ML003759533
| ML003759533 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/12/2000 |
| From: | Wrona D J NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4 |
| To: | Nuclear Energy Institute |
| Wrona D J, NRR/DLPM, 415-1924 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML003759533 (5) | |
Text
CONTACT:DaveWrona,NRR/DLPM301-415-1924October12,2000MEMORANDUMTO:ThoseontheAttachedListFROM:DavidJ.Wrona,ProjectManager/RA/DecommissioningSectionProjectDirectorateIV&Decommissioning DivisionofLicensingProjectManagement OfficeofNuclearReactorRegulation
SUBJECT:
PROPOSEDPOWERREACTORDECOMMISSIONINGREGULATORYIMPROVEMENTINITIATIVERULEMAKINGOPTIONSFORCOMMENTThepurposeofthismemorandumistoseekcommentsfrominterestedstakeholdersontheproposedoptionsforthedecommissioningregulatoryimprovementinitiativediscussedbelow.InSECY-99-168,"ImprovingDecommissioningRegulationsforNuclearPowerPlants"(ADAMSAccessionNo.ML992800087),theNuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)staffrecommended thattheregulationsapplicabletodecommissioningnuclearpowerreactorsberevisedintwo rulemakinginitiatives.Thefirstinitiativewasanintegratedrulemakingplanassociatedwith decommissioningnuclearpowerreactorsthatincludedemergencypreparedness,security, insurance,staffingandtraining,andbackfitting.Thesecondinitiativewastodeterminethe applicabilityofCodeofFederalRegulations,Title10regulationstodecommissioningpowerreactorsandthenconsolidateandrelocatetheseregulationstoanewsectionwithinTitle10.InaStaffRequirementsMemorandumdatedDecember21,1999(ADAMSAccessionNo.ML003752190),theCommissionrespondedtoSECY-99-168andapprovedthedevelopmentof asingle,integrated,risk-informeddecommissioningruleforemergencypreparedness, insurance,safeguards,operatortrainingandstaffing,andbackfit.IntheSRMtheCommission alsoapprovedacomprehensivedecommissioningregulatoryreviewanddirectedthestaffto submitaplanofaction,takingintoaccountinputfromNRCstakeholders,forrestructuringthe decommissioningrequirementsfollowingcompletionoftheregulatoryreview.Toaddressthefirstinitiativediscussedabove,thestaffsubmittedSECY-00-145,"IntegratedRulemakingPlanforNuclearPowerPlantDecommissioning,"onJune28,2000(ADAMS AccessionNo.ML003721626).InSECY-00-145,thestaffrecommendedthattheCommission deferapprovaloftheintegratedrulemakingplanuntilthestaffhasprovidedamore comprehensiveassessmentofthedecommissioningregulatoryimprovementinitiative.The CommissionissuedaStaffRequirementsMemorandum,datedSeptember27,2000(ADAMS AccessionNo.ML003754381),whichreturnedSECY-00-145tothestaffwithoutvote.Currently,theNRCstaffisdevelopingaplanofactionforthesecondinitiativediscussedabove.Thisplanofactionwillalsoaddresshowtoproceedwiththeintegratedrulemakingplan.On September27,2000,theNRCstaffmetwithrepresentativesoftheNuclearEnergyInstitute TOTAL-2-(NEI)andmembersofthepublictoinformandreceivefeedbackaboutongoingNRCeffortstodeterminetheriskposedbypermanentlyshutdownnuclearpowerplantsandthestatusofNRC effortstoamenditsregulationstoproperlyreflecttheriskposedbythesefacilities(Meeting SummarydatedOctober11,2000,ADAMSAccessionNo.ML003759130).Duringthe meeting,NRCsummarizedtheregulatoryimprovementinitiativerulemakingoptionscurrently underconsideration.Thestaffhasidentifiedsixoptionsonhowtoproceedintheareaof rulemakingoncethespentfuelpoolriskstudyiscompleted.Theoptionsrangefromno rulemakingactivitytoaddinganentirenewsectiontotheregulations.Theseoptionsare presentedinanattachmenttothismemorandum.TheNRCstaffplanstosubmittheregulatory improvementinitiativetotheCommission3monthsafterthespentfuelpoolriskstudyis finalized.ThespentfuelpoolriskstudyiscurrentlyscheduledtobefinalizedonOctober31, 2000.TheNRCstaffisseekingcommentsontheproposedoptionsfrominterestedstakeholders,andisparticularlylookingforrecommendationsforotheroptionsnotcurrentlybeingconsidered.
