[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55517-55520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8016]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Draft Regulatory Guides: Impending Issuance, Availability, and
Applicability to New Reactor Licensing
AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Issuance, Availability, and Applicability of Draft Regulatory
Guides for New Reactor Licensing.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is currently
reviewing and revising numerous guides in the agency's Regulatory Guide
(RG) Series. This series has been developed to describe and make
available to the public methods that are acceptable to the NRC staff
for implementing specific parts of the NRC's regulations, techniques
that the staff uses in evaluating specific problems or postulated
accidents, and data that the staff needs in its review of applications
for permits and licenses.
The proposed revisions do not constitute a backfit to any
previously issued staff position for existing nuclear power reactors.
The purpose of the ongoing revision of the NRC's RGs is to ensure that
prospective applicants have complete, accurate, and current guidance
for use in preparing early site permit (ESP), design certification
(DC), and combined license (COL) applications for proposed new
reactors. In particular, the NRC staff is focused on ensuring that the
agency's regulatory guidance is consistent with the rulemaking to
update Title 10, part 52, of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR
part 52), ``Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power
Plants.'' The proposed rule was
[[Page 55518]]
published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2006 (71 FR 12781).\1\
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\1\ This proposed rule superseded the Commission's previous
proposed rule, which was published in the Federal Register on July
3, 2003 (68 FR 40026).
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The NRC plans to issue for public comment drafts of the proposed
revised RGs guides as they are developed over the next several months.
The NRC staff will then address any stakeholder comments received
during the 45-day comment period, and any changes from the proposed
Part 52 rule that are adopted in the final rule, before issuing the
final guides for use by applicants by March 2007.
In addition, the NRC intends to apply its established regulatory
guidance (as set forth in established, new, and revised RGs) using a
consistent approach. In so doing, the staff will ensure that all new
reactor applications received in a given time are subjected to the same
appropriate level of scrutiny, based on the same regulatory guidance,
to implement regulatory requirements that protect the health and safety
of the public and the environment.
Discussion: The NRC regulates the siting, construction, and
operation of commercially owned nuclear power facilities in the United
States through a combination of regulatory requirements, licensing, and
oversight (including inspection). These activities enable the agency to
fulfill its mission to license and regulate the Nation's civilian use
of byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate
protection of public health and safety, promote the common defense and
security, and protect the environment.
In late 2000, the NRC became aware that some electric companies
were exploring the option of building new nuclear power plants in the
United States. As a result, in February 2001, the Commission issued a
staff requirements memorandum (SRM COMJSM-00-0003) directing the staff
to (1) assess its technical, licensing, and inspection capabilities, as
well as its readiness to review new license applications and inspect
new nuclear power plants; (2) examine the regulatory infrastructure for
10 CFR parts 50 and 52, as well as other applicable regulations; and
(3) identify any enhancements needed to ensure that the agency is
prepared to review ESP, DC, and COL applications for new nuclear power
plants.
In response to the Commission's SRM, the staff issued SECY-01-0188,
``Future Licensing and Inspection Readiness Assessment'' (FLIRA), in
October 2001. In addition, although the FLIRA stated that the staff
considers the agency's current regulatory infrastructure adequate to
support new reactor licensing, the staff has undertaken minor
infrastructure changes to make new licensing reviews more effective and
efficient, and to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden on future
applicants. The staff's ongoing review and revision of the NRC's RGs is
one significant aspect of these infrastructure changes.
Through the years, the NRC has established 10 broad divisions of
RGs, of which the following are the subject of the staff's ongoing
review and revision:
Division 1, Power Reactors
Division 4, Environmental and Siting
Division 8, Occupational Health
Of the select group of RGs that the NRC has identified as needing
review, to date, the staff is currently reviewing and revising the
following RGs and draft RGs (DG) to (1) ensure consistency with the
rulemaking to update 10 CFR part 52; (2) ensure coherence with NUREG-
0800, ``Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports
for Nuclear Power Plants,'' (SRP) which is also undergoing staff review
and revision; and (3) provide prospective applicants with complete,
accurate, and current guidance for use in preparing ESP, DC, and COL
applications for proposed new reactors:
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RG DG Title
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1.7..................................... DG-1117.................... Control of Combustible Gas Concentrations
in Containment Following a Loss-of-
Coolant Accident.
