Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals During Preoperational and Startup Testing, 38239-38241 [2015-16284]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 127 / Thursday, July 2, 2015 / Notices The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing NUREG– 1520, Revision 2, ‘‘Standard Review Plan for Fuel Cycle Facilities License Applications,’’ dated June 2015. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2012–0220 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly-available information related to this document using any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2012–0220. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual 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 ADAMS Public Documents collection 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. NUREG– 1520, Revision 2, ‘‘Standard Review Plan for Fuel Cycle Facilities License Applications,’’ is available in ADAMS under accession number ML15176A258. • 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. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Soly I. Soto, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington DC 20555– 0001; telephone: 301–415–7528; email: Soly.Soto@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES I. Discussion Licenses to possess and use special nuclear material (SNM) are governed by Part 70 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). The revised Standard Review Plan (SRP) now being made available provides NRC staff guidance for reviewing and evaluating the safety, health, security, and environmental protection aspects of applications for licenses to possess and use SNM at fuel cycle facilities. The SRP has been revised to ensure consistency among the chapters, improve clarity of the text, reduce VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:16 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 235001 redundancies, and assure that statutory, regulatory, and guidance document references are accurate and up to date. Additionally, the SRP was revised to clarify the existing SRP discussion in several technical areas such as nuclear criticality safety and management measures, as summarized below. Chapter 5, ‘‘Nuclear Criticality Safety,’’ contains an expanded discussion of the double contingency principle and double contingency protection, including a description of what constitutes a loss of double contingency. Chapter 11, ‘‘Management Measures,’’ includes a discussion of graded management measures and the selection of items relied on for safety that relates to the application of graded management measures. Additionally, the SRP contains two new chapters, Chapter 12, ‘‘Material Control and Accounting,’’ which includes guidance associated with 10 CFR part 74 requirements; and Chapter 13, ‘‘Physical Protection,’’ which includes guidance associated with 10 CFR part 73 requirements. These new chapters were added to address the requirements in 10 CFR paragraphs 70.22(b), (g), (h), (j), and (k). The title of the SRP was revised from ‘‘Standard Review Plan for the Review of a License Application for a Fuel Cycle Facility’’ to ‘‘Standard Review Plan for License Applications for Fuel Cycle Facilities.’’ On June 5, 2014 (79 FR 32579), the NRC announced the availability of draft NUREG–1520, Revision 2, and requested comments on it. The comment period originally closed on September 3, 2014. In a second notice, dated August 6, 2014 (79 FR 45849), the NRC extended the comment period to November 3, 2014. A public meeting with the industry was held on September 23, 2014, to discuss the proposed changes to the SRP. A comment resolution table listing all comments and the NRC staff’s responses was made publicly available in ADAMS on March 23, 2015 (ML15065A286). Suggestions to improve the SRP were considered by the NRC staff in the preparation of the final NUREG report. After further consideration, the NRC staff revised the title of NUREG–1520, Revision 2, for final issuance. This change was performed after publication of the comments resolution. The title was revised from ‘‘Standard Review Plan for License Applications for Fuel Cycle Facilities’’ to ‘‘Standard Review Plan for Fuel Cycle Facilities License Applications.’’ The final version of NUREG–1520, Revision 2, is now available for use by applicants, licensees, NRC license reviewers, and other NRC staff. Revision PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 38239 2 supersedes the last official revision published on May 2010. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of June, 2015. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Marissa G. Bailey, Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and Environmental Review Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. 2015–16363 Filed 7–1–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2015–0161] Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals During Preoperational and Startup Testing 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–1323, ‘‘Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals During Preoperational and Startup Testing.’’ This guide describes methods and procedures that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable when a developing a comprehensive vibration assessment program (CVAP) for power reactor internals during preoperational and startup testing. DATES: Submit comments by August 31, 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 comments by any of the following methods (unless this document describes a different method for submitting comments on a specified subject): • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2015–0161. