicability to U.S. plants

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