Press Release-96-089, NRC Staff Reminds Licensees of Requirements to GET Approval for License Transfer, Inform Agency About Decommissioning Funds

Press Release-96-089, NRC Staff Reminds Licensees of Requirements to GET Approval for License Transfer, Inform Agency About Decommissioning Funds

ML003710099
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Issue date:	06/24/1996
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Press Release-96-089
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UnitedStatesNuclearRegulatoryCommissionOfficeofPublicAffairsWashington,DC20555Phone301-415-8200Fax301-415-2234 Internet:opa@nrc.govNo.96-89FORIMMEDIATERELEASE(Monday,June24,1996)NRCSTAFFREMINDSLICENSEESOFREQUIREMENTSTOGETAPPROVALFORLICENSETRANSFER,INFORMAGENCYABOUTDECOMMISSIONINGFUNDSTheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionstaffhasremindednuclearpowerplantlicenseesoftheirobligationtoobtainpriorwritten consentfromtheNRCforanychangesthatwouldconstitute transferoftheirNRClicense.Thestaffhasfurthertoldthemtheyshouldpromptlyreportanynewinformationconcerningtheirfinancialqualificationsand decommissioningfundingthatcouldhaveasignificantimplication forpublichealthandsafety.TheseremindersareinanNRCadministrativelettersentJune21toallholdersofnuclearpowerplantoperatinglicenses orconstructionpermits.TheletterresultsfromanNRCstaff actionplanlaunchedearlierthisyearinresponseto deregulationoftheelectricpowerindustry.Theadministrativeletternotesthatincreasedcompetitionresultingfromderegulationmayinducepowercompaniestosplit theirsystemsintofunctionalareas,formingseparate subsidiariesforelectricalgeneration.Otherpossiblescenarios includeutilityrestructuring,mergersorcorporatespinoffs.NRC'sconcernisthatlicensedentitiesremainingaftersuchreorganizationsmusthaveaccesstoadequatefundsforsafe reactoroperationandfordecommissioning.Acopyoftheadministrativeletterisattached.

1. Attachment UNITEDSTATESNUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONOFFICEOFNUCLEARREACTORREGULATIONWASHINGTON,D.C.20555-0001June21,1996NRCADMINISTRATIVELETTER96-02:LICENSEERESPONSIBILITIESRELATEDTOFINANCIAL

QUALIFICATIONS AddresseesAllholdersofoperatinglicensesorconstructionpermitsfornuclearpowerreactors.

PurposeTheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)isissuingthisadministrativelettertoremindaddresseesoftheirongoing responsibilitytoinform,andobtainadvanceapprovalfromthe NRCforanychangesthatwouldconstituteatransferofthe license,directlyorindirectly,throughtransferofcontrolof theNRClicensetoanypersonpursuanttoSection50.80ofTitle 10oftheCodeofFederalRegulations(10CFR50.80),"Transferoflicenses."Additionally,thisadministrativeletterreminds addresseesoftheirresponsibilitytoassurethatinformation regardinglicenseefinancialqualificationsanddecommissioning fundingassurancethatmayhaveasignificantimplicationfor publichealthandsafetyispromptlyreportedtotheNRC.

Lastly,thisadministrativeletterpointsoutthedesirabilityof providingtheNRCadvancenoticeofanyplansforsuchchangesso thatstaffreviewresourcescanbeallocatedandNRCdecisions arenotunnecessarilydelayed.Thisadministra-tiveletterdoes nottransmitorimplyanyneworchangedrequirementorstaff positions.Thesubmittalofadvancenoticeofyourplanningin thisareaisstrictlyvoluntary;therefore,nospecificactionor writtenresponseisrequired.

BackgroundTheelectricutilityindustryisenteringaperiodofeconomicderegulationandrestructuringwhichwillleadtoincreased competitionintheindustry.Increasingcompetitionmayforce integratedpowersystemstoseparate(or"disaggregate")their systemsintofunctionalareas.Thus,somelicenseesmaydivest electricalgenerationassetsfromtransmissionanddistribution assetsbyformingseparatecompaniesorseparatesubsidiariesfor electricalgenerationwithinlargerholdingcompanies.

