[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 247 (Monday, December 23, 1996)] [Notices] [Page 67584] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-32489] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Project No. 697] Notice of Receipt of DOE Topical Report on Tritium Producing Burnable Poison Rod Lead Test Assemblies In order to maintain the strategic stockpile, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the use of commercial light water reactors to produce tritium. On December 4, 1996, DOE submitted a topical report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) entitled, ``Report on the Evaluation of the Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rod Lead Test Assembly,'' intended to demonstrate that the use of a commercial light-water reactor to irradiate a limited number of lithium burnable poison rods in lead test assemblies (LTAs) does not raise generic issues involving an unreviewed safety question. The NRC staff will prepare a safety evaluation on the DOE report to address, on a preliminary basis, the acceptability of licensees undertaking irradiation of the LTAs under the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59. Upon completion of its evaluation, the staff will present its conclusions to the Commission prior to issuance. The staff plans to hold public meetings to provide for public comment regarding the technical issues early in the evaluation process. In addition, the staff plans to hold a public meeting in the vicinity of the host reactor prior to loading the LTAs into the reactor. The date and location of the meetings will be announced later. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J.H. Wilson at (301) 415-1108. For further details with respect to this action, see the DOE topical report submitted by letter dated December 4, 1996, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of December, 1996. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. David B. Matthews, Acting Director, Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 96-32489 Filed 12-20-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P