Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 This document is being withdrawn because the information in RG 5.61 is no longer needed.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.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received a petition for rulemaking from Thomas McKenna, dated June 1, 2020. The petitioner requests that the NRC revise its regulations so that protective actions implemented during a General Emergency at a nuclear power plant will most likely do more good than harm when the possible physical health effects of radiation exposure and protective actions are taken into consideration. The petition was docketed by the NRC on June 24, 2020, and has been assigned Docket No. PRM-50-123. The NRC is examining the issues raised in PRM-50-123 to determine whether they should be considered in rulemaking. The NRC is requesting public comment on this petition at this time.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on this proposed collection of information. The information collection is entitled NRC Form 446, ``Request for Approval of Official Foreign Travel By Non-Government Personnel.'' The information will be collected from non-government personnel who are not travelling under the authority of an existing contract but are traveling to a foreign country on behalf of the NRC on official business. Providing the information will be voluntary but if not provided, the request for approval of foreign travel may be denied.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft NUREG, NUREG/CR-7002, ``Criteria for Development of Evacuation Time Estimate Studies,'' Revision 1. This draft NUREG provides guidance to meet NRC requirements for development of evacuation time estimates (ETEs) to support emergency planning. This revision reflects the importance of various ETE model parameters based on the results of an applied research study on ETEs. The format and criteria provided in this document will support consistent application of the ETE methodology and will facilitate consistent NRC review of ETE studies. The NRC is soliciting public comment on the contemplated action and invites stakeholders and interested persons to participate. The NRC plans to hold a public meeting to promote full understanding of the contemplated action and facilitate public comment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR- 24, issued to NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC, for operation of the Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Unit 1. The proposed amendment would modify renewed facility operating license condition 4.I, ``Containment Building Construction Truss,'' by extending elements of the license condition on a one-time basis for another 18 months to the spring of 2022. The one-time extension is requested due to unforeseen issues as a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 public health emergency.

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 July 28, 2020, to August 10, 2020. The last biweekly notice was published on August 11, 2020.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently submitted a renewal of an existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The information collection is entitled, NRC Form 5, ``Occupational Dose Record for a Monitoring Period.''

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, ``Material Control and Accounting of Special Nuclear Material.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the issuance of amendments to Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-37 and NPF-66, issued to Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon, or the licensee) for operation of Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2. The proposed amendments would revise technical specification requirements to provide a one-time extension for Byron Station, Unit No. 2 steam generator (SG) tube inspections. The amendments are necessary to avoid conflicts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations regarding social distancing to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus. For this amendment request, the NRC proposes to determine that it involves no significant hazards consideration. Because this amendment request contains sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI), an order imposes procedures to obtain access to SUNSI for contention preparation.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1363, ``Setpoints for Safety-Related Instrumentation.'' This DG is proposed Revision 4 of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.105. The proposed revision describes an approach that is acceptable to the staff of the NRC to meet regulatory requirements ensuring that setpoints for safety related instrumentation are established and maintained within the technical specification limits. This proposed guide has been revised to incorporate additional information regarding American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ International Society of Automation (ISA) Standard 67.04.01-2018, ``Setpoints for Nuclear Safety Related Instrumentation,'' since revision 3 of RG 1.105 was issued.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for renewal of an existing information collection in order for the United States to fulfill its responsibilities as a participant in the U.S./International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards Agreement. The information collection is entitled, ``IAEA Design Information Questionnaire.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1370, ``Fire Protection Program for Nuclear Power Plants During Decommissioning.'' This proposed revision of the guide (Revision 1) addresses new information identified since Revision 0 of this guide was issued. The guidance in Revision 0 of the regulatory guide (RG) does not include guidance for plants that have transitioned to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 805, ``Performance-Based Standard for Fire Protection for Light Water Reactor Electric Generating Plants,'' 2001 Edition. This guide is being revised to include guidance for plants that have transitioned to NFPA 805, 2001 Edition.