[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43645-43646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15868]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-369 and 50-370; NRC-2016-0049]


Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 
2; Alternative to the Physical Inventory Requirements for Movable In-
Core Detectors

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Exemption; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an 
exemption for Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-9 and NPF-17, 
issued to Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (the licensee) that would allow an 
alternative to the physical inventory requirements for movable in-core 
detectors for the McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (McGuire), 
located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

DATES: July 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0049 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2016-0049. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
    The exemption is being withheld from public disclosure pursuant 
section 2.390 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), 
because it contains official use only security-related information. A 
non-sensitive summary of the exemption is included in this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: G. Edward Miller, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2481, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the holder of Renewed Facility 
Operating License Nos. NPF-9 and NPF-17, which authorize operation of 
McGuire. The license provides, among other things, that the facility is 
subject to all rules,

[[Page 43646]]

regulations, and orders of the NRC now or hereafter in effect. The 
facility consists of two pressurized-water reactors located in 
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

II. Request/Action

    The regulation in 10 CFR 74.19, ``Recordkeeping,'' identifies 
recordkeeping requirements applicable to special nuclear material 
(SNM), and 10 CFR 74.19(c) requires, in part, that, ``each licensee who 
is authorized to possess special nuclear material, at any one time and 
site location, in a quantity greater than 350 grams of contained 
uranium-235, uranium-233, or plutonium, or any combination thereof, 
shall conduct a physical inventory of all special nuclear material in 
its possession under license at intervals not to exceed 12 months.''
    The licensee requested an exemption from certain recordkeeping 
requirements in 10 CFR 74.19(c). The exemption would allow the licensee 
to seek relief from the physical inventory requirements only for 
movable incore nuclear detectors that have been removed from service 
and stored in a location that is not readily accessible and is subject 
to security modifications. The purpose of this request for exemption is 
to allow an alternative to the physical inventory-taking practices for 
these non-fuel SNM incore detectors.

III. Discussion

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 74.7, ``Specific exemptions,'' the Commission 
may, upon application of any interested person or upon its own 
initiative, grant exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 74 
when the exemptions are authorized by law and will not endanger life or 
property or the common defense and security, and are otherwise in the 
public interest.

The Exemption Is Authorized by Law

    This exemption allows the licensee to have an alternative to the 
physical inventory requirements of 10 CFR 74.19(c) only for movable 
incore nuclear detectors that have been removed from service. The NRC 
staff has determined that granting the licensee's proposed exemption 
pursuant to 10 CFR 74.7 will not result in a violation of the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or the Commission's regulations. 
Therefore, the exemption is authorized by law.

The Exemption Presents No Undue Risk to Public Health and Safety

    The underlying purpose of 10 CFR 74.19(c) is to ensure SNM is 
properly accounted for, appropriately secured, and that authorities are 
informed of any theft, diversion, or loss. Based on the information 
provided, no new accident precursors are created by the description of 
actions the licensee has provided concerning the physical inventory for 
the incore nuclear detectors. Thus, the probability of postulated 
accidents is not increased. Also, the consequences of postulated 
accidents are not increased. Therefore, there is no undue risk to 
public health and safety.

The Exemption Is Consistent With the Common Defense and Security

    The proposed exemption would allow the licensee to address the 
physical inventory of the non-fuel SNM. The licensee indicated that the 
overall alternative approach will continue to meet the intent of the 
physical inventory requirements of 10 CFR 74.19(c). Therefore, the 
common defense and security are not impacted by this exemption.

IV. Conclusion

    Accordingly, the Commission has determined that pursuant to 10 CFR 
74.7, the exemption is authorized by law, will not present an undue 
risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with the common 
defense and security. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants Duke 
Energy Carolinas, LLC an exemption from the physical inventory 
requirements of 10 CFR 74.19(c) for McGuire.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, ``Finding of no significant impact,'' the 
Commission has determined that the granting of this exemption will not 
have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment as 
published in the Federal Register on March 8, 2016 (81 FR 12132).
    The exemption is effective upon issuance.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of June, 2016.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Anne T. Boland,
Director, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2016-15868 Filed 7-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P