Meteorology Combined License NRC Review Process Meteorology Joseph Hoch Physical Scientist U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission June , 2008 Nuclear Utilities Meteorological Data Users Group (NUMUG)

Combined License Review Process  Acceptance Review  Safety Review (10 CFR Part 52) ـ6 Phases  Environmental Review (10 CFR Part 51) ـ4 Phases  Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) Hearing  Commission License Decision

Safety Evaluation Report Final EIS Commission Decision Safety Review Environmental Review ACRS Meeting Acceptance Review Hearing Notice (FRN) ACRS Report ASLB Hearing COLA Scoping Activities Draft EIS Comments on Draft Opportunities for Public Participation Publicly Available Documents Combined License Review Process ACRONYMS FRN – Federal Register Notice ASLB – Atomic Safety and Licensing Board ACRS – Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards EIS – Environmental Impact Statement

Acceptance Review The regulations in 10 CFR Part 2 prescribe the requirements for determining the acceptability of an application. technical sufficiency completeness In accordance with 10 CFR 2.101(a) or Section 2.815, the NRC may determine, at its discretion, the acceptability for docketing of an application based on the technical sufficiency of the application as well as the completeness of the application. Meteorology Guidance Documents: ● NRC Regulatory Guide 1.206, Sections through ● NRC NUREG-0800, Sections through 2.3.5

Environmental Review NEPA: National Environmental Policy Act ER: Environmental Report EIS: Environmental Impact Statement

Phase 1 Phase 1: Preliminary Safety Evaluation Report (PSER) and Requests for Additional Information (RAIs) Safety Review The Safety Evaluation Report (SER) documents the technical review of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff. The NRC staff must be able to support the conclusions presented in NUREG-0800, Sections through Requests for Additional Information (RAIs) are a tool to help the NRC staff reach the conclusions presented in the SER. Technical Reviewer Technical Editor and Licensing Assistant Office of General Counsel NRC Project Manager COL Applicant Branch Chief NRC Project Manager RAI PROCESS

Safety Review Regional Climatology NRC Staff Conclusions  The staff finds that the applicant has established the meteorological characteristics at the site and in the surrounding area acceptable to meet the requirements of 10 CFR (c)(2) and (d) with respect to determining the acceptability of the site.  The staff finds that the applicant has considered the most severe natural phenomena historically reported for the site and surrounding area in establishing the design bases for SSCs important to safety.  The staff has determined that the applicant has considered these historical phenomena with margin sufficient for the limited accuracy, quantity, and period of time in which the data have been accumulated. * Note, this information was taken from NUREG and is not meant to be an all inclusive list

Safety Review Local Meteorology NRC Staff Conclusions  The staff finds that the applicant has identified and considered the meteorological, air quality, and topographical characteristics of the site and the surrounding area are acceptable and meet the requirements of 10 CFR (c) and 10 CFR (d) with respect to determining the acceptability of the site.  The staff has determined that the use of these methodologies results in design basis containing margin sufficient for the limited accuracy, quantity, and period of time in which the data have been accumulated. * Note, this information was taken from NUREG and is not meant to be an all inclusive list

Safety Review Onsite Meteorological Monitoring NRC Staff Conclusions  The staff finds the applicant has established consideration of the onsite meteorological monitoring program and the resulting database are acceptable and meet the requirements of 10 CFR and 10 CFR with respect to determining the acceptability of the site.  The staff finds that the onsite data provide an acceptable basis for making estimates of atmospheric dispersion for design basis accident and routine releases. * Note, this information was taken from NUREG and is not meant to be an all inclusive list

Safety Review Short-Term Accident Dispersion NRC Staff Conclusions  The staff concludes that the applicant’s atmospheric dispersion estimates are acceptable and meet the relevant requirements of 10 CFR (c)(2).  The staff concludes that the atmospheric dispersion estimates are appropriate for the assessment of consequences from (1) radioactive releases for design basis accidents and (2) onsite and offsite releases of radiological and hazardous materials. * Note, this information was taken from NUREG and is not meant to be an all inclusive list

Safety Review Long-Term Routine Dispersion NRC Staff Conclusions  The staff concludes that representative atmospheric dispersion and deposition factors have been calculated for 16 radial sectors from the site boundary to a distance of 50 miles (80 kilometers) as well as for specific locations of potential receptors of interest. * Note, this information was taken from NUREG and is not meant to be an all inclusive list

Safety Review Phase 2 Phase 2: Safety Evaluation Report (SER) with Open Items (OIs) Unresolved RAIs become Open Items (OIs). All OIs will need to be “closed” before any application licensing decision.

Safety Review Phase 3 Phase 3: Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) Reviews SER with OIs The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) is statutorily mandated by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. The Committee has three primary purposes: 1. To review and report on safety studies and reactor facility license and license renewal applications 2. To advise the Commission on the hazards of proposed and existing reactor facilities and the adequacy of proposed reactor safety standards 3. To initiate reviews of specific generic matters or nuclear facility safety- related items. The ACRS is independent of the NRC staff and reports directly to the Commission

Safety Review Phase 4 Phase 4: Advanced SER with No OIs Remaining OIs could potentially become license conditions. If all OIs are closed, the NRC staff has adequate information to reach all off the conclusions presented in NUREG-0800, Section through

Safety Review Phase 5 Phase 5: ACRS Review of SER with No OIs Applicant presents a summary of the SAR. Staff presents and defends the technical completeness and sufficiency of the SER. The ACRS drafts a letter to the Commission providing feedback on the NRC staff’s technical review. The SER may need to be amended depending on ACRS feedback.

Safety Review Phase 6 Phase 6: Final Safety Evaluation Report (FSER) with No OIs The SER becomes “final” when all open items and ACRS concerns have been addressed. hearing file This document, along with all of the supporting technical information, becomes part of the hearing file.

ASLB Hearing The Panel conducts all licensing and other hearings as directed by the Commission, primarily through individual Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards or single presiding officers appointed by either the Commission or the Chief Administrative Judge. The Panel, which has no fixed number of positions, is composed of (1) administrative judges (full-time and part-time), who are lawyers, engineers, and scientists and (2) administrative law judges (ALJs) who are lawyers. Administrative judges and ALJs serve as single presiding officers or on three-member boards, which generally are chaired by a lawyer, for a broad range of proceedings. 10 CFR Part 2: RULES OF PRACTICE FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING PROCEEDINGS AND ISSUANCE OF ORDERS Mandatory Hearing vs. Uncontested Hearing

Commission Decision The Commission as a collegial body formulates policies, develops regulations governing nuclear reactor and nuclear material safety, issues orders to licensees, and adjudicates legal matters. The final licensing decision is made by the Commission. For More Information: