Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is considering approval of two amendment requests. The amendment requests are for Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; and Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. For each amendment request, the NRC proposes to determine that they involve no significant hazards consideration. Because each 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 considering an exemption request from Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGC) to allow the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (CCNPP) to load spent fuel with a larger pellet diameter than is authorized in the Holtec International, Inc. (Holtec) HI-STORM FW storage system in Certificate of Compliance No. 1032, Amendment No. 1, Revision 1. The NRC prepared an environmental assessment (EA) documenting its finding. The NRC concluded that the proposed action would have no significant environmental impact. Accordingly, the NRC staff is issuing a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) associated with the proposed exemption.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting an exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and is issuing License Amendment Nos. 181 and 180 to Combined Licenses (COLs), NPF-91 and NPF-92, respectively. The COLs were issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (collectively SNC); for construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia. The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 information asked for in the amendment. Because the acceptability of the exemption was determined in part by the acceptability of the amendment, the exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is discontinuing proposed Draft Regulatory Guide (DG), DG-5033, ``Security Performance (Adversary) Characteristics for Physical Security Programs for 10 CFR Part 72 Licensees.'' This DG was intended to support a new rule that would contain security requirements for Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSIs). Because the scope of the rulemaking has changed and the rule will no longer include the new requirements that DG-5033 was intended to support, the staff is discontinuing development of DG- 5033.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a partial exemption in response to a July 12, 2019, request from Exelon Generation Company, LLC (the licensee). The issuance of the exemption grants the licensee a partial exemption from regulations that require the retention of records for certain systems, structures, and components associated with Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1, until the termination of its operating license.

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, ``Standard Specification for the Granting of Patent Licenses.' ''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted the request of Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy, the licensee) to withdraw its application dated March 23, 2020, for a proposed amendment to River Bend Station, Unit 1 (River Bend), Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-47. The proposed amendment would have extended the implementation date for Amendment No. 197 to upgrade the River Bend Emergency Action Level scheme based on Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) 99-01, Revision 6, ``Development of Emergency Action Levels for Non- Passive Reactors,'' from May 13, 2020, to September 30, 2020, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting impact on the station.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received a petition for rulemaking from John G. Parillo dated November 23, 2019, requesting that the NRC develop a voluntary rule allowing licensees to adopt revised design basis accident dose acceptance criteria that reflect modern health physics recommendations and modern plant designs, that better balance the protection of the control room operator and of the public, and that relieve the regulatory burden associated with meeting the current control room dose criterion. The petition was docketed by the NRC on February 19, 2020, and has been assigned Docket No. PRM-50-121. The NRC is examining the issues raised in PRM-50-121 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) has issued a partial exemption in response to a January 16, 2020, request from NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC (the licensee or NEDA). The issuance of the exemption grants NEDA a partial exemption from regulations that require the retention of records for certain systems, structures, and components associated with the Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC) until the termination of the DAEC operating license.

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, 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 April 21, 2020, to May 4, 2020. The last biweekly notice was published on May 5, 2020.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has determined that specified inspections, tests, and analyses have been successfully completed, and that specified acceptance criteria are met for the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Units 3 and 4.

On March 23, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued for public comment draft NUREG-1409, ``Backfitting Guidelines,'' Revision 1. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on May 22, 2020. In recognition of the impacts of the current COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) across the nation, the NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently submitted a request for emergency processing to OMB for approval. OMB approved the information collection under approval number 3150-0018. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on our request for emergency review for and OMB approval of the information collection that is summarized below. The information collection is entitled, ``Part 55 Exemption Request and Part 55 Research and Test Reactor Exemption Request Online Forms.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its 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. These changes are discussed in more detail in the ``Discussion of Changes'' section of this direct final rule.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations to include new alternative emergency preparedness (EP) requirements for small modular reactors (SMRs) and other new technologies (ONTs), such as non-light-water reactors (non-LWRs) and certain non-power production or utilization facilities (NPUFs). The new EP requirements would acknowledge technological advancements and other differences from large LWRs that are inherent in SMRs and ONTs. Concurrently, the NRC is issuing for public comment draft Regulatory Guide (DG), DG-1350, ``Performance-Based Emergency Preparedness for Small Modular Reactors, Non-Light-Water Reactors, and Non-power Production or Utilization Facilities.'' The NRC plans to hold a public meeting to promote full understanding of the proposed rule and guidance and to facilitate public comment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing License Amendment No. 178 for Unit 3 and No. 177 for Unit 4 to Combined Licenses (COLs), NPF-91 and NPF-92. The COLs were issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., and Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, MEAG Power SPVM, LLC, MEAG Power SPVJ, LLC, MEAG Power SPVP, LLC, and the City of Dalton, Georgia (collectively, the licensees, for which SNC has the authority to represent the licensees), for construction and operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) Units 3 and 4, located in Burke County, Georgia.

On April 9, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) extended the comment period on a proposed interpretation of its low- level radioactive waste disposal regulations that would permit licensees to dispose of waste by transfer to persons who hold specific exemptions for the purpose of disposal. The public comment period now closes on July 20, 2020. The NRC has decided to provide an additional method for members of the public to submit their comments via an email address established for this purpose.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft regulatory guide (DG) DG-1321, ``Guidance for Changes During Construction for New Nuclear Power Plants Licenses Under 10 CFR Part 52.'' This DG proposes new guidance that the NRC staff consider acceptable for implementation of a process for making changes to the design of structures, systems, and components of a facility being constructed under a combined license. The staff is also seeking input on whether to incorporate guidance on two issues into DG-1321: The continued viability of an existing process for treating changes during construction, i.e., the preliminary amendment request process and the timing and review of license amendment requests submitted after the Commission publishes a Notice of Intended Operations.

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, 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 approximately April 7, 2020, to April 20, 2020. The last biweekly notice was published on April 21, 2020.

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 749, Manual License Verification Report/License Verfication System.''

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.''

On March 31, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) solicited comments on a draft regulatory issue summary (RIS) to reinforce the existing requirement that prior to granting or reinstating unescorted access (UA), or certifying unescorted access authorization (UAA) to non-immigrant foreign nationals for the purpose of performing work, licensees shall take reasonable steps to access reliable, independent sources of information, in addition to the information provided by the applicant, to verify the applicant's claimed non-immigration status. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on April 30, 2020. 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 amending its 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. 4 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1032. Amendment No. 4 revises the certificate of compliance to: Add multipurpose canister (MPC)-32ML for storage and allow the fuel assembly class 16x16D as content for MPC-32ML; add the fuel assembly class 16X16E as content for MPC-37; and make changes to the final safety analysis report to separate the design pressure for the short-term operation from the off-normal condition (to provide clarity in Table 2.2.1), add cautionary notes to Sections 9.2.1 and 9.2.3, update a definition, and replace a test program. These changes are discussed in more detail in the ``Discussion of Changes'' section of this direct final rule.