the challenge of innovation: the nuscale experience.challenge of innovation failed fuel fraction...

$: The Challenge of Innovation: The NuScale Experience.Challenge of Innovation Failed fuel fraction ‒fuel has proven operational history, with steady improvement ‒NuScale selected$
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NuScale NonproprietaryCopyright © 2017 by NuScale Power, LLC

The Challenge of Innovation:

The NuScale Experience

June 14, 2017

Thomas A. BergmanVice President, Regulatory Affairs


PM-0517-54201Revision: 0 Template #: 0000-20955-F01 R5

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Topics Design certification review status Technology overview Examples of the challenge of innovation

Key take-away for those involved with advanced nonlight water reactors:

Given differences in your design to existing reactors, what are the challenges you will

face?



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Design Certification Status Application completed December 31, 2016

‒ application about 12,000 pages total‒ 10 parts in design certification application‒ 14 topical reports (15th – emergency planning zone)‒ 17 technical reports‒ human factors engineering information

Application accepted for review March 15, 2017 NRC estimates certification rule complete in January 2021 In phase 1 of review (preliminary safety evaluation report)

‒ ~14 audits in process‒ Quality Assurance inspection completed June 9‒ 38 RAIs issued (~81 total questions)

Over 2 million pages-equivalent submitted on docket



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Technology Overview

reactor building crane

refueling machine

reactor pool

weir reactor vessel flange tool

containment vessel flange tool

NuScale Power Module

biological shield

spent fuel pool

Reactor building houses NuScale Power Modules, spent fuel pool, and reactor pool



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NuScale is an Innovative Design Design innovations

‒ each module is an integral PWR, within its own containment‒ all safety systems are fail-safe, and completely passive‒ no Class 1E electric power supplies‒ no AC or DC power necessary to assure safety after all design-basis

accidents‒ modules are immersed in the below-grade ultimate heat sink‒ ultimate heat sink and modules inside common reactor building—a seismic

class I and aircraft impact resistant structure‒ no need for additional water to ensure safety after accidents

Operational innovations‒ all 12 reactors operated from one control room with six licensed operators‒ no operator actions required to assure safety after accidents‒ design for security—significantly reduced security staffing



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NuScale Benefits From Operating Reactors Hundreds of LWRs operating with the technology first deployed more

than 60 years ago Standard PWR fuel: low-enriched U02 with established performance

record at exceptional quality Technology mature for fuel cycle cradle to grave Types of accidents and accident progression well-understood Proven analytical methods Materials have demonstrated performance for design lifetime under

operating conditions Fully-developed industry codes and standards (e.g., ASME, IEEE) Many vendors capable of fabricating components to necessary quality



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Path to Commercialization



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Reaching the Summit Focus tends to be on NRC “cost of entry” Summit must be achieved regardless of NRC NRC and customers have different interests NRC (examples)

‒ safety analysis‒ defense-in-depth‒ appropriate materials

Customers (examples)‒ can it be maintained?‒ cost of operations‒ will I be only customer with design?‒ flexible applications (microgrid, load following, process heat)



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Challenge of Innovation Failed fuel fraction

‒ fuel has proven operational history, with steady improvement‒ NuScale selected 0.028%

conservative relative to past couple decades of performance fuel failure mechanisms further reduced by NuScale design

‒ NRC current position: 0.25%‒ consequence on design of 0.25% vs 0.028%

increased calculated normal effluent release higher calculated occupational doses increased frequency of radioactive waste system operations

‒ NRC listed as critical path item potentially impacting overall review schedule



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Challenge of Innovation Fully passive ECCS design

‒ on actuation ECCS valves change to safe position‒ once in safe position, never need to be repositioned‒ NRC has at various times compared to reactor coolant pressure

boundary breach, loss of coolant accident, and loss of defense-in-depth appears position analogous to stuck open primary relief valve on operating plants event escalation

‒ for current plants, stuck open primary relief valve without mitigation can progress to core damage

‒ for NuScale, ECCS actuation precludes core damage for all DBAs and all credible beyond-DBAs PCT drops immediately on actuation and continues to drop de-escalates event

‒ NRC listed as critical path item potentially impacting overall review schedule



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Summary NuScale’s DCA in review—rulemaking estimated to be

complete in January 2021 NuScale benefits from operational experience of hundreds

of reactors over 60 years NuScale provides many innovations that further enhance

safety Innovation poses challenges for approval, even where

supported by extensive operational experience



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Abbreviations AC alternating current DBA design-basis accident DC direct current DCA design certification application ECCS emergency core cooling system LWR light water reactor PCT peak clad temperature PWR pressurized water reactor RAI request for additional information U02 uranium oxide



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