Incorporating a Risk-informed, Performance-based Process into Nuclear Fuel and Material Development for Advanced Reactors

The NRC's new risk-informed regulatory approach for advanced reactors (under 10 CFR 53) promotes utilization of RIPB processes, which are usually referenced as general overarching methodologies. The present paper focused on how-and whether it would be worthwhile-to incorporate an RIPB process into nuclear fuel and material development for advanced reactors. This paper proposed three potential RIPB applications for nuclear fuel and material development: RIPB test matrix development, RIPB test matrix reduction, and RIPB design optimization. It then discussed the projected benefits of incorporating RIPB in terms of reduced development timelines, costs, and regulatory risk.