Agencies and Commissions May 4, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering modifying its approach to develop risk-informed and performance-based requirements applicable to nuclear power reactors. The NRC is considering an approach that, in addition to the ongoing effort to revise some specific regulations to make them risk-informed and performance-based, would establish a comprehensive set of risk-informed and performance-based requirements applicable for all nuclear power reactor technologies as an alternative to current requirements. This new rule would take advantage of operating experience, lessons learned from the current rulemaking activities, advances in the use of risk- informed technology, and would focus NRC and industry resources on the most risk-significant aspects of plant operations to better ensure public health and safety. The set of new alternative requirements would be intended primarily for new power reactors although they would be available to existing reactor licensees. At the conclusion of this ANPR phase and taking into consideration public comment, the NRC will determine how to proceed regarding making the requirements for nuclear power plants risk-informed and performance-based.