License renewal — an idea whose time has come. Hatch nuclear plant license renewal program: an actual example of application of the license renewal rule to the Intake Structure Original Research Article

After the NRC issued a revised license renewal rule in May 1995, the nuclear industry focussed on developing generic industry for implementing the rule and testing the guidance through various demonstration programs and work products in conjunction with the NRC. In addition, plant-specific programs also proceeded forward. These activities show that implementation issues continue to exist. Since the issuance of the rule, the NRC has issued a draft standard review plan for license renewal (SRP-LR), Working Draft, September 1997. Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) has begun development work on a license renewal application for Plant Hatch Units 1 and 2. Plant Hatch Units 1 and 2 are BWR 4, Mark I plants whose operating licenses expire in 2014 and 2018, respectively. The Plant Hatch initiative also involves teaming with other Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) to develop the license renewal technology within the BWR fleet, and to support Plant Hatch by providing an oversight role for the application process. The teaming effort involved two other utilities, each being assigned to prepare a common report on a mechanical system or a structure. The common report could be presented to the NRC with modifications to suit the individual plants, thereby saving time and money, and hopefully resulting in quicker approval by the NRC. The desired license renewal process end result is a renewed license with up to a 20 year extension (10 54.31(b)).