Nuclear Regulatory Commission January 2025 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Revision 4 to Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.32, "Criteria for Power Systems for Nuclear Power Plants," and new RG 1.238, "Criteria for the Protection of Class 1E Power Systems and Equipment for Nuclear Power Plants." RG 1.32, Revision 4, describes an acceptable approach for use in complying with NRC regulations for the design, operation, and testing of electric power systems in nuclear power plants. RG 1.238 describes an acceptable approach for use in complying with NRC regulations for protection of Class 1E power systems and equipment at nuclear power plants. The NRC is also withdrawing RG 1.41, "Preoperational Testing of Redundant On-Site Electric Power Systems to Verify Proper Load Group Assignments," since its guidance is incorporated into RG 1.32, Revision 4.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviewed an application by Cimarron Environmental Response Trust (CERT) for amendment of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) License No. SNM-928 which authorizes the possession of byproduct, source, and special nuclear material. This amendment incorporates CERT's proposed revised decommissioning plan into the license.

On December 6, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) solicited public comments on draft Supplement 15, Second Renewal, to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, NUREG-1437, regarding the subsequent renewal of Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-12 for an additional 20 years for Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (V.C. Summer). The public comment period closed on January 21, 2025. The NRC has rescheduled the in-person public meeting to receive comments on the document and is therefore reopening the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to submit their comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is soliciting public comment on its draft Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) "Content of Risk Assessment and Severe Accident Information in Light-Water Power Reactor Construction Permit Applications." This draft ISG clarifies the scope and depth of the NRC staff review of the content of risk assessment and severe accident information in a construction permit (CP) application for a light-water power reactor. The purpose of this draft ISG is to clarify existing guidance in NUREG-0800, "Standard Review Plan [SRP] for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants: LWR Edition (NUREG-0800, formerly issued as NUREG-75 087)," ("the SRP"; Ref. 1).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an Order prohibiting Mr. Huey, a former manager at Titan Inspections, Inc. (Titan), from participating in NRC-licensed activities for three years. This action is being taken because the NRC determined that Mr. Huey deliberately caused Titan to violate NRC requirements by directing a radiographer to perform radiography at a location within NRC jurisdiction without a second qualified individual being present. Such conduct violates NRC regulations, which prohibit any licensee or employee of a licensee from engaging in deliberate misconduct that causes or would have caused, if not detected, a licensee, to be in violation of any rule, regulation, order, or any term, condition, or limitation of any license issued by the Commission. The Order is effective upon issuance.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an exemption in response to a request dated November 27, 2024, from Tennessee Valley Authority. The exemption authorizes a one-time exemption for Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, to allow the use of the less restrictive work hour limitations described in NRC regulations for a 21-day period starting no earlier than January 6, 2025, and no later than January 31, 2025.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff accepted and docketed an application for the amendment of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) License No. SNM-2010, submitted by Louisiana Energy Services, LLC, dba Urenco USA dated August 29, 2024. The license amendment request (LAR) would authorize the applicant to modify the National Enrichment Facility, located in Eunice, New Mexico to increase the enrichment limit for the on-site recycling and support systems from 5.5 weight percent Uranium 235 (U-235) to less than 10.0 weight percent U-235 (LEU+), and would remove interim controls that were established by a prior license amendment for segregation and storage of LEU+- exposed components removed from production systems. Because this amendment request contains Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI), an order imposes procedures to obtain access to SUNSI and Safeguards Information (SGI) for contention preparation.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) staff will prepare a supplement to NUREG-1437, "Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants," Supplement 10, Second Renewal, "Regarding Subsequent License Renewal for Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Units 2 and 3," dated January 2020 (the final supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS)) in order to complete its evaluation of the environmental impacts of the subsequent license renewal (SLR) of Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-44 and DPR-56 for Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (Peach Bottom), Units 2 and 3, respectively. The supplement will address new information since the issuance of the final SEIS. A draft of the supplement will be issued for public comment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel 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. 14 and revisions to Amendment Nos. 0 through 13 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1031. Amendment No. 14 and revisions to Amendment Nos. 0 through 13 revise the certificate of compliance to add a revised method of evaluation for the non-mechanistic tipover accident, clarify in the technical specifications that damaged missing grid spacers only apply to pressurized-water reactor fuel assembles, clarify inlet and outlet vent blockage and surveillance requirements in limiting condition for operation 3.1.2 in Appendix A to the certificate of compliance and associated technical specification bases, and remove the reference to Type II Portland cement in the description of the certificate of compliance. The NRC is also correcting typographical errors in Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 11 to 13 and Amendment No. 14 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1031.