Nuclear Regulatory Commission August 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 5, Occupational Dose Record for a Monitoring Period.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing this notice regarding the issuance of a final environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for its review and approval of the updated decommissioning funding plans (DFPs) submitted by independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) licensees for the ISFSIs listed in the ``Discussion'' section of this document.

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, ``NRC Forms 366, 366A, and 366B, Licensee Event Report.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a new Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.249 (Revision 0), ``Use of ARCON Methodology for Calculation of Accident-Related Offsite Atmospheric Dispersion Factors.'' This new RG describes an approach for reactor applicants and licensees for determining atmospheric relative concentration ([chi]/Q) values in support of modeling onsite releases to offsite boundaries from a design-basis accident. Also, this RG implements the methodology in RG 1.194, ``Atmospheric Relative Concentrations for Control Room Radiological Habitability Assessments at Nuclear Power Plants,'' for offsite dose locations at boundaries.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft report on the Level 3 Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) project; specifically, ``Volume 4: Overview of Reactor, At-Power, Level 1, 2, and 3 PRAs for Internal Fires, Seismic Events, and High Winds.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received an application for the renewal of Facility Operating License No. NPF-58, which authorizes Energy Harbor Nuclear Corp. (Energy Harbor or the applicant), doing business as Energy Harbor Nuclear Generation LLC., to operate Perry Nuclear Power Plant (PNPP), Unit 1. The renewed license would authorize the applicant to operate PNPP for an additional 20 years beyond the period specified in the current license. The current operating license for PNPP expires November 7, 2026.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations to incorporate by reference the 2021 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the 2022 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants, Division 1: OM Code: Section IST, for nuclear power plants. This action is in accordance with the NRC's policy to periodically update the regulations to incorporate by reference new editions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Codes and is intended to maintain the safety of nuclear power plants and to make NRC activities more effective and efficient. This amendment also incorporates editorial changes that do not change the technical information.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an exemption in response to a request dated June 30, 2022, as supplemented by letters dated September 13, 2022, and January 20 and May 5, 2023, from Southern Nuclear Operating Company to allow the use of lead test assemblies (LTAs) 7ST1, 7ST2, 7ST3, and 7ST4, each with four fuel rods with a maximum nominal Uranium 235 (U-235) enrichment of up to six percent by weight for up to two cycles of operation at Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 2, and to receive, inspect, and store the LTAs at Vogtle, Units 1 and 2.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this document to inform the public that, as of April 13, 2023, publicly available non-power production and utilization facilities (NPUFs) correspondence originating from the NRC Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities (DANU) will be transmitted by a digital communications platform, GovDelivery, as an electronic mail distribution system, to addressees and subscribers. This change does not affect the ability of any members of the public to obtain official agency records in the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted for docketing an application for standard design approval (SDA) of the US460 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design submitted by NuScale Power, LLC (NuScale). The NRC is requesting comment on the SDA application in accordance with NRC regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend 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 renew, for 40 years, the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1 through 8 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1025. The renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1 through 8 would revise the certificate of compliance's conditions and technical specifications to address aging management activities related to the structures, systems, and components important to safety of the dry storage system to ensure that these will maintain their intended functions during the period of extended storage operations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Source Material License No. SUA-1603 to Rare Element Resources, Inc. (RER, the licensee) for its possession, and storage of source material in a pilot project for the recovery of rare earth elements (REE). The pilot project, partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, is being conducted at a location in Upton, Wyoming to demonstrate the effectiveness of the licensee's proprietary process to recover rare earth element such as Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) and other rare earth oxides at high purity levels. The project is scheduled to operate for approximately one year, processing approximately 1000 tons of material. Waste generated as a result of processing will contain greater than 99 percent of the radioactive components and will be treated and solidified onsite and then shipped offsite to a licensed low level waste facility. The site will be decommissioned at the end of the pilot project.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) found pursuant to its regulations that the acceptance criteria in the combined license for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Unit 4 are met. Because of this action, operation of the facility is allowed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the license.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a notice that was published in the Federal Register (FR) on July 25, 2023, regarding submission of the renewal of an existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. This action is necessary to correct the number of anticipated responses and respondents to the information collection.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is considering approval of two amendment requests. The amendment requests are for Millstone Power Station, Unit 3. For each amendment request, the NRC proposes to determine that it involves no significant hazards consideration (NSHC). Because each 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 petition for leave to intervene.