Nuclear Regulatory Commission – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an exemption in response to a request dated February 5, 2025, from Tennessee Valley Authority. The exemption authorizes a one-time exemption for Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, to allow the use of the less restrictive work hour limitations described in NRC regulations for a 21-day period starting no earlier than March 24, 2025, and no later than May 15, 2025.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) is considering approval of one amendment request. The amendment request is for Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1. For the amendment request, the NRC proposes to determine that it involves no significant hazards consideration (NSHC). Because the amendment request contains sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI), an order imposes procedures to obtain access to SUNSI for contention preparation by persons who file a hearing request or petitions for leave to intervene.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International, Inc. MAGNASTOR[supreg] Storage System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Amendment No. 15 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1031. Amendment No. 15 revises the certificate of compliance to add a new variation of the Lightweight MAGNASTOR[supreg] Transfer Cask design, add a new concrete cask design, increase the maximum system head load capacity, add new loading patterns, add a thermal shunt for short loading patterns, remove the 5 percent burnup penalty, increase Passive MAGNASTOR[supreg] Transfer Cask heat load, add two new pressurized-water reactor fuel types to support future operations, modify the transportable storage canister lid to allow additional clearance near the top center of the basket, and correct and clarify principal design criteria, operating procedures, and the acceptance criteria and maintenance program. This amendment also makes corresponding revisions to previously approved drawings for the concrete cask, Technical Specifications Appendix A and Appendix B, specific chapters of the final safety analysis report, and several license drawings.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued an exemption to Constellation Energy Generation, LLC, permitting Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station (NMP) Units 1 and 2 to use the Holtec HI-STORM Flood/Wind (FW) Multi-Purpose Canister (MPC) Storage System, including the use of the HI-TRAC VW transfer cask during loading and transport operations, at the NMP independent spent fuel storage installation, for six MPC-89, in a near-term loading campaign beginning in May 2025, where the terms, conditions, and specifications in Certificate of Compliance No. 1032, Amendment No. 3, Revision 0, are not met.

As required by Section 274e. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is publishing the proposed Agreement for public comment (Appendix A). The NRC is also publishing the summary of a draft assessment by the NRC staff of the State of Connecticut's regulatory program. Comments are requested on the proposed Agreement and its effect on public health and safety. Comments are also requested on the draft staff assessment, the adequacy of the State of Connecticut's program, and the adequacy of the staffing of the State's program, as discussed in this document.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of April 21, 2025, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on February 4, 2025. This direct final rule amended the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM UMAX Canister Storage System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 0 through 2 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1040. Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 0 through 2 updates the CoC appendix A technical specifications for radiation protection and the associated bases information to clearly articulate the basis for the dose rate limits for the closure lids, modify the dose rate limit values and the description of the location of the dose rate measurements, and make other editorial changes.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft report entitled NUREG-1482, Revision 4, "Guidelines for Inservice Testing at Nuclear Power Plants: Inservice Testing of Pumps and Valves and Inservice Examination and Testing of Dynamic Restraints (Snubbers) at Nuclear Power Plants." This report provides a basic understanding of the regulatory basis for pump and valve inservice testing (IST) programs and dynamic restraint (snubbers) examination and testing programs at nuclear power plants. It also provides information regarding the NRC's involvement in the development of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) "Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants," Division 1, "OM Code: Section IST" (OM Code).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI- STORM 100 Cask System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Renewed Amendment No. 19 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1014. Renewed Amendment No. 19 revises the certificate of compliance to update the acceptance criteria and method of evaluation (MOE) for the HI-STORM 100 system tipover accident for equipment combinations involving multi-purpose canisters (MPCs) with Metamic-HT baskets. This involves applying a new stress-based criteria and completing new evaluations consistent with the new tipover acceptance criteria and MOE and involves some adjustments of the existing deflection criteria.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for an exemption request submitted by Constellation Energy Generation, LLC (CEG) that would permit Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station (NMP) Units 1 and 2 to load six 89 multi-purpose canisters (MPC) at the NMP independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) in a near-term loading campaign beginning in May 2025, including the use of the HI- TRAC VW transfer cask (HI-TRAC) during loading and transport operations, where the terms, conditions, and specifications in Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1032, Amendment No. 3, Revision No. 0, are not met.

