Press Release-11-164, NRC Seeks Public Input on Draft Generic Letter Regarding Updated Seismic Analyses for U.S. Nuclear Reactors

Press Release-11-164: NRC Seeks Public Input on Draft Generic Letter Regarding Updated Seismic Analyses for U.S. Nuclear Reactors

ML112440111
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Issue date:	09/01/2011
From:	Office of Public Affairs
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Press Release-11-164
Download: ML112440111 (2)

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NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov Site: www.nrc.gov Blog: http://public-blog.nrc-gateway.gov No.11-164 September 1, 2011 NRC SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON DRAFT GENERIC LETTER REGARDING UPDATED SEISMIC ANALYSES FOR U.S. NUCLEAR REACTORS The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is seeking public comments on a draft Generic Letter that would require U.S. nuclear power plants to re-examine their sites seismic risk and provide that information to the NRC.

Comments on the draft letter, published today in the Federal Register and available on regulations.gov, will be accepted until Oct. 31. The draft letter will soon be available in the agencys electronic document database, ADAMS, by entering ML111710783 in the databases search engine. The staff expects to hold a public meeting on the draft letter in mid-October to gather comments; meeting details will be announced separately in the next several weeks.

The letter represents the next step in the staffs ongoing multi-year examination of updated seismic hazard information for the eastern and central United States, through the NRCs Generic Issues program. This effort, labeled GI-199, began long before the events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan and the recent Virginia earthquake. GI-199 was prompted by the seismic analyses included in applications from 2003 related to new reactor activity. The NRC issued an Information Notice in September 2010 regarding GI-199, including the agencys conclusion that existing plant designs safely account for possible earthquakes. The notice is available in ADAMS by entering ML101970221 in the databases search engine. More information on GI-199 is available on the NRC website.

Interested parties can submit comments on the draft letter through regulations.gov, using docket number NRC-2011-0201. Comments can also be submitted, referencing NRC-2011-0201, by mail to Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, Announcements, and Directives Branch (RADB),

Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWB-05-B01M, U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Comments via fax can be sent to RADB at 301-492-3446.

The NRC staff will consider the comments before finalizing the Generic Letter, which the staff expects to issue near the end of the year. The draft letters approach would have U.S.

nuclear power plants perform their analyses within either one or two years, depending on the analysis method used, and deliver their results to the NRC. The agency will then determine whether additional actions are necessary.

NOTE: Anyone wishing to take photos or use a camera to record any portion of a NRC meeting should contact the Office of Public Affairs beforehand.

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