Nuclear Regulatory Commission July 22, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On May 8, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued for public comment a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Interim Storage Partners' (ISP's) license application to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and Greater-Than Class C (GTCC) waste, along with a small quantity of mixed oxide fuel. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on September 4, 2020. Given recent events associated with the COVID-19 public health emergency, the NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of July 27, 2020, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 2020. The direct final rule amends the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM Flood/Wind Multipurpose Canister Storage System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 5 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1032. Amendment No. 5 revises the certificate of compliance to: Add new heat load patterns and revise the minimum required cooling time for two multipurpose canisters (MPC-89 and MPC-37); add new fuel types to the approved contents; allow an exception to a code to permit use of certain duplex stainless steels; use an analysis model to revise the calculation for evaluating effective fuel conductivities; add the use of the damaged fuel isolator; add two versions of the standard variable weight transfer cask; add the option of using cyclic vacuum drying; and make changes to the final safety analysis report to add new types of fuel assemblies, add a definition to it and to the certificate of compliance, and add the required shielding evaluation to Section 5.4.8. In addition, Amendment No. 5 makes several clarifications and minor changes.