Applicability of Requirements During the Movement of Radioactive Material Within a Temporary Jobsite

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC Multi-Purpose Canister (NAC-MPC) System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Amendment No. 9 and revise Amendment Nos. 6, 7, and 8 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1025. The addition of Amendment No. 9 and the revisions to Amendment Nos. 6, 7, and 8 amend the description of the vertical concrete cask (VCC) in the CoC and technical specifications to make a distinction between the VCC body and the VCC lid, in terms of applicability of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Specifications ACI 349 and ACI 318.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a notice that was published in the Federal Register on February 18, 2025, regarding the publication of the regular monthly notice of any amendments issued, or proposed to be issued, and grants the Commission the authority to issue and make immediately effective any amendment to an operating license or combined license, as applicable, upon a determination by the Commission that such amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a hearing from any person. This action is necessary to correct the NRC Docket ID.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is terminating Special Nuclear Material (SNM) License No. SNM-2512 for the Idaho Spent Fuel Facility (ISFF). By letter dated November 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requested that the NRC terminate the ISFF license. The ISFF has not been constructed, no physical or principal activities authorized by the license have been conducted, and no nuclear materials have been possessed under the license. Consequently, the ISFF site is approved for unrestricted use.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend the licensing, inspection, special project, and annual fees charged to its applicants and licensees. The proposed amendments are necessary to comply with the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, which requires the NRC to recover, to the maximum extent practicable, approximately 100 percent of its annual budget less certain amounts excluded from this fee recovery requirement. In addition, the NRC is proposing amendments to implement a reduced hourly rate for advanced nuclear reactor applicants and pre-applicants for certain activities as required by the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024.

Pursuant to section 189a.(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing this regular monthly notice. The Act requires the Commission to publish notice of any amendments issued, or proposed to be issued, and grants the Commission the authority to issue and make immediately effective any amendment to an operating license or combined license, as applicable, upon a determination by the Commission that such amendment involves no significant hazards consideration (NSHC), notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a hearing from any person.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing NUREG- 1307, Revision 20, "Report on Waste Burial Charges: Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level Waste Burial Facilities." This report, which is revised periodically, explains the formula acceptable to the NRC for determining the minimum decommissioning fund requirements for nuclear power reactor licensees, as required by NRC regulations. Specifically, this report provides the adjustment factor and updates the values for the labor, energy, and waste burial escalation factors of the minimum formula.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an Order to the licensees of non-power production or utilization facilities (NPUFs) identified in the Attachment to the Order. The Order modifies certain current NPUF licenses and establishes initial final safety analysis report update due dates for certain existing NPUFs consistent with the Non-Power Production or Utilization Facility License Renewal Rule dated December 30, 2024.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has published a final site-specific environmental impact statement (EIS), issued as NUREG-1437, Supplement 2, Second Renewal, "Site-Specific Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants Regarding Subsequent License Renewal for Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, Final Report." This EIS evaluates, on a site-specific basis, the environmental impacts of subsequent renewal of Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-38, DPR-47, and DPR-55 for an additional 20 years of operation for Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 (Oconee Station), respectively. Oconee Station is located in Seneca, South Carolina, approximately 30 miles west of Greenville. Possible alternatives to the proposed action of subsequent license renewal for Oconee Station include the no-action alternative, a new nuclear alternative, a natural gas combined-cycle alternative, and a combination alternative.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM UMAX Canister Storage System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 0 through 2 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1040. Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 0 through 2 updates the CoC appendix A technical specifications for radiation protection and the associated bases information to clearly articulate the basis for the dose rate limits for the closure lids, modify the dose rate limit values and the description of the location of the dose rate measurements, and make other editorial changes.