ML25057A285
| ML25057A285 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/26/2025 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NRC-2023-0071, RIN 3150-AL00, LTR-25-0054-1 | |
| Download: ML25057A285 (1) | |
Text
Fusion Machine -
Rulemaking Government to Government Meeting February 27, 2025 Slides: ML25057A285
Fusion Machine - Proposed Rule
- Proposed Rule (SECY-24-0085) was submitted December 11, 2024 to the Commission for their review (ML24019A060 - Package)
- Enclosure 5 (of SECY-24-0085) discusses particle accelerator definition options considered by the NRC staff (ML24019A063) 2 ML25057A285 Fusion Machine - Draft Proposed Rule
Recent Stakeholder Correspondence -
Regarding Particle Accelerator Definition
- Letter from OAS Board to NRC Commission, dated February 3, 2025. Discusses particle accelerator definition preference. (ML25037A248)
- Letter from OAS to MSST Director, dated February 19, 2025. Contains OAS survey results regarding Enclosure 5 options.
- To date, the NRC is not aware of any concrete adverse impacts for moving forward with the current definition (i.e., option 1b) or with moving forward with the industrys definition (i.e.,
option 2)
Note: the NRC staff does not view this issue (particle accelerator wording) as a safety or security issue. Rather this is a regulatory clarity issue.
3 ML25057A285 Fusion Machine - Draft Proposed Rule
SECY-24-0085, Enclosure 5:
Particle Accelerator Definition Options
- Option 1a.: [Exclude] fusion machine from the term particle accelerator as discussed at the August 14, 2024, public meeting (For the purposes of this part, the term particle accelerator does not include fusion machines.)
- Option 1b.: [Distinguish] fusion machine from the term particle accelerator as described in the proposed rule (e.g., For the purposes of this part, the term particle accelerator refers only to particle accelerators that are not fusion machines.)
- Option 1c.: Move exclusion from the particle accelerator definition to the definition of fusion machine (e.g., In this part, fusion machines are not subject to the requirements for other types of particle accelerators.)
4 ML25057A285 Fusion Machine - Draft Proposed Rule
SECY-24-0085, Enclosure 5:
Particle Accelerator Definition Options
- Option 2: Include fusion machines in the existing regulatory definition of particle accelerator (e.g., Particle accelerator means any machine capable of accelerating electrons, protons, deuterons, or other charged particles in a vacuum and of discharging the resultant particulate or other radiation into a medium at energies usually in excess of 1 megaelectron volt, including fusion machines. For purposes of this definition, accelerator is an equivalent term.)
- Option 3: No change to existing particle accelerator definition, regulations, or guidance and make the distinction between fusion machines and other particle accelerators as an interpretation of the existing regulations and guidance 5
ML25057A285 Fusion Machine - Draft Proposed Rule
Milestones December 11, 2024 Proposed Rule package delivered to the Commission February 3, 2025 OAS Board Letter to Commission (comments on draft proposed rule)
February 19, 2025 OAS Letter to MSST Director (survey results)
February 27, 2025 Government-to-Government Meeting May 2025 Proposed Rule - Published (Estimated) 6 ML25057A285 Fusion Machine - Draft Proposed Rule
Thank You!
Contacts Dennis Andrukat, Rulemaking Project Manager Dennis.Andrukat@nrc.gov Duncan White, Technical Lead Duncan.White@nrc.gov Allyce Bolger, Co-Technical Lead Allyce.Bolger@nrc.gov Public Information NRC Public Website: https://www.nrc.gov/materials/fusion-machine.html Docket ID: NRC-2023-0071 (www.regulations.gov) 7