[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8065-8066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02286]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Parts 50 and 52

[NRC-2022-2015]


Interim Staff Guidance: Material Compatibility for Non-Light 
Water Reactors

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Final guidance; issuance.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing 
Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) DANU-ISG-2023-01 ``Material Compatibility 
for non-Light Water Reactors.'' The purpose of this ISG is to assist 
the NRC staff in reviewing certain applications for construction and 
operation of non-light water reactor designs, including power and non-
power reactors.

DATES: This guidance is effective on February 6, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2022-2015 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-2022-2015. Address 
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; 
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. For technical 
questions, contact the individuals 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, 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.
     NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies 
of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an 
appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to 
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 
a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meg Audrain, telephone: 301-415-2133; 
email: [email protected] and Rebecca Ober, telephone: 301-287-
9299; email: [email protected]. Both are staff of the Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    As part of its review of non-light-water reactor applications, the 
NRC determines whether materials proposed to be used will allow 
components to fulfill design requirements for the design life, or that 
adequate surveillance and monitoring programs are in place. The NRC 
regulations in part 50 and part 52 of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR) include requirements for material qualification 
and performance monitoring. The NRC endorsed American Society of 
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Section III, Division 5, ``High 
Temperature Reactors'' (Section III-5), with conditions, in Revision 2 
of Regulatory Guide 1.87, ``Acceptability of ASME Code, Section III, 
Division 5, `High Temperature Reactors,' '' (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML22101A263).

II. Discussion

    The purpose of this ISG, ``Material Compatibility for Non-Light 
Water Reactors, DANU-ISG-2023-01'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML23188A178), 
is to aid the NRC staff reviewing non-light-water reactor applications 
for a construction permit or operating license under 10 CFR part 50 or 
for a design certification, combined license,

[[Page 8066]]

standard design approval, or manufacturing license under 10 CFR part 52 
that propose to use materials allowed under Section III-5. Section III-
5 specifies the mechanical properties and allowable stresses to be used 
for design of components in high temperature reactors. Because Section 
III-5 states that it does not provide methods to evaluate deterioration 
that may occur in service as a result of corrosion, mass transfer 
phenomena, radiation effects, or other material instabilities, this ISG 
identifies information that the NRC staff should consider as part of 
its review of a non-light-water reactor application to review 
applicable design requirements, including qualification and monitoring 
programs for safety-significant structures, systems, and components.

III. Additional Information

    Draft DANU-ISG-2023-01 ``Material Compatibility for Non-Light Water 
Reactors'' was published in the Federal Register for public comment on 
March 7, 2023, (88 FR 14186) with a 60-day comment period. The NRC 
received fifteen public comments from private citizens and industry 
organizations. The NRC staff's evaluation and resolution of the public 
comments are documented in Appendix A to the ISG in ADAMS under 
Accession No. ML23188A178.

IV. Congressional Review Act

    DANU-ISG-2023-01 ``Material Compatibility for Non-Light Water 
Reactors'' is a rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act (5 
U.S.C. 801-808). However, the Office of Management and Budget has not 
found it to be a major rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act.

    Dated: January 31, 2024.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Steven T. Lynch,
Chief, Advanced Reactor Policy Branch, Division of Advanced Reactors 
and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2024-02286 Filed 2-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P