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\02JYN1.SGM 02JYN1 38240 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 127 / Thursday, July 2, 2015 / Notices OWFN–12H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting comments, see ‘‘Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Scarbrough, Office of New Reactors, telephone: 301–415–2794, email: Thomas.Scarbrough@nec.gov or Yuken Wong, Office of New Reactors, telephone: 301–415–0500, email: Yuken.Wong@nrc.gov; and Stephen Burton, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, telephone: 301–415–7000, email: Stephen.Burton@nrc.gov. All are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES A. Obtaining Information Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2015– 0161 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publically-available information related to this document, by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2015–0161. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual(s) 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 ADAMS Public Documents collection 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 electronically available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML15083A390. • 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. VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:16 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 235001 B. Submitting Comments Please include Docket ID NRC–2015– 0161 in 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 in comment submissions 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 in their comment submissions 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 information regarding 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 issues or postulated events, and data that the staff needs in its review of applications for permits and licenses. The DG, entitled, ‘‘Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals During Preoperational and Startup Testing’’ is a proposed revision temporarily identified by its task number, DG–1323. This DG–1323 is proposed Revision 4 of Regulatory Guide 1.20, ‘‘Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals During Preoperational and Startup Testing.’’ This regulatory guide describes methods and procedures that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable when developing a comprehensive vibration assessment program (CVAP) for power reactor internals during preoperational and startup testing. The DG describes methodology the NRC staff considers acceptable to support its review of applications for (1) nuclear reactor construction permits or operating PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 licenses under part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR); (2) design certifications and combined licenses under 10 CFR part 52, ‘‘Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants;’’ and (3) license amendment requests for extended power uprates at operating reactors. The DG also describes methodology the staff considers acceptable for use by licensees of operating plants planning significant plant modifications that might induce potential adverse flow effects on structures, systems, and components within the scope of the DG. This proposed regulatory guide has been revised to expand the guidance related to flow-induced vibration, acoustic resonance, acoustic-induced vibration, and mechanical-induced vibration for boiling water reactors, pressurized water reactors, and small modular reactors. For small modular reactors, this includes guidance for the control rod drive system and mechanisms which might be contained in an integral reactor vessel. The additional guidance in this proposed revision is based in part on lessons learned from the review of recent applications, including both new plant applications and extended power uprate applications. In addition, the proposed revision re-defines and clarifies the prototype, limited prototype, and nonprototype classifications of reactor internal configurations. Also, the proposed revision aligns the format and content of the guide with the current program guidance for regulatory guides since Revision 3 of RG 1.20 was issued. III. Backfitting and Issue Finality Issuance of this regulatory guide, if finalized, does 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. This regulatory guide would not apply to any nuclear reactor construction permits or operating licenses under 10 CFR part 50, design certifications and combined licenses under 10 CFR part 52, or license amendment requests for extended power uprates at operating reactors already issued by the NRC prior to issuance of the regulatory guide. The NRC has already completed its review of CVAPs for power reactor internals for these construction permits, operating licenses, design certifications, combined operating licenses, and license amendments for extended power uprates. Therefore, no further NRC regulatory action with respect to CVAPs will occur for those licenses, permits, certifications, and authorizations for E:\FR\FM\02JYN1.SGM 02JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 127 / Thursday, July 2, 2015 / Notices asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES which the guidance in the regulatory guide would be relevant, absent voluntary action by the licensees to use the guidance to demonstrate compliance with the underlying NRC regulations. The regulatory guide, if finalized, may be applied to applications for construction permits, operating licenses, design certifications, combined licenses, and license amendments for extended power uprates, any of which are docketed and under review by the NRC as of the date of issuance of the final regulatory guide. If finalized, the regulatory guide may also be applied to applications for construction permits, operating licenses, design certifications, combined licenses, and license amendments for extended power