Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Cask System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to renew, for an additional 40 years, the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008. The renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 revises the certificate of compliance's conditions and technical specifications to address aging management activities related to the structures, systems, and components of the dry storage system to ensure that these will maintain their intended functions during the period of extended storage operations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted the request of Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon, the licensee) to withdraw its application dated October 29, 2020, for proposed amendments to Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-19 and DPR-25 for Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3 (Dresden), respectively. The proposed amendments would have made changes to the Dresden licenses and technical specifications (TSs) to reflect the permanent cessation of reactor operations and permanent defueling of the reactors.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted the request of Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon, the licensee) to withdraw its application dated November 2, 2020, for proposed amendments to Amended Facility Operating License No. DPR-2 and Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-19 and DPR-25 for Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 (Dresden), respectively, and the general license for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The proposed amendments would have revised the Dresden emergency plan following the permanent cessation of power operations to reflect the post-shutdown and permanently defueled condition of the units.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an Order suspending the general license authority under NRC regulations to export radioactive material and deuterium to China General Nuclear (CGN), CGN subsidiaries, or related entities.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of October 19, 2021, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on August 5, 2021. This direct final rule amended the NAC International NAC-UMS[supreg] Universal Storage System listing in the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 8 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1015. Amendment No. 8 revises the certificate of compliance to add the storage of damaged boiling-water reactor spent fuel, including higher enrichment and higher burnup spent fuel; change the allowable fuel burnup range; expand the boiling-water reactor class 5 fuel inventory that could be stored in the cask; and revise definitions in the technical specifications.

On July 30, 2021, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC's (WEC's) license renewal application to continue to operate its Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility (CFFF) for an additional 40 years. The public comment period for the draft EIS opened on August 6 and closed on September 20, 2021. The NRC has decided to re-open the public comment period until November 19, 2021 to allow more time for the public to submit comments. The CFFF is located in Hopkins, South Carolina, and manufactures nuclear fuel assemblies for commercial nuclear power plants. The WEC's license renewal request, if granted as proposed, would allow the CFFF to continue to be a source of nuclear fuel for commercial nuclear power plants for 40 years from the date the NRC approves the renewal.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment to Construction Permit No. CPMIF-001, issued to SHINE Medical Technologies, LLC, for the construction of the SHINE Medical Isotope Production Facility. The proposed amendment would allow the receipt and possession of certain radioactive materials necessary for the continued construction of the SHINE Medical Isotope Production Facility. 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 revision 3 of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.21, ``Measuring, Evaluating, and Reporting Radioactive Material in Liquid and Gaseous Effluents and Solid Waste.'' The revision of RG describes an approach that is acceptable to the staff of the NRC to meet regulatory requirements for; (1) measuring, evaluating, and reporting plant related radioactivity in effluents and solid radioactive waste shipments from NRC licensed facilities, and (2) assessing and reporting the public dose to demonstrate compliance with NRC regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on this proposed information collection. The information collection is entitled, ``NRC Insider Threat Program for Licensees and Others Requiring Access to Classified Information.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to update the design to reflect changes provided by Westinghouse Electric Company LLC and to extend the duration of the AP1000 design certification for an additional 5 years. The NRC is also issuing an environmental assessment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing NUREG- 1021, Revision 12, ``Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is considering issuing an export license (XW029) requested by Perma-Fix Northwest Richland, Inc. (PFNW). On July 2, 2021, PFNW filed an application with the NRC for a license authorizing the export of low- level radioactive waste to BWXT Medical, Ltd., Canada. The NRC is providing notice of the opportunity to comment, request a hearing, and petition to intervene on PFNW's application.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued one exemption in August 2021 in response to a request from one licensee for relief due to the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE). The exemption affords the licensee temporary relief from certain requirements under NRC regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a notice that was published in the Federal Register (FR) on September 7, 2021, regarding the issuance of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.243, ``Safety- Related Steel Structures and Steel-Plate Composite Walls for other than Reactor Vessels and Containments.'' This action is necessary to correct the NRC Docket ID in the notice title and the ADDRESSES section and to correct a date in the Additional Information section.

On July 9, 2021, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested comments as part of its systematic review for how NRC programs, policies, and activities address environmental justice. Specifically, the NRC requested input on how the agency is addressing environmental justice, considering the agency's mission and statutory authority. The information will be used to inform the agency's assessment of how it addresses environmental justice. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on August 23, 2021 and was extended to September 22, 2021. 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) 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. The NRC staff is also rescinding a prior determination of the successful completion of particular inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) for VEGP Units 3 and 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 12 months beyond its current September 24, 2021, expiration date.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.243, ``Safety-Related Steel Structures and Steel-Plate Composite Walls for Other Than Reactor Vessels and Containments.'' RG 1.243 is a new guide that proposes guidance to meet regulatory requirements for safety-related steel structures and steel plate composite walls for other than reactor vessels and containments by endorsing with exceptions, the 2018 edition of ANSI/ANS N690-2018, ``Specification for Safety-Related Steel Structures for Nuclear Facilities.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is considering approval of two amendment requests. The amendment requests are for Florida Power & Light Co., Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 3 and 4 and Tennessee Valley Authority, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3. For each amendment request, the NRC proposes to determine that they involve no significant hazards consideration (NSHC). Because each amendment request contains sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI), an order imposes procedures to obtain access to SUNSI for contention preparation by persons who file a hearing request or petition for leave to intervene.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment and exemption to Combined Licenses (COL) NPF- 91 and NPF-92, issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC), 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 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an exemption in response to a September 28, 2020, request from Exelon Generation Company, LLC. The exemption allows either a licensed senior operator or a certified fuel handler to approve the emergency suspension of security measures for Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 during certain emergency conditions or during severe weather after both the certification of permanent cessation of operations and the certification of permanent fuel removal have been docketed for the facility.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI) on October 4, 2021. A sample of agenda items to be discussed during the public session includes: (1) A discussion of the ACMUI's review and analysis of medical events from fiscal years 2017 to 2020; (2) a discussion of the ACMUI's subcommittee report on radionuclide generator knowledge and practice requirements; (3) a discussion of the ACMUI's subcommittee report on emerging radiopharmaceutical therapy knowledge requirements in theranostics; (4) a discussion on production challenges for therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals; and (5) a discussion on the future of personalized dosimetry. The agenda is subject to change. The current agenda and any updates will be available on the ACMUI's Meetings and Related Documents web page at https://www.nrc.gov/ reading-rm/doc-collections/acmui/meetings/2021.html or by emailing Ms. Kellee Jamerson at the contact information below. Purpose: Discuss issues related to 10 CFR part 35 Medical Use of Byproduct Material. Date and Time for Open Session: October 4, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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 7, ``Application for NRC Export/Import License, Amendment, Renewal or Consent Request(s).''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on August 9, 2021. The rule amended NRC's regulations to make miscellaneous corrections, remove outdated reporting requirements, clarify language, add metric units, and insert missing language. This action is necessary to correct inadvertent errors in the final rule.