License Renewal in the U.S. and Plant Life Management (PLIM)

Abstract

License renewal of operating nuclear power plants in the United States has become one of the most successful nuclear industry activities in the past few years. It is anticipated that over 90% of the 103 operating nuclear power plants in the United States will pursue license renewal and seek an additional 20 years of operation. Some plants may pursue operation to 80 years or longer since the license renewal rule does not limit the operating life of a nuclear power plant. The requirements for renewing the operating license of a nuclear reactor in the United States are contained in Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Regulation 10 CFR Part 54, which addresses general, technical, technical specification, and environmental requirements. The most labor intensive element of the requirements are the technical requirements, which include addressing an integrated plant assessment (IPA) and time limited aging analyses (TLAA). The cost of performing the needed reviews and obtaining a renewed license ranges between $10M to $15M. The license renewal rule focuses on aging of passive long-lived components and aging management programs that manage those structures and components. The aging management programs credited to manage aging include both existing programs (e.g., ASME Section XI) and a few new programs (e.g., Reactor Vessel Internals Aging Management Program). Commitments to aging management programs for license renewal may be implemented and tracked through a comprehensive plant life management (PLIM) program. PLIM is the process to integrated equipment aging management with other plant activities to maximize plant value. PLIM can save the operating plant a significant amount of money by effectively planning and implementing component refurbishment and replacement. The ultimate decision to seek license renewal and continue operation is based on PLIM, which considers aging, safety, and economics.