[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 24, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47251-47252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18071]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 52

[NRC-2017-0029]
RIN 3150-AJ98


NuScale Small Modular Reactor Design Certification

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On July 1, 2021, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 
issued for public comment proposed amendments to its regulations to 
certify the NuScale standard design for a small modular reactor. The 
public comment period was originally scheduled to close on August 30, 
2021. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period by an 
additional 45 days to allow more time for members of the public to 
develop and submit their comments.

DATES: The comment period for the document published on July 1, 2021 
(86 FR 34999) is extended. Comments should be filed no later than 
October 14, 2021. Comments received after this date will be considered, 
if it is practical to do so, but the Commission is able to ensure 
consideration only for comments received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods 
(unless the document published on July 1, 2021, describes a different 
method for submitting comments on a specific subject); however, the NRC 
encourages electronic comment submission through the Federal rulemaking 
website:
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-0029. Address 
questions about NRC Docket IDs to Dawn Forder; telephone: 301-415-3407; 
email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact the 
individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     Email comments to: [email protected]. If you do 
not receive an automatic email reply confirming receipt, then contact 
us at 301-415-1677.
    For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Andrukat, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-415-361, email: 
[email protected], and Carolyn Lauron, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation, telephone: 301-415-2736, email: [email protected]. 
Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2017-0029 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain 
publicly available information related to this action by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-0029.
     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, at 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 
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
     Attention: The Technical Library, which is located at Two 
White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, is 
open by appointment only. Interested parties may make appointments to 
examine documents by contacting the NRC Technical Library by email at 
[email protected] between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (ET), Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

B. Submitting Comments

    The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the 
Federal Rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov). Please 
include Docket ID NRC-2017-0029 in your comment submission.
    The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact 
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your 
comment submission. The NRC will post all comment submissions at 
https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the comment submissions 
into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their comment submission.

[[Page 47252]]

Your request should state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment 
submissions to remove such information before making the comment 
submissions available to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.

I. Discussion

    On July 1, 2021, the NRC solicited comments on the proposed NuScale 
small modular reactor design certification. The NRC proposed amendments 
to its regulations so that applicants or licensees intending to 
construct and operate a NuScale standard design may do so by 
referencing the design certification rule. The public comment period 
was originally scheduled to close on August 30, 2021.
    On July 27, 2021, the NRC received a public comment (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML21209A763) requesting that the comment period for the 
proposed rule be extended by an additional 90 days. The request states 
that due to the large volume of related documents that need to be 
reviewed, additional time is needed to submit comments. No specific 
basis was given for requesting an additional 90 days to prepare 
comments.
    The NRC seeks to ensure that the public has a reasonable 
opportunity to provide the NRC with comments on this proposed action. 
The NRC acknowledges that the rulemaking documents contain a 
significant amount of information. However, the NRC is also responsible 
for deciding whether to issue a design certification within a 
reasonable time. Accordingly, to balance these interests, the NRC has 
decided to extend the comment period for the proposed rule for an 
additional 45 days. A 45-day extension provides a reasonable 
opportunity for all stakeholders to review these documents and to 
develop informed comments on these documents, while not unduly delaying 
the NRC's final decision on the design certification.
    The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period for the 
proposed rule until October 14, 2021, to allow more time for members of 
the public to submit their comments.

    Dated: August 17, 2021.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Annette L. Vietti-Cook,
Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2021-18071 Filed 8-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P