uprates, any of which are submitted after the issuance of the final regulatory guide. Such action would not constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1) and is not otherwise inconsistent with the applicable issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52 because such applicants and potential applicants are not, with certain exceptions, protected by either the Backfit Rule or any issue finality provisions under part 52. This is because neither the Backfit Rule nor the issue finality provisions under part 52— with certain exclusions discussed below—was intended to apply to every NRC action that substantially changes the expectations of current and future applicants. The exceptions to the general principle are applicable whenever an applicant references a 10 CFR part 52 license (e.g., an early site permit), NRC regulatory approval (e.g., a design certification rule), or both, with specified issue finality provisions. The NRC does not, at this time, intend to impose the positions represented in the regulatory guide, if finalized, in a manner that is inconsistent with any issue finality provisions. If, in the future, the staff seeks to impose a position in the regulatory guide, if finalized, in a manner that does not provide issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision, then the staff must address the criteria for avoiding issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of June, 2015. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Thomas H. Boyce, Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic Issues Branch, Division of Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. [FR Doc. 2015–16284 Filed 7–1–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:16 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 235001 OVERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION Submission for OMB Review; Comments Request Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), agencies are required to publish a Notice in the Federal Register notifying the public that the agency is modifying an existing information collection for OMB review and approval and requests public review and comment on the submission. Comments are being solicited on the need for the information; the accuracy of OPIC’s burden estimate; the quality, practical utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize reporting the burden, including automated collected techniques and uses of other forms of technology. The proposed changes to OPIC–248 clarifies existing questions, incorporates sector-specific development impact questions, and eliminates ineffective questions in an effort to harmonize development impact indicators with other Development Finance Institutions (‘‘DFIs’’). OPIC is a signatory to a ‘‘Memorandum of Understanding’’ with 25 partnering DFIs to harmonize developmental impact metrics where possible. The goal of this effort is to reduce the burden on clients that seek financing from multiple DFIs and to instill best practices in the collection and the reporting on OPIC’s developmental impacts. In order to minimize the reporting burden on respondents, OPIC has designed OPIC– 248 as an electronic form that has multiple drop-down options, in which the respondent only responds to questions that are applicable to their investment. SUMMARY: Comments must be received within sixty (60) calendar days of publication of this Notice. ADDRESSES: Mail all comments and requests for copies of the subject form to OPIC’s Agency Submitting Officer: James Bobbitt, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, 1100 New York Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20527. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for other information about filing. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: OPIC Agency Submitting Officer: James Bobbitt, (202) 336–8558. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All mailed comments and requests for copies of the DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 38241 subject form should include form number [OPIC–248] on both the envelope and in the subject line of the letter. Electronic comments and requests for copies of the subject form may be sent to James.Bobbitt@opic.gov, subject line [OPIC–248]. Summary Form Under Review Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information collection. Title: Office of Investment Policy Questionnaire. Form Number: OPIC–248. Frequency of Use: One per investor per project. Type of Respondents: Business or other institution (except farms); individuals. Standard Industrial Classification Codes: All. Description of Affected Public: U.S. companies or citizens investing overseas. Reporting Hours: 644 (2.8 hours per form). Number of Responses: 230 per year. Federal Cost: $28,389. Authority for Information Collection: Sections [231, 231A, 239(d), and 240A] of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Abstract (Needs and Uses): The Office of Investment Policy Questionnaire is the principal document used by OPIC to prepare a developmental impact profile and determine the projected impact on the United States, as well as to determine the project’s compliance with environmental and labor policies, as consistent with OPIC’s authorizing legislation. Dated: June 26, 2015. Nichole Skoyles, Administrative Counsel, Department of Legal Affairs. [FR Doc. 2015–16263 Filed 7–1–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3210–01–P PEACE CORPS Privacy Act of 1974: New System of Records Peace Corps. Notice of a new system of AGENCY: ACTION: records. Peace Corps proposes to add a new system of records to its inventory of records systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended. This action is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\02JYN1.SGM 02JYN1

