Nuclear Regulatory Commission September 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. NPF-58, issued to Energy Harbor Nuclear Corp. (EHNC) and Energy Harbor Nuclear Generation LLC, for operation of the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1 (PNPP), located near Lake Erie in Lake County, Ohio. The proposed action would amend the expiration of Facility Operating License No. NPF-58 from March 18, 2026, to November 7, 2026. Specifically, the expiration date of PNPP's full-power operating license (FPOL) would be revised such that it would expire 40 years from the date of issuance of the FPOL, as is permitted by the NRC's regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued 15 exemptions in response to requests from 7 licensees. The exemptions afford these licensees temporary relief from certain requirements under NRC regulations. The exemptions are in response to the licensees' requests for relief due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE). The NRC is issuing a single notice to announce the issuance of the exemptions.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently submitted a proposed collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for review. The information collection is entitled, ``Comprehensive Decommissioning Program Annual Site List and Point of Contact.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of exemptions that would permit the licensee to reduce its emergency planning (EP) activities at Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (TMI-1) and Unit 2 (TMI-2). Specifically, the licensee is seeking exemptions that would eliminate the requirements for the licensee to maintain offsite radiological emergency plans and reduce some of the onsite EP activities based on the reduced risks at TMI-1, which is permanently shut down and defueled, and at TMl-2, which has a possession-only license. However, requirements for certain onsite capabilities to communicate and coordinate with offsite response authorities would be retained. In addition, offsite EP provisions would still exist through State and local government use of a comprehensive emergency management plan process, in accordance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, ``Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans.'' The NRC staff is issuing a final Environmental Assessment (EA) and final Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) associated with the proposed exemptions.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its 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. 9 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1031. Amendment No. 9 revises the certificate of compliance to add a new concrete storage overpack; four new heat load zone patterns and their associated decay heats that are specific to Babcock and Wilcox 15x15 fuel assemblies; a new Babcock & Wilcox 15x15 hybrid fuel assembly type (BW15H5); and a new maximum enrichment for the BW15H2 hybrid fuel assembly, including a new minimum soluble boron concentration during loading and unloading operations and neutron absorber areal density. In addition, Amendment No. 9 makes non- technical changes to reorganize Appendix B of the technical specifications.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received an application for the subsequent renewal of Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-4 and NPF-7, which authorize Virginia Electric and Power Company (Dominion or the applicant) to operate North Anna Power Station, Units 1 and 2 (North Anna). The subsequent renewed licenses would authorize the applicant to operate North Anna for an additional 20 years beyond the period specified in each of the current renewed licenses. The current renewed operating licenses for North Anna expire as follows: Unit 1 on April 1, 2038, and Unit 2 on August 21, 2040.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is considering an application (XW018/02) from EnergySolutions Services, Inc. (ESSI) to amend and renew an existing export license authorizing the export of radioactive waste to Germany. The NRC is providing notice of the opportunity to submit written comments, request a hearing, or a petition for leave to intervene on ESSI's application.

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 collections are entitled, ``DOE/NRC Form 740M, Concise Note; DOE/NRC Form 741, Nuclear Material Transaction Report; DOE/NRC Form 742, Material Balance Report; and DOE/NRC Form 742C, Physical Inventory Listing.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting comments on its update of the NRC's Fiscal Years (FYs) 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. Specifically, the NRC would like input on the agency's strategic goals, actions to realize those goals, and how to address key challenges and external factors as described in the current agency's Strategic Plan, NUREG 1614, Volume 7, ``Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2018-2022.'' The information will be used to inform the development of the NRC's FYs 2022-2026 Strategic Plan framework and evidence building and evaluation activities.

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, ``Part 20 Respirator Protection Exemption Request for Non-Power Reactors/RTR And Part 20 Respirator Protection Exemption Request for Power Reactors Online Forms.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing Regulatory Guide (RG) 5.61, ``Intent and Scope of the Physical Protection Upgrade Rule Requirements for Fixed Sites.'' This document is being withdrawn because the information in RG 5.61 is no longer needed. The reasons for the withdrawal are described in more detail under the ``Background'' Section of this document.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a request by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E, the licensee) for amendments to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-80 and DPR-82, issued to the licensee for operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (Diablo Canyon), Units 1 and 2, located in San Luis Obispo County, California. The amendments provide a new Technical Specification (TS) 3.7.5, ``Auxiliary Feedwater (AFW) System,'' Condition G, to address a one-time planned Diablo Canyon, Unit 1, Cycle 22, AFW system alignment for which current TS 3.7.5 would require shutdown.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1373, ``Fresh and Spent Fuel Pool Criticality Analyses.'' This draft guide, if finalized as a new regulatory guide (RG), would update and supersede Interim Staff Guidance DSS-ISG-2010-01, ``Staff Guidance Regarding the Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis for Spent Fuel Pools.'' This draft guide describes an approach that the NRC staff considers acceptable to demonstrate that NRC regulatory requirements are met for subcriticality of fuel assemblies stored in fresh fuel vaults and spent fuel pools at light-water reactor power plants. It endorses, with clarifications and exceptions, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) guidance document NEI 12-16, ``Guidance for Performing Criticality Analyses of Fuel Storage at Light-Water Reactor Power Plants,'' Revision 4.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an Order to extend the effectiveness of a September 24, 2019, Order, which approved the direct transfer of Possession Only License No. DPR-45 for the La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor (LACBWR) from the current holder, LaCrosseSolutions, LLC, to Dairyland Power Cooperative and approved a conforming license amendment, for six months beyond its current September 24, 2020, expiration date.

Pursuant to section 189.a.(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 (NSHC), notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a hearing from any person. This biweekly notice includes all amendments issued, or proposed to be issued, from August 11, 2020, to August 24, 2020. The last biweekly notice was published on August 25, 2020.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a general license to the Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon), authorizing the operation of the Three Mile Island Generating Station Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI), in accordance with its regulations. The Order is being issued to Exelon to impose additional security requirements because Exelon has identified near- term plans to store spent fuel in an ISFSI under the general license provisions of the NRC's regulations. The Order was issued August 27, 2020 and became effective immediately.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on this proposed collection of information. The information collection is entitled, NRC Form 149, ``OCFO Invitational Traveler Request Form.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of September 14, 2020, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2020. The direct final rule amends the spent fuel storage regulations by revising the TN Americas LLC, Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] Horizontal Modular Storage System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Renewed Amendment No. 16 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1004.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is considering an application (XW010/04) from EnergySolutions Services, Inc. (ESSI) to amend and renew an existing license authorizing the export of radioactive waste to Canada. The NRC is providing notice of the opportunity to submit written comments, request a hearing, or a petition for leave to intervene on ESSI's application.