NRC exempts Westinghouse from design certification renewal rule

[Marlin]

NRC exempts Westinghouse from design certification renewal rule

https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/nrc-exempts-westinghouse-from-design-certification-renewal-rule

[Core Content]

(Image: Westinghouse)

The NRC granted Westinghouse a one-time exemption to apply for an AP1000 design certification renewal before the standard 36-month window prior to expiration. This decision allows the company to incorporate technical lessons and design changes from the construction of Vogtle units 3 and 4 into the certification process early, aiming to improve efficiency for future licensing applications.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has said Westinghouse can apply to renew the AP1000 standard design certification, incorporating lessons learned from the construction and operation of Vogtle units 3 and 4, well ahead of the expiration of the current certificate. ;

The regulator first certified the AP1000 design in 2006. That certification is valid until 2046.

Under current rules, companies can only apply for the renewal of a design certificate "not less than 12 nor more than 36 months before the expiration of the initial 40-year period".

On 7 April, Westinghouse submitted a request to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) seeking a 40-year renewal of the certification while incorporating design changes approved during the construction and licensing of Vogtle Units 3 and 4, many of which represented departures from the original certified design. The submittal of Revision 20 of the AP1000 Design Control Document (DCD) to the NRC is part of Westinghouse's strategic plan to enable a fleet-scale deployment of the advanced AP1000...

Read the full article at World Nuclear News:
https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/nrc-exempts-westinghouse-from-design-certification-renewal-rule