Disaggregationmayinvolveutilityrestructuring,mergers,and corporatespinoffsthatleadtochangesinownersoroperatorsoflicensedpowerreactorsandothermaterialchanges.TheNRCconcernisthattheremaininglicensedentitieshaveaccesstoadequatefunds,suchthatfundsareavailableforsafe reactoroperationanddecommissioning.TheNRChasdistinguished betweenan"electricutility"andotherlicenseesinthisregard.

Asdefinedin10CFR50.2,an"electricutility"isanentity thatgeneratesordistributeselectricityforwhichthecostsare recoveredbyratessetbytheentityorbyaseparateregulatory authority.Rateregulatorsallowanelectricutilitytorecover prudentlyincurredcostsofgenerating,transmitting,and distributingelectricservices.Corporaterestructuringthat changesthe"electricutility"statusofapowerreactorlicensee orotherwisealtersthebasisunderwhichalicenseereceivedan operatinglicenseforapowerreactorshouldbebroughttoNRC attentioninatimelyfashion.

DiscussionThisadministrativeletterremindsallpowerreactorlicenseesoftheirongoingobligationtoseekandobtainpriorwrittenconsent fromtheNRCforanychangesthatwouldconstitutetransferoftheNRClicense,directlyorindirectly,throughtransferof controlofthelicensepursuantto10CFR50.80andSection184 oftheAtomicEnergyActasamended.Inaddition,licensees shouldassurethatinformationregardingtheirfinancial qualificationsanddecommissioningfundingassurancethatmay haveasignificantimplicationforpublichealthandsafetyis promptlyreportedtotheNRC.TheNRChasconsideredmergers,theformationofholdingcompanies,andtheoutrightsalesoffacilities,orportionsof facilities,torequireNRCnotificationandpriorapprovalin accordancewith10CFR50.80soastoensurethatthetransferee isappropriatelyqualified.Forexample,theNRCdetermines whetherthesurvivingorganizationwillremainan"electric utility"asdefinedin10CFR50.2.Forsalesofinterestsin powerreactors,theNRCreviewsaresimilartothoseformergers orformationofholdingcompanies.Whilesomerestructuringplansoccurwithlittlewarning,manyareanticipatedwellinadvanceofthedesiredimplementation date.Licenseesshouldconsiderprovidingadvancenotification ofsuchplanstotheNRCsothatthestaffcanschedulethe appropriateresourcesforreview.Becausethenumberofstaff reviewsinthisareaareexpectedtoincreasesignificantlyin thefuture,licenseesthatwaituntilshortlybeforeadecision isneededmayfindthestaffunabletomeettheirdesired

schedule.Toaddresschangesthatmayresultfromeconomicderegulation,theNRCissued,onApril8,1996,anAdvanceNoticeofProposed Rulemaking(61FR15427)thatseekscommentonderegulationissuesastheymayaffectNRCdecommissioningfundingassurance requirements.TheNRChasalsodevelopedanActionPlanthat outlinesadditionalstepstheNRCintendstotaketorespondto economicderegulationofitspowerreactorlicensees.Until theseactionsarecom-plete,ourcurrentregulationsare governing.However,youshouldbeawarethattheNRCstaffwill consultwiththeCommissionwhenanyneworunusual restructuringsalteryouroriginallicensingbasis.Thisadministrativeletterrequiresnospecificactionorwrittenresponse.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthisletter,please contactoneofthepersonslistedbelowortheappropriateOffice ofNuclearReactorRegulation(NRR)projectmanager.signedbyBrianK.Grimes,ActingDirectorDivisionofReactorProgram ManagementOfficeofNuclearReactor RegulationContacts:RobertWood,NRR(301)415-1255

Internet:rsw@nrc.govBillLambe,NRR(301)415-1277

Internet:wml@nrc.gov