Nuclear Regulatory Commission May 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a partial exemption in response to a February 8, 2019, request from Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (the licensee or Entergy). The issuance of the exemption would grant Entergy a partial exemption from regulations that require the retention of records for certain systems, structures, and components associated with the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Pilgrim) until the termination of the Pilgrim operating license.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Revision 1 of regulatory guide (RG) 1.187, ``Guidance for Implementation of 10 CFR 50.59, `Changes, Tests, and Experiments.' '' Concurrently the NRC is issuing for public comment DG-1356, which is proposed Revision 2 of RG 1.187.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a revision to its Enforcement Policy (the Policy). The NRC is revising Section 4.1, ``Considerations in Determining Enforcement Actions Involving Individuals,'' of the Policy to indicate that the NRC typically will not consider Fitness-for-Duty (FFD) Drug and Alcohol (D&A) related violations for enforcement unless the licensee's FFD program has apparent deficiencies.

On May 2, 2019, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested comments on draft approaches regarding the training and experience (T&E) requirements for radiopharmaceuticals requiring a written directive. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on June 3, 2019. The NRC is extending the comment period to July 3, 2019, to allow more time for stakeholders and members of the public to submit their comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to certify the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400) standard design. Applicants or licensees intending to construct and operate an APR1400 standard design may do so by referencing this design certification (DC) rule. The applicant for the certification of the APR1400 standard design is Korea Electric Power Corporation and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KEPCO/KHNP).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. NPF-62, issued to Exelon Generation Company, LLC (the licensee), for operation of the Clinton Power Station, Unit No 1 (CPS), located in DeWitt County, Illinois. The proposed action would amend the expiration of Facility Operating License No. NPF-62 from September 29, 2026, to April 17, 2027. From September 29, 1986, to April 17, 1987, CPS was limited to 5 percent of rated power while operators conducted low-power testing before being issued a full-power operating license on April 17, 1987. The action to amend the expiration date of the license from September 29, 2026, to April 17, 2027, would result in the license expiring 40 years from the date of the issuance of the full-power operating license, as is permitted by the NRC's regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for its review and approval of the decommissioning funding plans submitted by Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPC) on January 8, 2013, and December 16, 2015, for the independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at Maine Yankee in Wiscasset, Maine.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an amendment to Possession Only License DPR-45 to add a license condition that reflects the NRC's approval of the license termination plan (LTP) for the La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor (LACBWR) and provides criteria for when prior NRC approval is needed to make changes to the LTP. The NRC has prepared a final environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for this licensing action.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for its review and approval of the decommissioning funding plans submitted by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on December 17, 2012, and December 17, 2015, for the independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at Humboldt Bay in Eureka, California.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing its Final Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) DC/COL-ISG-03, ``Probabilistic Risk Assessment Information to Support Design Certification and Combined License Applications.'' This ISG served to supplement the guidance provided to the staff in Section 19.0, ``Probabilistic Risk Assessment and Severe Accident Evaluation for New Reactors,'' of NUREG- 0800, ``Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants: LWR Edition,'' concerning the review of probabilistic risk assessment information and severe accident assessment submitted to support design certification (DC) and combined license (COL) applications. The NRC staff issues ISG to facilitate timely implementation of current staff guidance and to facilitate activities associated with review of applications for DC and COLs by the Office of New Reactors. The NRC staff incorporated the approved DC/ COL-ISG into Revision 3 to Section 19.0 of NUREG-0800 dated December 2015. With the issuance of Revision 3 to Section 19.0 of NUREG-0800, the staff has determined that DC/COL-ISG-03 is no longer necessary and should be withdrawn.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing its Final Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) DC/COL-ISG-10, ``Review of Evaluation to Address Adverse Flow Effects in Equipment Other than Reactor Internals.'' This ISG served to supplement the guidance provided to the staff in Sections 3.9.2, ``Dynamic Testing and Analysis of Systems, Structures, and Components,'' and 3.9.5, ``Reactor Pressure Vessel Internals,'' of NUREG-0800, ``Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants: LWR Edition,'' concerning the review of probabilistic risk assessment information and severe accident assessment submitted to support design certification (DC) and combined license (COL) applications. The NRC staff issues ISG to facilitate timely implementation of current staff guidance and to facilitate activities associated with review of applications for DC and COLs by the Office of New Reactors. The NRC staff incorporated the approved DC/COL-ISG into Revision 4 to Sections 3.9.2 and 3.9.5 of NUREG-0800 dated March 2017. With the issuance of Revision 4 to Sections 3.9.2 and 3.9.5 of NUREG-0800, the staff has determined that DC/COL-ISG-10 is no longer necessary and should be withdrawn.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is giving notice once each week for four consecutive weeks for an application from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), for an early site permit (ESP) for the Clinch River Nuclear Site located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

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 237, ``Request for Access Authorization.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International NAC-UMS[supreg] Universal Storage System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 7 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1015. Amendment No. 7 would revise the surveillance requirements for technical specifications A3.1.6.1 and A3.1.6.2 to ensure that adequate monitoring of the concrete cask heat removal system is performed. Amendment No. 7 would also revise the basis for technical specification A3.1.6 to clarify that the surveillance requirements for technical specification A3.1.6 require a minimum of two outlet air temperature measurements to provide an average outlet temperature.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received a petition for rulemaking from Michael Taylor, dated December 3, 2018, as amended on January 24, 2019. The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations to revise the measurement standards used at U.S. nuclear power plants. The petition was docketed by the NRC on March 4, 2019, and has been assigned Docket No. PRM-50-118. The NRC is examining the issues raised in PRM-50-118 to determine whether they should be considered in rulemaking. The NRC is requesting public comment on this petition.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently submitted a request for renewal of an existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The information collection is entitled, ``Billing Instructions for NRC Cost Type Contract/Orders.''

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, ``Criteria and Procedures for Determining Eligibility for Access to or Control Over Special Nuclear Material.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an Order to set a schedule for an evidentiary hearing in the Powertech USA, Inc., Dewey-Burdock In Situ Uranium Recovery Facility proceeding. The Order for Granting NRC Staff Motion and Scheduling Evidentiary Hearing became effective on April 29, 2019.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Revision 2 to NUREG-1556, Volume 13, ``Consolidated Guidance About Materials Licenses: Program-Specific Guidance About Commercial Radiopharmacy Licenses.'' Volume 13 of NUREG-1556 has been revised to include information on updated regulatory requirements, safety culture, security of radioactive materials, protection of sensitive information, and changes in regulatory policies and practices consistent with current regulations. This volume is intended for use by applicants, licensees, and the NRC staff.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1353, ``Guidance for a Technology-Inclusive, Risk-Informed, and Performance-Based Methodology to Inform the Licensing Basis and Content of Applications for Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Non-Light Water Reactors.'' This DG proposes new guidance for designers, applicants, and licensees of non- light water cooled nuclear reactors (non-LWRs) to inform the licensing basis and content of applications submittals to the NRC for licenses, certifications, or approvals. The DG provides guidance on using a technology-inclusive, risk-informed, and performance-based methodology to inform the licensing basis and content of applications for licenses, certifications, and approvals for non-LWRs.