Guidelines for Evaluating the Effects of Light-Water Reactor Coolant Environments in Fatigue Analyses of Metal Components, 69884-69886 [2014-27712]

Download as PDF 69884 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 226 / Monday, November 24, 2014 / Notices expected to receive research doctorates from U.S. institutions. Using the past response rate, the number of respondents in 2016 is estimated to be 51,520 (56,000 doctorate recipients × 0.92 response rate). Similarly, the number of individuals expected to earn research doctorates in 2017 is estimated to be about 57,000; hence, the number of respondents in 2017 is estimated to be 52,440 (57,000 × 0.92). 3. Estimate of Burden: The Foundation estimates that, on average, 20 minutes per respondent will be required to complete the survey. The annual respondent burden for completing the SED is therefore estimated at 17,173 hours in 2016 (51,520 respondents × 20 minutes) and 17,480 hours in 2017 (based on 52,440 respondents). In addition to the actual survey, the SED requires the collection of administrative data from participating academic institutions. The Institutional Coordinator at the institution helps distribute the Web survey link (and paper surveys when necessary), track survey completions, and submit information to the SED survey contractor. Based on focus groups conducted with Institutional Coordinators, it is estimated that the SED demands no more than 1% of the Institutional Coordinator’s time over the course of a year, which computes to 20 hours per year per Institutional Coordinator (40 hours per week × 50 weeks per year × .01). With about 570 programs expected to participate in the SED in 2016 and 2017, the estimated annual burden to Institutional Coordinators of administering the SED is 11,400 hours. Therefore, the total annual information burden for the SED is estimated to be 28,573 hours in 2016 (17,173 + 11,400) and 28,880 hours in 2017 (17,480 + 11,400). This is higher than the last annual estimate approved by OMB due to the increased number of respondents (doctorate recipients). Dated: November 18, 2014. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation. [FR Doc. 2014–27654 Filed 11–21–14; 8:45 am] asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education; Notice of Meeting In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– 463, as amended), the National Science VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:32 Nov 21, 2014 Jkt 235001 Foundation announces the following meeting: that are licensed under the NRC’s regulations. Name: Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education (virtual) (#9487). Dates: January 20, 2015; 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Place: Stafford I, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia 22230. Type of Meeting: Open. Contact Person: Linda Deegan, National Science Foundation, Suite 655, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia 22230. Email: ldeegan@nsf.gov. Minutes: May be obtained from the contact person listed above. Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice, recommendations, and oversight concerning support for environmental research and education. Agenda: Discuss development of the Decadal Vision for Environmental Research and Education document. Submit comments by January 23, 2015. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date. Although a time limit is given, comments and suggestions in connection with items for inclusion in guides currently being developed or improvements in all published guides are encouraged at any time. ADDRESSES: You may submit comment by any of the following methods (unless this document describes a different method for submitting comments on a specific subject): • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2014–0244. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: 3WFN 06A–A44M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001. For additional direction on accessing information and submitting comments, see ‘‘Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary L. Stevens; telephone: 301–251–7569, email: Gary.Stevens@nrc.gov; and Steve Burton; telephone: 301–415–7000 email: Stephen.Burton@nrc.gov. Both are staff of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. Dated: November 18, 2014. Suzanne Plimpton, Acting Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2014–27655 Filed 11–21–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2014–0244] Guidelines for Evaluating the Effects of Light-Water Reactor Coolant Environments in Fatigue Analyses of Metal Components Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request for comment. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG–1309, ‘‘Guidelines for Evaluating the Effects of Light-Water Reactor Coolant Environments in Fatigue Analyses of Metal Components.’’ This guide, Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide 1.207 has been revised to consolidate, update, and replace previous NRC staff guidance on the effects of light-water reactor coolant environments on the fatigue lives of nuclear power plant components. This proposed revision provides an alternative to previous guidance provided for new reactors in Revision 0 of this guide, as well as to previous guidance provided for license renewal of operating reactors in the Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report and the Standard Review Plan for License Renewal (SRP–LR). This guide supports reviews of applications for new nuclear reactor construction SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DATES: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments A. Obtaining Information Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2014– 0244 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly-available information related to this action by the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2014–0244. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM 24NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 226 / Monday, November 24, 2014 / Notices individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The DG is available electronically in ADAMS under Accession No. ML14171A584. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES B. Submitting Comments Please include Docket ID NRC–2014– 0244 in the subject line of your comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make your comment submission available to the public in this docket. The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at https:// www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove identifying or contact information. If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. II. Additional Information The NRC is issuing for public comment a DG in the NRC’s ‘‘Regulatory Guide’’ series. This series was developed to describe and make available to the public such information as methods that are acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the NRC’s regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating specific problems or postulated accidents, and data that the VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:32 Nov 21, 2014 Jkt 235001 staff needs in its review of applications for permits and licenses. The DG, entitled, ‘‘Guidelines for Evaluating the Effects of Light-Water Reactor Coolant Environments in Fatigue Analyses of Metal Components’’ is temporarily identified by its task number, DG–1309. This DG–1309 is proposed Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide 1.207. The DG describes methods and procedures that the NRC staff considers acceptable for use in determining the acceptable fatigue lives of components evaluated by a cumulative usage factor (CUF) calculation in accordance with the fatigue design rules in Section III, ‘‘Rules for Construction of Nuclear Power Plant Components,’’ of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (hereinafter Code) with consideration of the effects of lightwater reactor coolant environments. This DG supports reviews of applications for new nuclear reactor construction permits or operating licenses under part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR); design certifications under 10 CFR part 52 and combined licenses under 10 CFR part 52 that do not cite a standard design; and renewed operating licenses under 10 CFR part 54. This revision consolidates, updates, and replaces previous NRC staff’s guidance on the effects of light-water reactor coolant environments on the fatigue lives of nuclear power plant components. This revision provides an alternative to previous guidance for new reactors provided in Revision 0 of this guide, as well as previous guidance provided for pursuing license renewal of operating reactors in the GALL Report and the SRP–LR. III. Backfitting and Issue Finality This DG describes methods and procedures that the NRC staff considers acceptable for use in determining the acceptable fatigue lives of components evaluated by a cumulative usage factor (CUF) calculation in accordance with the fatigue design rules in Section III, ‘‘Rules for Construction of Nuclear Power Plant Components,’’ of the ASME Code. This DG supports reviews of applications for new nuclear reactor construction permits or operating licenses under 10 CFR part 50; design certifications under 10 CFR part 52 and combined licenses under 10 CFR part 52 that do not cite a standard design; and renewed operating licenses under 10 CFR part 54. This DG may also be used by existing holders of combined licenses and operating licenses, in accordance PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 69885 with their existing licensing basis and applicable regulatory requirements. This DG, if finalized, would not constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule) and is not otherwise inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52, ‘‘Licenses, Certifications and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.’’ Applicants and potential applicants are not, with certain exceptions, protected by either the Backfit Rule or any issue finality provisions under part 52. Neither the Backfit Rule nor the issue finality provisions under part 52—with certain exclusions discussed below—were intended to apply to every NRC action which substantially changes the expectations of current and future applicants. The exceptions to the general principle are applicable whenever a combined license applicant references a part 52 license (i.e., an early site permit or a manufacturing license) and/or part 52 regulatory approval (i.e., a design certification rule or design approval). The NRC staff does not, at this time, intend to impose the positions represented in the DG in a manner that is inconsistent with any issue finality provisions in these part 52 licenses and regulatory approvals. If, in the future, the NRC staff seeks to impose a position in this DG in a manner which does not provide issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision, then the NRC staff must address the criteria for avoiding issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision. Existing licensees and applicants of final design certification rules will not be required to comply with the positions set forth in this draft regulatory guide, unless the licensee or design certification rule applicant seeks a voluntary change to its licensing basis with respect to the effects of light-water reactor coolant environments on the fatigue lives of nuclear power plant components by means of a cumulative usage factor, and where the NRC determines that the safety review of the licensee’s request must include consideration of the effects of lightwater reactor coolant environments on the fatigue lives of nuclear power plant components. Further information on the staff’s use of the DG, if finalized, is contained in the DG under Section D. Implementation. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of November 2014. E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM 24NON1 69886 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 226 / Monday, November 24, 2014 / Notices For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Thomas H. Boyce, Chief, Regulatory Guide and Generic Issues Branch, Division of Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. DATES: BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 40–8943; ASLBP No. 08–867– 02–OLA–BD01] Crow Butte Resources, Inc.; License Renewal for the in Situ Leach Facility, Crawford, Nebraska Notice of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Reconstitution Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.313(c) and 2.321(b), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) in the abovecaptioned license renewal proceeding for the In Situ Leach Facility, Crawford, Nebraska is hereby reconstituted by appointing Administrative Judge Richard E. Wardwell to serve on the Board in place of Administrative Judge Richard F. Cole. All correspondence, documents, and other materials shall continue to be filed in accordance with the NRC E-Filing rule. See 10 CFR 2.302 et seq. Issued at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of November 2014. E. Roy Hawkens, Chief Administrative Judge, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel. [FR Doc. 2014–27792 Filed 11–21–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2014–0235; EA–14–181] In the Matter of CB&I AREVA MOX Services, LLC Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Order; extension of construction authorization completion date and administrative changes. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an Order for CB&I AREVA MOX Services (MOX Services, Licensee) (formerly known as Shaw AREVA MOX Services, LLC). The Licensee holds Construction Authorization (CA) CAMOX–001 which authorizes the construction of a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. The MFFF is currently partially completed. asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:32 Nov 21, 2014 Jkt 235001 Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2014–0235 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly-available information related to this action by the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2014–0235. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone 301–287–3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For questions about this Order, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents and Access Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–200–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this document (if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at NRC’s PDR, Room 01–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Tiktinsky, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–287–9155; email: David.Tiktinsky@ nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The text of the Order is attached. ADDRESSES: [FR Doc. 2014–27712 Filed 11–21–14; 8:45 am] SUMMARY: Effective Date: November 13, 2014. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of November 2014. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Merritt Baker, Acting Branch Chief, Fuel Manufacturing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and Environmental Review, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. In the Matter of: SHAW AREVA MOX SERVICES, LLC (Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility), Docket No. 70–3098, Construction Authorization No. CAMOX–001 EA–14–181 Order Approving Extension of Construction Authorization and Administrative Changes PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 I. CB&I AREVA MOX Services (MOX Services, Licensee) (formerly known as Shaw AREVA MOX Services, LLC) holds Construction Authorization (CA) CAMOX–001 which authorizes the construction of a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. The MFFF is currently partially completed. On May 12, 2014 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS] Accession No. ML14132A342), MOX Services filed a request for an extension of the CA completion date for the MFFF to March 30, 2025. MOX Services stated in its application that the extension is necessary to provide adequate time to complete construction of the MFFF. The construction authorization for the MFFF was originally issued on March 30, 2005, for a term of 10 years. MOX Services also stated in their May 12, 2014, request that various factors have contributed to the need for an extension of the CA. The factors include: (a) The MFFF is unique and is the first facility of this type to be licensed in the United States under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 70; (b) annual funding/appropriations supporting construction activities have been less that the projected funding profile for several years; (c) requirements of nuclear procurements coupled with a shortage of qualified vendors have resulted in delayed delivery of components; (d) a shortage of qualified construction workers has resulted in longer durations for key construction activities, and (e) a 2-year delay between issuance of the CA and the start of nuclear construction. In May 2014, MOX Services determined that, in order to bound the potential completion date of the facility with respect to the dependence of annual congressional funding, the CA’s term should be extended to March 30, 2025. In addition, the staff has made two administrative changes to the CA. The first change is a name change based on a letter from MOX Services dated August 15, 2014 (ML14227A556). The second change is a housekeeping amendment consisting of the removal of the list of submittals incorporated by reference in Attachment A of the CA, which have since been incorporated into the CA, environmental report, and the license application to possess and use radioactive material. E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM 24NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 226 (Monday, November 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69884-69886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27712]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2014-0244]


