Nuclear Regulatory Commission March 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a notice that was published in the Federal Register (FR) on March 22, 2017, granting an exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of Tier 1 of the generic design control document and issuing License Amendment No. 59 to Combined Licenses NPF-93 and NPF- 94. This action is necessary to correct the Federal rulemaking Web site, www.regulations.gov, Docket ID.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and is issuing License Amendment Nos. 73 and 72 to Combined Licenses (COL), NPF-91 and NPF-92, respectively. The COLs were issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, Authority of Georgia, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (the licensee); for construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia. The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 information that is requested in the amendment. Because the acceptability of the exemption was determined in part by the acceptability of the amendment, the exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations that govern the license renewal process for non- power reactors, testing facilities, and other production or utilization facilities, licensed under the authority of Section 103, Section 104a, or Section 104c of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), that are not nuclear power reactors. In this proposed rule, the NRC collectively refers to these facilities as non-power production or utilization facilities (NPUFs). The NRC is proposing to: Eliminate license terms for licenses issued under the authority of Sections 104a or 104c of the AEA, other than for testing facilities; define the license renewal process for licenses issued to testing facilities or under the authority of Section 103 of the AEA; require all NPUF licensees to submit final safety analysis report (FSAR) updates to the NRC every 5 years; and provide an accident dose criterion of 1 rem (0.01 Sievert (Sv)) total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) for NPUFs other than testing facilities. The proposed rule also includes other changes, as described in Section III, ``Discussion,'' of this document. The NRC is issuing concurrently draft Regulatory Guide (DG-2006), ``Preparation of Updated Final Safety Analysis Reports for Non-power Production or Utilization Facilities,'' for review and comment. The NRC anticipates the proposed rule and associated draft implementing guidance would result in reduced burden on both licensees and the NRC, and would create a more responsive and efficient regulatory framework that will continue to protect public health and safety, promote the common defense and security, and protect the environment. During the public comment period, the NRC plans to hold a public meeting to promote a full understanding of the proposed rule and facilitate the public's ability to submit comments on the proposed rule.

On February 13, 2017, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG) DG-4026, ``Preparation of Environmental Reports for Nuclear Power Stations,'' for a 60-day public comment period. However, the NRC staff is extending the public comment period from April 14, 2017 to May 31, 2017, based upon a letter from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) that requested additional time in order to perform a comprehensive review of the DG and to consolidate industry comments. This DG provides guidance to applicants for format and content of environmental reports (ERs) that are submitted as part of an applicant for a permit, license, or other authorization to site, construct, and/or operate a new nuclear power plant.

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 biweekly 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, notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a hearing from any person. This biweekly notice includes all notices of amendments issued, or proposed to be issued, from February 28, 2017 to March 13, 2017. The last biweekly notice was published on March 14, 2017.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by adding the TN Americas LLC (TN Americas), NUHOMS[supreg] Extended Optimized Storage (EOS) Dry Spent Fuel Storage System, to the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' as Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1042. The NUHOMS[supreg] EOS System provides horizontal storage of high burnup spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel assemblies in dry shielded canisters (DSCs).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on this renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing collection of information. The information collection is entitled, NRC Form 241, ``Report of Proposed Activities in Non-Agreement States, Areas of Exclusive Federal Jurisdiction, or Offshore Waters.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting an exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and is issuing License Amendment No. 60 to Combined Licenses (COL), NPF-93 and NPF-94. The COLs were issued to South Carolina Electric & Gas Company on behalf of itself and the South Carolina Public Service Authority (both hereafter called the licensee); for construction and operation of the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station (VCSNS), Units 2 and 3, located in Fairfield County, South Carolina. The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 information asked for in the amendment. Because the acceptability of the exemption was determined in part by the acceptability of the amendment, the exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing collection of information. The information collection is entitled, NRC Form 749, ``Manual License Verification Report.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing a notice that was published in the Federal Register (FR) on March 15, 2017, regarding the consideration of issuance of an amendment to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-43, issued to DTE Electric Company for the operation of Fermi, Unit 2. This action is necessary because the notice was published in error.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment and exemption to Combined Licenses (NPF-91 and NPF-92), issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC), and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, Authority of Georgia, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (together ``the licensees''), for construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting an exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and is issuing License Amendment No. 59 to Combined Licenses (COL), NPF-93 and NPF-94. The COLs were issued to South Carolina Electric & Gas Company on behalf of itself and the South Carolina Public Service Authority (both hereafter called the licensee); for construction and operation of the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station (VCSNS) Units 2 and 3, located in Fairfield County, South Carolina. The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 information asked for in the amendment. Because the acceptability of the exemption was determined in part by the acceptability of the amendment, the exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting an exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and is issuing License Amendment Nos. 69 and 68 to Combined Licenses (COLs), NPF-91 and NPF-92. The COLs were issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, Authority of Georgia, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (the licensee); for construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia. The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 information asked for in the amendment. Because the acceptability of the exemption was determined in part by the acceptability of the amendment, the exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing collection of information. The information collection is entitled, ``Licenses for Radiography and Radiation Safety Requirements for Radiographic Operations.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Regulatory Guide (RG) 4.25, ``Assessment of Abnormal Radioactive Discharges in Ground Water to the Unrestricted Area at Nuclear Power Plant Sites,'' as a new guide (Revision 0). The guide describes an approach that the NRC staff considers acceptable for use in assessing abnormal discharges of radionuclides in ground water from the subsurface to the unrestricted area at commercial nuclear power plant sites.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF- 43, issued to DTE Electric Company (DTE), for operation of the Fermi, Unit 2. The proposed amendment revises technical specifications (TS) for emergency core cooling system (ECCS) instrumentation (TS 3.3.5.1) and reactor core isolation cooling (RCIC) system instrumentation (TS 3.3.5.2). The proposed changes add footnotes indicating that the injection functions of ``Drywell PressureHigh'' for high-pressure coolant injection (HPCI) and ``Manual Initiation'' for HPCI and RCIC are not required to be operable under low reactor pressure conditions.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF- 43, issued to DTE Electric Company (DTE), for operation of the Fermi, Unit 2. The proposed amendment revises technical specifications (TS) for emergency core cooling system (ECCS) instrumentation (TS 3.3.5.1) and reactor core isolation cooling (RCIC) system instrumentation (TS 3.3.5.2). The proposed changes add footnotes indicating that the injection functions of ``Drywell PressureHigh'' for high-pressure coolant injection (HPCI) and ``Manual Initiation'' for HPCI and RCIC are not required to be operable under low reactor pressure conditions.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a final revision to sections in Chapter 3, ``Design of Structures, Components, Equipment, and Systems Reactor Coolant System and Connected Systems'' of NUREG-0800, ``Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants: LWR Edition.'' The changes to these Standard Review Plan (SRP) sections reflect responses to public comments and additional guidance based on current NRC staff review methods and practices based on lessons learned from the NRC's reviews of design certification and combined license applications completed since the last revision of this chapter.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) regarding the issuance of two exemptions in response to a January 6, 2015 request from Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy or the licensee), representing itself and the other owners of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY). The exemptions allow the licensee to use funds from the VY decommissioning funds trust (the Trust) for irradiated fuel management activities without prior notice to the NRC.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an order approving the transfer of the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-59, and the transfer of the generally licensed FitzPatrick Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation from Entergy Nuclear FitzPatrick, LLC and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. to Exelon Generation Company, LLC.