Personsororganizationsthathavecommentsontheoptionscanprovidethemto Mr.RichardDudley,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,MailStopO-7C2,Washington,DC 20555(301-415-1116;rfd@NRC.gov).Commentsarerequestedtobesubmittedwithin 45daysafterthedateofthismemorandum.
Attachment:
RegulatoryImprovementRulemakingOptions TOTAL-2-(NEI)andmembersofthepublictoinformandreceivefeedbackaboutongoingNRCeffortstodeterminetheriskposedbypermanentlyshutdownnuclearpowerplantsandthestatusofNRC effortstoamenditsregulationstoproperlyreflecttheriskposedbythesefacilities(Meeting SummarydatedOctober11,2000,ADAMSAccessionNo.ML003759130).Duringthe meeting,NRCsummarizedtheregulatoryimprovementinitiativerulemakingoptionscurrently underconsideration.Thestaffhasidentifiedsixoptionsonhowtoproceedintheareaof rulemakingoncethespentfuelpoolriskstudyiscompleted.Theoptionsrangefromno rulemakingactivitytoaddinganentirenewsectiontotheregulations.Theseoptionsare presentedinanattachmenttothismemorandum.TheNRCstaffplanstosubmittheregulatory improvementinitiativetotheCommission3monthsafterthespentfuelpoolriskstudyis finalized.ThespentfuelpoolriskstudyiscurrentlyscheduledtobefinalizedonOctober31, 2000.TheNRCstaffisseekingcommentsontheproposedoptionsfrominterestedstakeholders,andisparticularlylookingforrecommendationsforotheroptionsnotcurrentlybeingconsidered.
Personsororganizationsthathavecommentsontheoptionscanprovidethemto Mr.RichardDudley,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,MailStopO-7C2,Washington,DC 20555(301-415-1116;rfd@NRC.gov).Commentsarerequestedtobesubmittedwithin 45daysafterthedateofthismemorandum.
Attachment:
RegulatoryImprovementRulemakingOptionsDISTRIBUTION
- PUBLIC PDIV-Dr/f SRichards(RidsNrrDlpmLpdiv)
MMasnik(RidsNrrDlpmLpdiv3)
RidsNrrLACJamerson RidsNrrPMDWrona RidsNrrPMRDudley RidsNrrPMWHuffman RidsNrrPMPRay RidsOgcMailCenter RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenterACCESSIONNUMBER:ML003759533OFFICEPDIV-D/PMPDIV-D/LAPDIV-D/SCNAMEDWronaCJamersonRDudleyforMMasnikDATE10/11/0010/11/0010/11/00OFFICIALRECORDCOPY September2000Addressees:MemorandumDatedOctober12,2000
SUBJECT:
PROPOSEDPOWERREACTORDECOMMISSIONINGREGULATORYIMPROVEMENTINITIATIVERULEMAKINGOPTIONSFORCOMMENTMr.RalphBeedleSeniorVicePresidentandChiefNuclearOfficerNuclearEnergyInstitute 1776IStreet,NW,Suite400 Washington,DC20006-3708Mr.AlexMarion,DirectorPrograms NuclearEnergyInstitute 1776IStreet,Suite400 Washington,DC20006-3708Mr.DavidModeen,DirectorEngineering NuclearEnergyInstitute 1776IStreet,NW,Suite400 Washington,DC20006-3708Mr.AnthonyPietrangelo,Director Licensing NuclearEnergyInstitute 1776IStreet,NW,Suite400 Washington,DC20006-3708Mr.JimDavis,DirectorOperations NuclearEnergyInstitute 1776IStreet,NW,Suite400 Washington,DC20006-3708Ms.LynnetteHendricks,DirectorPlantSupport NuclearEnergyInstitute 1776IStreet,NW,Suite400 Washington,DC20006-3708Mr.H.A.Sepp,ManagerRegulatoryandLicensingEngineering WestinghouseElectricCompany P.O.Box355 Pittsburgh,PA15230-0355Mr.CharlesB.Brinkman,DirectorWashingtonOperations ABB-CombustionEngineering,Inc.