1.9..................................... DG-1172.................... Selection, Design, Qualification and
Testing of Emergency Diesel Generator
Units.
1.13.................................... DG-1162.................... Spent Fuel Storage Facility Design Basis.
1.20.................................... DG-1163.................... Comprehensive Vibration Assessment
Program for Reactor Internals During
Preoperational and Initial Startup
Testing.
1.23.................................... DG-1164.................... Onsite Meteorological Programs.
1.26.................................... DG-1152.................... Quality Group Classifications and
Standards for Water-, Steam-, and
Radioactive-Waste-Containing Components
of Nuclear Power Plants.
1.29.................................... DG-1156.................... Seismic Design Classification.
1.37.................................... DG-1165.................... Quality Assurance Requirements for
Cleaning of Fluid Systems and Associated
Components of Water-Cooled Nuclear Power
Plants.
1.57.................................... DG-1158.................... Design Limits and Loading Combinations
for Metal Primary Reactor Containment
System Components.
1.61.................................... DG-1157.................... Damping Values for Seismic Design of
Nuclear Power Plants.
1.68.................................... DG-1166.................... Initial Test Programs for Water-Cooled
Nuclear Power Plants.
1.71.................................... DG-1167.................... Welder Qualification for Areas of Limited
Accessibility.
1.76.................................... DG-1143.................... Design Basis Tornado for Nuclear Power
Plants.
1.92.................................... DG-1127.................... Combining Modal Responses and Spatial
Components in Seismic Response Analysis.
1.93.................................... DG-1153.................... Availability of Electric Power Sources.
1.97.................................... DG-1128.................... Instrumentation for Light-Water-Cooled
Nuclear Power Plants To Assess Plant and
Environs Conditions During and Following
an Accident.
1.112................................... DG-1160.................... Calculation of Releases of Radioactive
Materials in Gaseous and Liquid
Effluents from Light-Water-Cooled Power
Reactors.
1.124................................... DG-1168.................... Service Limits and Loading Combinations
for Class 1 Linear-Type Component
Supports.
1.128................................... DG-1154.................... Installation Design and Installation of
Large Lead Storage Batteries for Nuclear
Power Plants.
1.129................................... DG-1155.................... Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement of
Large Lead Storage Batteries for Nuclear
Power Plants.
1.130................................... DG-1169.................... Service Limits and Loading Combinations
for Class 1 Plate-and-Shell-Type
Component Supports.
[[Page 55519]]
1.136................................... DG-1159.................... Materials, Construction, and Testing of
Concrete Containments (Articles CC-1000,
-2000, and -4000 through -6000 of the
``Code for Concrete Reactor Vessels and
Containments'').
1.189................................... DG-1170.................... Fire Protection for Operating Nuclear
Power Plants.
1.196................................... DG-1171.................... Control Room Habitability at Light-Water
Nuclear Power Reactors.
1.200................................... DG-1161.................... An Approach for Determining the Technical
Adequacy of Probabilistic Risk
Assessment Results for Risk-Informed
Activities.
1.205................................... DG-1139.................... Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire
Protection for Existing Light-Water
Nuclear Power Plants.
4.15.................................... DG-4010.................... Quality Assurance for Radiological
Monitoring Programs (Normal Operations)--
Effluent Streams and the Environment.
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The staff is also currently developing the following new DGs to
provide prospective applicants with complete, accurate, and current
guidance for use in preparing ESP, DC, and COL applications for
proposed new reactors:
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DG Title
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DG-1142...................... Guidelines for Environmental
Qualification of Safety Related Computer-
Based Instrumentation and Control
Systems in Nuclear Power Plants .
DG-1144...................... Guidelines for Evaluating Fatigue
Analyses Incorporating the Life
Reduction of Metal Components Due to the
Effects of the Light Reactor Water
Environment for New Reactors.
DG-1145...................... Combined License Applications for Nuclear
Power Plants (LWR Edition).
DG-1146...................... Seismic Sources and Safe Shutdown
Earthquake Ground Control Motion.
