Nuclear Regulatory Commission December 24, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft NUREG/CR, NUREG/CR-7207, ``Spent Fuel Transportation Package Response to the Newhall Pass Fire Scenario.'' This report presents analyses that were performed to examine the hypothetical effects on a spent fuel transportation package from conditions during the Newhall Pass accident in 2007. The analyses undertaken include FDS fire modeling, physical examination of material samples, ANSYS and COBRA-SFS code thermal modeling of a GA-4 package, and fuel performance modeling using the FRAPTRAN-1.4, FRAPCON-3.4, and DATING codes. The estimated release from the hypothetical scenario is below the prescribed limit for safety.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-8033, ``Operating Philosophy for Maintaining Occupational Radiation Exposures As Low as is Reasonably Achievable.'' This DG is proposed Revision 2 to Regulatory Guide (RG) 8.10 and describes methods and procedures that the staff of NRC considers acceptable for maintaining radiation exposures to employees and the public as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA). This revision incorporates additional guidance from operating ALARA experience since the previous revision to RG 8.10 in 1975.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking public comment on a draft regulatory issue summary (RIS) to reiterate the NRC staff's position in regard to American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code-required inservice inspection requirements for moisture barriers. The NRC's regulations require, in part, that licensees implement the inservice inspection program for pressure retaining components and their integral attachments of metal containments and metallic liners of concrete containments in accordance with the ASME Code. If a material prevents moisture from contacting inaccessible areas of the containment shell or liner, especially if the material is being relied upon in lieu of augmented examinations of a susceptible location, the material must be inspected as a moisture barrier. The applicable ASME Code sections require licensees to inspect 100 percent of accessible moisture barriers during each inspection period.