12300TwinbrookParkway,Suite330 Rockville,MD20852Mr.MichaelMeisnerMaineYankeeAtomicPowerCo.
321OldFerryRoad Wiscassett,ME04578-4922Mr.PaulBlanchEnergyConsultant 135HydeRoad WestHartford,CT06117NewEnglandCoalitiononNuclearPollutionP.O.Box545 Brattleboro,VT05302Mr.RayShadisFriendsoftheCoast P.O.Box98 Edgecomb,ME04556Mr.DavidLochbaumNuclearSafetyEngineer UnionofConcernedScientists 1707HStreet,NW,Suite600 Washington,D.C.20006Mr.PaulGunterNuclearInformationResourceService 142416 thSt.NW,Suite404Washington,DC20036Mr.PeterJamesAthertonP.O.Box2337 Washington,DC20013Mr.H.G.BrackCenterforBiologicalMonitoring P.O.Box144 Hull'sCove,ME04644Ms.DeborahB.KatzCitizen'sAwarenessNetwork P.O.Box3023 Charlemont,MA01339-3023Mr.RobertHoldenNationalCongressofAmericanIndians Suite200 1301ConnecticutAve,NW WashingtonDC,20036 AttachmentRegulatoryImprovementInitiativeOptionsForOptions1-3below,theIntegratedRulemakingplanwouldnotbepursued
.ÿOption1:Intheabsenceofanyanticipatednuclearpowerplantdecommissioningsinthenearterm,suspendanyfurtherdecommissioningrulemakingeffortsatthistimeanddivertthe associateddecommissioningsectionresourcestohigherpriorityagencyneeds.Aregulatory guidediscussingapplicabilityofregulationsandguidanceforexemptionswouldbeconsidered.
ÿOption2:PursuetheNEI"cleanslate"approachthatispredicatedontheriskofdecommissioningnuclearpowerplantsbeingsolowthatmostregulationsarenotapplicable.
Theminimumsetofregulationsnecessarytopreservetheassumptionsofthespentfuelpool riskstudywouldbeidentifiedanddevelopedintoprescriptive,predictablerequirements.
ÿOption3:Pursuea"performance-based,cleanslate"approachthatwoulddevelopanewperformance-basedregulatoryframeworkfordecommissioningthatcapturestheseven cornerstonesofgoodlicenseeperformance.Theupper-tierdecommissioningregulations wouldbetheminimumneededtopreservetheconclusionsofthespentfuelpoolriskstudy report(similartotheNEIapproach)butwouldbeorientedmoretowardsperformance measuringindicatorsandinspections.ThefollowingOptions(4-6)assumethattheIntegratedRulemakingplanisimplemented(althoughsomemodificationstotheplanmaybenecessarydependinguponthefinalresultsofthespentfuelpoolriskstudy)
ÿOption4:Proceedwiththeintegratedrulemakingplananddiscontinueanyadditionalbroad-scopeddecommissioningregulatoryimprovementefforts.
ÿOption5:Proceedwiththeintegratedrulemakingplan,butforsubsequentdecommissioningregulatoryimprovementrulemaking,adoptanincrementalapproach.
Developabroad-scopeplanofactionoveramulti-yeartimeframethatidentifiestheregulations tobemodifiedandprioritizesthembasedonacombinationofindustryinputandassessment againstthefourNRCpillars.Subsequentrulemakingwillbeaccomplishedsequentiallyin manageableincrementsbasedontheavailabilityofstaffresourcesandcontractfunds.
ÿOption6:Modify,asnecessary,alltheregulationsin10CFRapplicabletodecommissioningnuclearpowerplants(basedontheBrookhavenNationalLaboratoryreport, ADAMSAccessionNo.ML003730203,andasotherwisenecessarybasedonrecent decommissioningexperience)inonelargerulemakingeffort.