81 FR 88276 - Changes to Aging Management Guidance for Various Steam Generator Components

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 235 (December 7, 2016)

Page Range		88276-88277
FR Document		2016-29363

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing the final License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG), LR-ISG-2016-01, ``Changes to Aging Management Guidance for Various Steam Generator Components.'' This LR-ISG describes changes to aging management program (AMP) XI.M19, ``Steam Generators,'' and aging management review (AMR) items for steam generator components in NUREG-1801, ``Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report,'' Revision 2, and NUREG-1800, ``Standard Review Plan for Review of License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants'' (SRP-LR), Revision 2.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 235 (Wednesday, December 7, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88276-88277]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29363]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2016-0108]


Changes to Aging Management Guidance for Various Steam Generator 
Components

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Interim staff guidance; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing the 
final License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG), LR-ISG-2016-01, 
``Changes to Aging Management Guidance for Various Steam Generator 
Components.'' This LR-ISG describes changes to aging management program 
(AMP) XI.M19, ``Steam Generators,'' and aging management review (AMR) 
items for steam generator components in NUREG-1801, ``Generic Aging 
Lessons Learned (GALL) Report,'' Revision 2, and NUREG-1800, ``Standard 
Review Plan for Review of License Renewal Applications for Nuclear 
Power Plants'' (SRP-LR), Revision 2.

DATES: This guidance is effective on January 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0108 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 Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2016-0108. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual 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 http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then 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, 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: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Seung Min, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-

[[Page 88277]]

0001; telephone: 301-415-2045; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The NRC issues LR-ISGs to communicate insights and lessons learned 
and to address emergent issues not covered in existing license renewal 
guidance documents such as the GALL Report, NUREG-1801, Revision 2 
(December 2010); and the SRP-LR, NUREG-1800, Revision 2 (December 
2010), which are available in ADAMS under Accession Nos. ML103490041 
and ML103490036, respectively. The NRC staff and stakeholders may use 
the guidance in an LR-ISG document before it is incorporated into a 
license renewal guidance document revision. The NRC staff issues LR-
ISGs in accordance with the LR-ISG Process, Revision 2 (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML100920158), for which a notice of availability was published in 
the Federal Register on June 22, 2010 (75 FR 35510).
    The NRC staff has developed LR-ISG-2016-01 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML16237A383) to describe changes to the aging management guidance for 
various steam generator components within the scope of part 54 of title 
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Requirements for 
Renewal of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants.'' Specifically, 
this LR-ISG addresses the changes to aging management guidance for 
managing: (a) Cracking due to primary water stress corrosion cracking 
in divider plate assemblies and tube-to-tubesheet welds, and (b) loss 
of material due to boric acid corrosion in steam generator heads 
(interior surfaces) and tubesheets (primary side). In addition, changes 
are made to the associated AMR items in the GALL Report and SRP-LR. 
This LR-ISG also revises the Final Safety Analysis Report supplement 
for GALL Report AMP XI.M19, ``Steam Generators'' that is documented in 
Table 3.0-1, ``FSAR Supplement for Aging Management of Applicable 
Systems'' of the SRP-LR.
    On June 7, 2016, (81 FR 36612) the NRC requested public comments on 
draft LR-ISG-2016-01 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16102A268). The NRC 
received comments from the Nuclear Energy Institute by letter dated 
July 7, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16194A026). No other comments were 
submitted. The NRC considered those comments in developing the final 
LR-ISG. Detailed responses to the comments can be found in Appendix C 
of the final LR-ISG.
    The final LR-ISG-2016-01 is approved for NRC staff and stakeholder 
use and will be incorporated into the next revision of the NRC's 
license renewal guidance document. These changes provide one acceptable 
approach for managing the associated aging effects for steam generator 
components within the scope of the license renewal rule (10 CFR part 
54). A licensee may cite LR-ISG-2016-01 in its license renewal 
application until the guidance in this LR-ISG is incorporated into the 
license renewal guidance documents (i.e., GALL Report and SRP-LR).
    The staff also plans to consider the information in this LR-ISG and 
make corresponding changes when finalizing the aging management 
guidance for the subsequent license renewal period (i.e., up to 80 
years of operation), which is documented in draft NUREG-2191, draft 
``Generic Aging Lessons Learned for Subsequent License Renewal Report'' 
(GALL-SLR) (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML15348A111 and ML15348A153), and 
draft NUREG-2192, draft ``Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent 
License Renewal for Nuclear Power Plants'' (SRP-SLR) (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML15348A265).

