[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 35837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14364]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2020-0266]


Replacement Energy Cost Estimates for Nuclear Power Plants: 2020-
2030

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: NUREG; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing NUREG-
2242, ``Replacement Energy Cost Estimates for Nuclear Power Plants: 
2020-2030.'' This report updates previous estimates of replacement 
energy costs for potential shutdowns of U.S. nuclear electricity-
generating units due to a temporary power reactor outage to implement 
safety modifications or the loss of generation associated with a 
possible severe reactor accident. The final NUREG largely, is unchanged 
from the draft issued for public comment but has been revised to 
reflect the recent change to retirement dates for Byron Units 1 and 2, 
and Dresden Units 2 and 3.

DATES: NUREG-2242 is available on July 7, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2020-0266 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 Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0266. Address 
questions about Docket IDs to Stacy Schumann; telephone: 301-415-0624; 
email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact the 
individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS 
Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public 
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or 
by email to [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for each 
document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first 
time that it is mentioned in this document.
     Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies 
of public documents, is currently closed. You may submit your request 
to the PDR via email at [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 
301-415-4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Noto, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-6795, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Discussion

    The NRC has developed new replacement energy cost estimates for 
both short and long-term nuclear power plant outages. This NUREG-2242, 
``Replacement Energy Cost Estimates for Nuclear Power Plants: 2020-
2030'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML21174A176), updates and replaces the 
replacement energy cost estimate information in NUREG/CR-4012, Volume 
4, ``Replacement Energy Costs for Nuclear Electricity-Generating Units 
in the United States: 1997-2001,'' and NUREG/CR-6080, ``Replacement 
Energy, Capacity, and Reliability Costs for Permanent Nuclear Reactor 
Shutdowns'' (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML20073J435 and ML20076F500).
    This report provides replacement energy costs that have been 
estimated for the U.S. electricity wholesale market regions with 
nuclear electricity-generating units, over the 2020-2030 period. These 
estimates were developed to assist the NRC in evaluating proposed 
regulatory actions that (1) require safety modifications that might 
necessitate temporary reactor outages and (2) reduce the potential for 
extended outages resulting from a severe reactor accident. Estimates 
were calculated using ABB's PROMOD model and ICF's Integrated Planning 
Model for North America. The models simulate dispatching a collection 
of generating units in merit order (i.e., lowest to highest incremental 
cost of dispatch) until the regional power demand is met. Each 
generating unit is characterized by the technology and fuel it uses to 
generate electricity, the unit's heat rate, and the variable and fixed 
costs incurred in owning and operating the unit. To estimate the 
replacement energy cost, the report models a Reference Case, in which 
all operational nuclear power plants are generating, and an Alternative 
Case, in which a nuclear generating unit is taken offline so that the 
next unit in merit order is dispatched to replace the lost generation. 
The difference in market clearing prices between the two cases is the 
replacement energy cost.
    The resulting wholesale power price projections capture the 
dynamics and economics of the U.S. electricity markets that provide 
short and long-term replacement energy cost estimates on a market area 
basis. Factors that affect replacement energy costs include load 
growth, replacement sources of generation, fuel prices, air emission 
requirement outlooks and seasonal variations.

II. Public Outreach

    Following development of the updated report, the NRC posted the 
draft NUREG-2242 to the Federal Rulemaking website at https://www.regulations.gov for a 60-day public comment period (85 FR 82528; 
December 18, 2020). The comment period closed on February 16, 2021. The 
NRC received no comments on the draft NUREG. The NRC staff held a 
Category 3 public meeting on November 18, 2020 to discuss the updated 
replacement energy cost estimates. The NRC presentation can be found in 
ADAMS under Accession No. ML20322A003, and the meeting summary can be 
found in ADAMS under Accession No. ML20336A181.

III. Backfitting, Forward Fitting, and Issue Finality

    The NRC's issuance and use of this report do not constitute 
backfitting as that term is defined in Section 50.109 of title 10 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Backfitting,'' and as 
described in NRC Management Directive (MD) 8.4, ``Management of 
Backfitting, Forward Fitting, Issue Finality, and Information 
Requests''; do not affect the issue finality of an approval under 10 
CFR part 52, ``Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear 
Power Plants'' and do not constitute forward fitting as that term is 
defined and described in MD 8.4.

    Dated: June 30, 2021.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kevin A. Coyne,
Deputy Director, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial 
Support.
[FR Doc. 2021-14364 Filed 7-6-21; 8:45 am]
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