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The NRC has recently finalized and published Revision 2 of RG 1.92
(July 2006), Revision 4 of RG 1.97 (July 2006), and RG 1.205 (June
2006). In addition, the NRC has already issued drafts of RG 1.7 (DG-
1117, August 2002), RG 1.76 (DG-1143, February 2006), RG 1.200 (DG-
1161, September 2006), DG-1144 (July 2006), and DG-1145 (September
2006) for public review and comment. The NRC plans to issue drafts of
the remaining proposed revised regulatory guides as they are developed
between September 2006 and December 2006. The NRC staff will then
address any stakeholder comments received during the 45-day comment
period, and any changes from the proposed Part 52 rule that are adopted
in the final rule, before issuing the final guides for use by
applicants by March 2007.
In addition, the NRC intends to apply its established regulatory
guidance (as set forth in established, new, and revised regulatory
guides) using a consistent approach. The staff will ensure that all new
reactor applications received in a given time are subjected to the same
appropriate level of scrutiny, based on the same regulatory guidance to
implement regulatory requirements that protect the public health and
safety and the environment. The staff has determined that existing and
revised regulatory guides listed previously will be finalized by March
2007, and uniformly applied (consistent with the staff guidance
provided in the SRP) to the ESP, DC, and COL applications that are
submitted.
Availability and Dates: The NRC will solicit comments on each new
or revised RG for a period of 45 days after each guide is made publicly
available through the following electronic distribution channels:
The NRC's Electronic Reading Room on the agency's public
Web site, under Draft Regulatory Guides in the Regulatory Guides
document collection, at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/.
The NRC's Agencywide Document Access and Management System
(ADAMS), at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/reading-rm/adams.html (using the
ADAMS accession number specified in the footer on the first page of
each regulatory guide)
The NRC's rulemaking Web site at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov
The footer on the first page of each draft regulatory guide will
specify the applicable comment date. Comments received after the
specified date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the
Commission is able to ensure consideration only of comments received on
or before the specified date. Please note that the NRC does not intend
to distribute printed copies of these Draft Regulatory Guides unless
specifically requested on an individual basis. Such requests for single
copies should be made in writing to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Reproduction and
Distribution Services Section; by e-mail to [email protected]; or by
fax to (301) 415-2289. Telephone requests cannot be accommodated. In
addition, the NRC does not intend to issue separate notices of issuance
and availability. Consequently, interested parties should regularly
peruse the electronic distribution channels listed previously to
identify newly released guides that are available for public comment.
Copies of each DG and other related publicly available documents,
including public comments received, can be viewed electronically on
computers in the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), which is located at
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, Room
O-1 F21, and is open to the public on Federal workdays from 7:45 a.m.
until 4:15 p.m. The PDR reproduction contractor will make copies of
documents for a fee. Selected documents, including public comments on
the DGs, can also be viewed and downloaded electronically via ADAMS and
the NRC's rulemaking Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/reading-rm/adams.html and http://ruleform.llnl.gov, respectively. If you do not
have access to ADAMS or if you encounter problems in accessing the
documents stored in ADAMS, contact the PDR Reference Staff at (800)
397-4209 or (301) 415-4737, or by e-mail to [email protected].
Comment Procedures: The NRC staff will solicit comments on each
proposed DG. Comments may be accompanied by relevant information or
supporting data. Please mention the DG number (DG-xxxx) in the subject
line of your comments. Comments submitted in writing or in electronic
form will be made available to the public in their entirety through
ADAMS. Personal information will not be removed from
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your comments. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Mail comments to Rules and Directives Branch, Office of
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001 (MS T-6 D59).
Hand-deliver comments to Rules and Directives Branch,
Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15
p.m. on Federal workdays.
Fax comments to Rules and Directives Branch, Office of
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, at (301) 415-5144.
E-mail comments to [email protected].
Submit comments via the NRC's rulemaking Web site at
http://ruleforum.llnl.gov.
Contact Information: The header on the first page of each DG will
specify the name and telephone number of the cognizant NRC staff
member. Comments and questions about our rulemaking Web site should be
addressed to Carol A. Gallagher at (301) 415-5905 or by e-mail to
[email protected]. Contact information for use in obtaining printed or
electronic copies of the proposed DGs is provided in the section on
Availability and Dates. Contact information for use in submitting
comments is provided in the section on Comment Procedures. Comments or
questions about the NRC's revision of regulatory guides to support new
reactor licensing should be addressed to Jimi T. Yerokun at (301) 415-
0585 or by e-mail to [email protected].
For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of September, 2006.
Farouk Eltawila,
Director, Division of Risk Assessment and Special Projects,Office of
Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 06-8016 Filed 9-21-06; 8:45 am]
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