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

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued exemptions in response to a request from Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC that would permit it, Holtec Indian Point 2, LLC, and Holtec Indian Point 3, LLC, to reduce certain emergency planning (EP) requirements. The exemptions eliminate the requirements to maintain an offsite radiological emergency preparedness plan and reduce the scope of onsite EP activities at the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 1, 2, and 3, collectively referred to as the Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC), based on the reduced risks of accidents that could result in an offsite radiological release at a decommissioning nuclear power reactor.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an exemption in response to a request from Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC that would permit it, Holtec Indian Point 2, LLC, and Holtec Indian Point 3, LLC, to reduce the required level of primary offsite liability insurance from $450 million to $100 million and to eliminate the requirement to carry secondary financial protection for the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 1, 2, and 3, collectively referred to as the Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC).

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 monthly 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.

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 the Palisades Nuclear Plant (Palisades). Specifically, Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC (HDI), one of the licensees of Palisades and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Holtec International (Holtec), requested an exemption on behalf of Holtec Palisades, LLC, the other Palisades licensee (hereinafter collectively referred to as the licensee) that would eliminate the requirements to maintain formal offsite radiological emergency plans, as well as reduce the scope of some of the onsite EP activities based on the reduced risks at Palisades, based on the submission of certifications for permanent cessation of operations and permanent removal of fuel from the reactor vessel at Palisades. However, requirements for an onsite radiological emergency plan and 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 an environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) associated with the proposed exemptions.

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 Emergency Access to Non-Federal and Regional Low-Level Waste Disposal Facilities.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is providing notice of the issuance of Construction Permit No. CPTR-6 to Kairos Power LLC (Kairos) and Record of Decision.

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, ``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) has discontinued Mississippi's Probationary period.

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, ``Grants and Cooperative Agreement Provisions.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Confirmatory Order to ProTechnics Division of Core Laboratories LP (ProTechnics) to document commitments made as part of a settlement agreement made between the NRC and ProTechnics following an alternative dispute resolution mediation session held on October 12, 2023. The mediation addressed six apparent violations involving ProTechnics' abandonment of well logging sources, compliance with disposal of effluents limits within the Gulf of Mexico, and compliance with NRC requirements for monitoring occupational radiation exposure. ProTechnics has committed to various measures intended to improve the effectiveness of its radiation safety program, develop better well logging source abandonment procedures, and to train its employees on occupational exposure limits and the proper use of dosimetry. The Confirmatory Order is effective upon issuance.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) and accompanying environmental assessment (EA) for a license amendment request from ProTechnics, a division of Core Laboratories LP (ProTechnics), byproduct material license no. 42-26928-01, to authorize discharge of well completion fluids containing very small amounts of short-lived radioactive tracers in offshore waters in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Based on the analysis in the EA, the NRC staff has concluded that there would be no significant impacts on the quality of the human environment from ProTechnics' proposed license amendment request, and therefore, a FONSI is appropriate.

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, ``Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted the request of Carbon Free Power Project, LLC (CFPP), and NuScale Power, LLC (NuScale), dated November 10, 2023, to withdraw a limited work authorization (LWA) application and an associated exemption request which had sought to conduct certain early construction activities at the CFPP site at the Idaho National Laboratory, near Idaho Falls, Idaho.