Technical and Regulatory Issues Facing Nuclear Power Plants
 

Programme

Wednesday, 1 June 2016

8:15 Registration and Welcome Coffee

9:00 Session 1: Opening
This session will introduce the workshop series (objective, scope and expected products).

Co-Chairs: Jerald Head, Senior Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, GE-Hitachi (Chair of CORDEL Working Group)
Michael Baron, President and CEO, Global Nuclear Associates (Chair of LTO Task Force)

Welcome
Barry Kaufer, Director CORDEL

Introductory Remarks
Marilyn Kray, Vice President for Nuclear Technology & Strategy, Exelon Generation

10:00 Coffee break

10:30 Session 2: Setting the Scene - Regional Topic
Today’s nuclear industry faces a number of challenges relating to the operation of existing fleets and the construction of new plants. While it is not often recognized, the challenges facing a 40+ year old plant and a new one can be overlapping. As this workshop takes place in the United States, this session will look at the issues facing stakeholders in the US. Presenters will cover what they see as the major challenges to operating existing plants and building new ones over the next 5 years.

Chair: Donald Hoffman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Excel Services Corporation

Speakers:
Russ Bell, Senior Director, New Plant Licensing, NEI: Nuclear Promise
Sherry Bernhoft, Senior Program Manager, EPRI: Flexible Operations
Farid Berry, VP Sargent and Lundy LLC
Cindy Pederson, Regional Administrator, Region III, US NRC

12:00 Lunch break

13:30 Session 3A: Operating Plants: Near and Long Term Perspectives
The Long Term Operation Task Force mission is to contribute to the international dialogue among regulators and inter-governmental agencies by sharing data and the results of proven ageing management (including safety management) programs that will help them to harmonize, standardize and optimize national regulatory requirements. The following presentations look at these perspectives from the different stakeholders.

Chair: Garry Young, Entergy

Speakers
Jerud Hanson, Sr. Project Manager, Plant Life Extension, NEI
Risto  Himanen, Senior Adviser, Nuclear Safety Engineering, TVO [Finland]
Don Wilson, Director, Information Exchange, CANDU Owners Group
Steve Bloom, Branch Chief of the Subsequent Renewal, Guidance, and Operations Branch, US NRC: GALL Report

15:00 Coffee break

15:30 Session 3B: Operating Plants: Specific Issues
The Organizing Committee reviewed issues that have been or are being discussed regarding Long Term Operation and License Renewal. Several of these are also related to the licensing of new plants. This session looks at some of the specific issues thought to be shared by the global community.

Chair: Peter Tarren, Section Head, Operational Safety Section, IAEA

Speakers:
Sherry Bernhoft, Senior Program Manager, EPRI: EPRI LTO Program
Jerald Head, Senior Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, GE-Hitachi
Jean Barbaud, EDF, International Nuclear Safety Director: Ageing Management
Douglas Miller, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission: Continuous Safety Improvements for  Canadian NPPs for Long-term Operation

17:00 Session 3C: Challenges to Operating Plant - Panel
Sessions 3A and 3B looked at issues concerning operating plans over the near and long term.  The intent of this session is for the panel to discuss these and any other issues in order to determine the importance and priority on a regional and international basis.

Chair: Henri Pelin, Senior Advisor, to the World Nuclear Association

Panelists:
Dean Townsend, Station Engineering Director, Pickering NGS, Ontario Power Generation
Keith Moser, Vice President Global Nuclear Associates, Former Exelon Innovation and Programs Executive
Andy Taylor, Supervisor, Entergy Nuclear License Renewal Services & Chair 
Eugene Kelly, Senior Manager, PRA Applications and External Hazards, Exelon Nuclear Risk Management

18:45 Reception, The Metropolitan Club, Willis Tower

Thursday, 2nd June 2016

9:00 Session 4A: Global Challenges in New Build Applications

Predictability and stability of a regulatory system are critical to making commercial decisions (more than the adherence to any specific regulatory system). However, technical factors still need to be evaluated, such as design, licensing process, etc. This session looks at the views of different stakeholders on what they see as the global challenges to new build.

Chair: Marylyn Kray, Vice President for Nuclear Technology & Strategy, Exelon Generation

Speakers:
Vanessa Jakovich, Counsel, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, UK: Legal challenges
Russ Bell, Senior Director, New Plant Licensing, NEI
Mike Corletti, Director, UK AP1000 Technical Integration & Licensing, Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC
Douglas Miller, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission: Quality of submissions and supporting information in light of novel features

10:30 Coffee break

11:00 Session 4B: Specific Challenges to New Build 
The Organizing Committee reviewed issues that have been or are being discussed regarding New Build. This session looks at some of the specific issues thought to be shared by the global community.

Chair: Mohammed Shuaibi, Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Safety, Region III, US NRC

Speakers:
Ralph Hill, Chair of the ASME Board on Nuclear Codes and Standards: Codes & Standards 
Carmen Alonso, Vice President of Quality Oversight and Programs, GE- Hitachi: Commercial Grade Dedication 
Millicent W. Ronnlund, Partner, Balch & Bingham LLP  
John Ryan, Executive Director Commercial Operation, Exelon Nuclear Partners: National Issues 

12:30 Lunch break

14:00 Session 4C: Challenges to New Build - Panel
Sessions 4A and 4B looked at the issues concerning new build over the near and long term.  The intent of this session is for the panel to discuss these and any other issues in order to determine the importance and priority on a regional and international basis.

Chair: Jerald Head, Senior Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, GE-Hitachi

Panelists:
Marilyn Kray, Vice President for Nuclear Technology & Strategy, Exelon Generation
Risto  Himanen, Senior Adviser, Nuclear Safety Engineering, TVO [Finland]
Mike Corletti, Director, UK AP1000 Technical Integration & Licensing, Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC
David H. Jones, Technical Compliance Vice-President for Nuclear Development, Southern Nuclear

15:30 Coffee break

16:00 Session 5: High Level Panel – Challenges Facing Nuclear Power
Changes in the past few years, whether it be societal or political have altered the role nuclear power will play in the future. While some are in the process of major new build programs, other do not plan on new build now or in the foreseeable future and still others are increasingly looking at longer life times for their operating fleets.

Using input from the previous sessions, the focus of this session will be to look at the major challenges facing nuclear power plants in the next 5 to 10 years

Chair: Michal Baron, Chair of Long Term Operation Task Force Jerald Head, Chair of CORDEL

Panelists:
J. Bradley Fewell Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & General Counsel, Exelon Generation
Mohammed Shuaibi, Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Safety, Region III, US NRC
Garry G. Young, Director, License Renewal, Entergy Services, Inc.
Matthew B. Cooper, Senior Manager, Sargent & Lundy L.L.C.

17:30 Session 6: Closing Session

Chair: Michal Baron, President and CEO, Global Nuclear Associates, Chair of Long Term Operation Task Force
Jerald Head, Senior Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, GE-Hitachi, Chair of CORDEL


Outputs

(1) Individual workshop proceedings identifying regional concerns. These will be shared with various stakeholders in order for them to incorporate (if necessary) into their programmes.

(2) A final report based on the input received from the regional workshops identifying and prioritizing global issues that could be addressed by World Nuclear Association  Working Groups.