Guidelines for Evaluating the Effects of Light-Water Reactor 
Coolant Environments in Fatigue Analyses of Metal Components

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for 
public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1309, ``Guidelines for 
Evaluating the Effects of Light-Water Reactor Coolant Environments in 
Fatigue Analyses of Metal Components.'' This guide, Revision 1 of 
Regulatory Guide 1.207 has been revised to consolidate, update, and 
replace previous NRC staff guidance on the effects of light-water 
reactor coolant environments on the fatigue lives of nuclear power 
plant components. This proposed revision provides an alternative to 
previous guidance provided for new reactors in Revision 0 of this 
guide, as well as to previous guidance provided for license renewal of 
operating reactors in the Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report 
and the Standard Review Plan for License Renewal (SRP-LR). This guide 
supports reviews of applications for new nuclear reactor construction 
that are licensed under the NRC's regulations.

DATES: Submit comments by January 23, 2015. Comments received after 
this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC 
is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before 
this date. Although a time limit is given, comments and suggestions in 
connection with items for inclusion in guides currently being developed 
or improvements in all published guides are encouraged at any time.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comment by any of the following methods 
(unless this document describes a different method for submitting 
comments on a specific subject):
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2014-0244. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact 
the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 
of this document.
     Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, 
Mail Stop: 3WFN 06A-A44M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.
    For additional direction on accessing information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary L. Stevens; telephone: 301-251-
7569, email: Gary.Stevens@nrc.gov; and Steve Burton; telephone: 301-
415-7000 email: Stephen.Burton@nrc.gov. Both are staff of the Office of 
Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2014-0244 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may 
obtain publicly-available information related to this action by the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2014-0244. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact 
the

[[Page 69885]]

individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the NRC 
Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the 
search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web-
based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's 
Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The DG is available 
electronically in ADAMS under Accession No. ML14171A584.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

B. Submitting Comments

    Please include Docket ID NRC-2014-0244 in the subject line of your 
comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make 
your comment submission available to the public in this docket.
    The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact 
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your 
comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at https://www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into 
ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove 
identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should 
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove such information before making the comment submissions available 
to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS.