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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 127 (Thursday, July 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38239-38241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16284]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2015-0161]


Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals 
During Preoperational and Startup Testing

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-1323, ``Comprehensive 
Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals During 
Preoperational and Startup Testing.'' This guide describes methods and 
procedures that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable when a 
developing a comprehensive vibration assessment program (CVAP) for 
power reactor internals during preoperational and startup testing.

DATES: Submit comments by August 31, 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 comments by any of the following methods 
(unless this document describes a different method for submitting 
comments on a specified subject):
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0161. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact 
the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 
of this document.
     Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, 
Mail Stop:

[[Page 38240]]

OWFN-12H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001.
    For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Scarbrough, Office of New 
Reactors, telephone: 301-415-2794, email: Thomas.Scarbrough@nec.gov or 
Yuken Wong, Office of New Reactors, telephone: 301-415-0500, email: 
Yuken.Wong@nrc.gov; and Stephen Burton, Office of Nuclear Regulatory 
Research, telephone: 301-415-7000, email: Stephen.Burton@nrc.gov. All 
are staff of the 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-2015-0161 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may 
obtain publically-available information related to this document, by 
any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0161. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact 
the individual(s) 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 
ADAMS Public Documents collection 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 electronically available in ADAMS under Accession No. 
ML15083A390.
     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-2015-0161 in 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 in comment submissions 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 in their comment submissions 
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 information regarding 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 issues or postulated events, and data that the staff needs in 
its review of applications for permits and licenses.
    The DG, entitled, ``Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for 
Reactor Internals During Preoperational and Startup Testing'' is a 
proposed revision temporarily identified by its task number, DG-1323. 
This DG-1323 is proposed Revision 4 of Regulatory Guide 1.20, 
``Comprehensive Vibration Assessment Program for Reactor Internals 
During Preoperational and Startup Testing.'' This regulatory guide 
describes methods and procedures that the staff of the NRC considers 
acceptable when developing a comprehensive vibration assessment program 
(CVAP) for power reactor internals during preoperational and startup 
testing. The DG describes methodology the NRC staff considers 
acceptable to support its review of applications for (1) nuclear 
reactor construction permits or operating licenses under part 50 of 
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR); (2) design 
certifications and combined licenses under 10 CFR part 52, ``Licenses, 
Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants;'' and (3) 
license amendment requests for extended power uprates at operating 
reactors. The DG also describes methodology the staff considers 
acceptable for use by licensees of operating plants planning 
significant plant modifications that might induce potential adverse 
flow effects on structures, systems, and components within the scope of 
the DG.
    This proposed regulatory guide has been revised to expand the 
guidance related to flow-induced vibration, acoustic resonance, 
acoustic-induced vibration, and mechanical-induced vibration for 
boiling water reactors, pressurized water reactors, and small modular 
reactors. For small modular reactors, this includes guidance for the 
control rod drive system and mechanisms which might be contained in an 
integral reactor vessel. The additional guidance in this proposed 
revision is based in part on lessons learned from the review of recent 
applications, including both new plant applications and extended power 
uprate applications. In addition, the proposed revision re-defines and 
clarifies the prototype, limited prototype, and non-prototype 
classifications of reactor internal configurations. Also, the proposed 
revision aligns the format and content of the guide with the current 
program guidance for regulatory guides since Revision 3 of RG 1.20 was 
issued.

III. Backfitting and Issue Finality

    Issuance of this regulatory guide, if finalized, does 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. This regulatory guide would not apply to any nuclear 
reactor construction permits or operating licenses under 10 CFR part 
50, design certifications and combined licenses under 10 CFR part 52, 
or license amendment requests for extended power uprates at operating 
reactors already issued by the NRC prior to issuance of the regulatory 
guide. The NRC has already completed its review of CVAPs for power 
reactor internals for these construction permits, operating licenses, 
design certifications, combined operating licenses, and license 
amendments for extended power uprates. Therefore, no further NRC 
regulatory action with respect to CVAPs will occur for those licenses, 
permits, certifications, and authorizations for

[[Page 38241]]

which the guidance in the regulatory guide would be relevant, absent 
voluntary action by the licensees to use the guidance to demonstrate 
compliance with the underlying NRC regulations.
    The regulatory guide, if finalized, may be applied to applications 
for construction permits, operating licenses, design certifications, 
combined licenses, and license amendments for extended power uprates, 
any of which are docketed and under review by the NRC as of the date of 
issuance of the final regulatory guide. If finalized, the regulatory 
guide may also be applied to applications for construction permits, 
operating licenses, design certifications, combined licenses, and 
license amendments for extended power uprates, any of which are 
submitted after the issuance of the final regulatory guide. Such action 
would not constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1) and 
is not otherwise inconsistent with the applicable issue finality 
provisions in 10 CFR part 52 because such applicants and potential 
applicants are not, with certain exceptions, protected by either the 
Backfit Rule or any issue finality provisions under part 52. This is 
because neither the Backfit Rule nor the issue finality provisions 
under part 52--with certain exclusions discussed below--was intended to 
apply to every NRC action that substantially changes the expectations 
of current and future applicants. The exceptions to the general 
principle are applicable whenever an applicant references a 10 CFR part 
52 license (e.g., an early site permit), NRC regulatory approval (e.g., 
a design certification rule), or both, with specified issue finality 
provisions. The NRC does not, at this time, intend to impose the 
positions represented in the regulatory guide, if finalized, in a 
manner that is inconsistent with any issue finality provisions. If, in 
the future, the staff seeks to impose a position in the regulatory 
guide, if finalized, in a manner that does not provide issue finality 
as described in the applicable issue finality provision, then the staff 
must address the criteria for avoiding issue finality as described in 
the applicable issue finality provision.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of June, 2015.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic Issues Branch, Division of 
Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-16284 Filed 7-1-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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