II. Additional Information

    The NRC is issuing for public comment a DG in the NRC's 
``Regulatory Guide'' series. This series was developed to describe and 
make available to the public such information as methods that are 
acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the 
NRC's regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating 
specific problems or postulated accidents, and data that the staff 
needs in its review of applications for permits and licenses.
    The DG, entitled, ``Guidelines for Evaluating the Effects of Light-
Water Reactor Coolant Environments in Fatigue Analyses of Metal 
Components'' is temporarily identified by its task number, DG-1309. 
This DG-1309 is proposed Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide 1.207. The DG 
describes methods and procedures that the NRC staff considers 
acceptable for use in determining the acceptable fatigue lives of 
components evaluated by a cumulative usage factor (CUF) calculation in 
accordance with the fatigue design rules in Section III, ``Rules for 
Construction of Nuclear Power Plant Components,'' of the American 
Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code 
(hereinafter Code) with consideration of the effects of light-water 
reactor coolant environments. This DG supports reviews of applications 
for new nuclear reactor construction permits or operating licenses 
under part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR); 
design certifications under 10 CFR part 52 and combined licenses under 
10 CFR part 52 that do not cite a standard design; and renewed 
operating licenses under 10 CFR part 54.
    This revision consolidates, updates, and replaces previous NRC 
staff's guidance on the effects of light-water reactor coolant 
environments on the fatigue lives of nuclear power plant components. 
This revision provides an alternative to previous guidance for new 
reactors provided in Revision 0 of this guide, as well as previous 
guidance provided for pursuing license renewal of operating reactors in 
the GALL Report and the SRP-LR.

III. Backfitting and Issue Finality

    This DG describes methods and procedures that the NRC staff 
considers acceptable for use in determining the acceptable fatigue 
lives of components evaluated by a cumulative usage factor (CUF) 
calculation in accordance with the fatigue design rules in Section III, 
``Rules for Construction of Nuclear Power Plant Components,'' of the 
ASME Code. This DG supports reviews of applications for new nuclear 
reactor construction permits or operating licenses under 10 CFR part 
50; design certifications under 10 CFR part 52 and combined licenses 
under 10 CFR part 52 that do not cite a standard design; and renewed 
operating licenses under 10 CFR part 54. This DG may also be used by 
existing holders of combined licenses and operating licenses, in 
accordance with their existing licensing basis and applicable 
regulatory requirements.
    This DG, if finalized, would not constitute backfitting as defined 
in 10 CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule) and is not otherwise inconsistent 
with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52, ``Licenses, 
Certifications and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.'' Applicants and 
potential applicants are not, with certain exceptions, protected by 
either the Backfit Rule or any issue finality provisions under part 52. 
Neither the Backfit Rule nor the issue finality provisions under part 
52--with certain exclusions discussed below--were intended to apply to 
every NRC action which substantially changes the expectations of 
current and future applicants.
    The exceptions to the general principle are applicable whenever a 
combined license applicant references a part 52 license (i.e., an early 
site permit or a manufacturing license) and/or part 52 regulatory 
approval (i.e., a design certification rule or design approval). The 
NRC staff does not, at this time, intend to impose the positions 
represented in the DG in a manner that is inconsistent with any issue 
finality provisions in these part 52 licenses and regulatory approvals. 
If, in the future, the NRC staff seeks to impose a position in this DG 
in a manner which does not provide issue finality as described in the 
applicable issue finality provision, then the NRC staff must address 
the criteria for avoiding issue finality as described in the applicable 
issue finality provision.
    Existing licensees and applicants of final design certification 
rules will not be required to comply with the positions set forth in 
this draft regulatory guide, unless the licensee or design 
certification rule applicant seeks a voluntary change to its licensing 
basis with respect to the effects of light-water reactor coolant 
environments on the fatigue lives of nuclear power plant components by 
means of a cumulative usage factor, and where the NRC determines that 
the safety review of the licensee's request must include consideration 
of the effects of light-water reactor coolant environments on the 
fatigue lives of nuclear power plant components. Further information on 
the staff's use of the DG, if finalized, is contained in the DG under 
Section D. Implementation.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of November 2014.

[[Page 69886]]

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guide and Generic Issues Branch, Division of 
Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2014-27712 Filed 11-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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