II. Congressional Review Act

    This LR-ISG 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.

III. Backfitting

    The NRC intends to use the guidance in this LR-ISG when reviewing 
current and future license renewal applications. Issuance of this final 
LR-ISG does not constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109 (the 
Backfit Rule). As discussed in the ``Backfitting'' section of the final 
LR-ISG-2016-01, the backfitting provisions in 10 CFR 50.109 are not 
applicable to an applicant for a renewed license. Therefore, issuance 
of this LR ISG would not constitute backfitting for licensees currently 
in the license renewal process as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1). This 
guidance is nonbinding and the LR-ISG does not require current holders 
of renewed licenses to take any action (i.e., programmatic or plant 
hardware changes for managing the associated aging effects for 
components within the scope of this LR-ISG). The current holders of 
renewed licenses could treat the information presented in this LR-ISG 
as ``operating experience'' information and consider this information 
to ensure that relevant AMPs are, and will remain, effective. However, 
the NRC could also use the LR-ISG in evaluating voluntary, licensee-
initiated changes to previously approved AMPs.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of November, 2016.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Benjamin G. Beasley,
Acting Deputy Director, Division of License Renewal, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2016-29363 Filed 12-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 235 / Wednesday, December 7, 2016 / Notices 88277

0001; telephone: 301–415–2045; email: use and will be incorporated into the LR–ISG in evaluating voluntary,
Seung.Min@nrc.gov. next revision of the NRC’s license licensee-initiated changes to previously
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: renewal guidance document. These approved AMPs.
changes provide one acceptable Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day
I. Background approach for managing the associated of November, 2016.
The NRC issues LR–ISGs to aging effects for steam generator For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
communicate insights and lessons components within the scope of the
Benjamin G. Beasley,
learned and to address emergent issues license renewal rule (10 CFR part 54). A
not covered in existing license renewal Acting Deputy Director, Division of License
licensee may cite LR–ISG–2016–01 in
Renewal, Office of Nuclear Reactor
guidance documents such as the GALL its license renewal application until the Regulation.
Report, NUREG–1801, Revision 2 guidance in this LR–ISG is incorporated
[FR Doc. 2016–29363 Filed 12–6–16; 8:45 am]
(December 2010); and the SRP–LR, into the license renewal guidance
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUREG–1800, Revision 2 (December documents (i.e., GALL Report and SRP–
2010), which are available in ADAMS LR).
under Accession Nos. ML103490041 The staff also plans to consider the
and ML103490036, respectively. The information in this LR–ISG and make SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
NRC staff and stakeholders may use the corresponding changes when finalizing COMMISSION
guidance in an LR–ISG document before the aging management guidance for the
it is incorporated into a license renewal subsequent license renewal period (i.e., [Release No. 34–79437; File No. SR–
guidance document revision. The NRC up to 80 years of operation), which is BatsBZX–2016–78]
staff issues LR–ISGs in accordance with documented in draft NUREG–2191,
the LR–ISG Process, Revision 2 draft ‘‘Generic Aging Lessons Learned Self-Regulatory Organizations; Bats
(ADAMS Accession No. ML100920158), for Subsequent License Renewal BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing
for which a notice of availability was Report’’ (GALL–SLR) (ADAMS and Immediate Effectiveness of a
published in the Federal Register on Accession Nos. ML15348A111 and Proposed Rule Change To Make Non-
June 22, 2010 (75 FR 35510). ML15348A153), and draft NUREG– Substantive Changes to the Fee
The NRC staff has developed LR–ISG– 2192, draft ‘‘Standard Review Plan for Schedule
2016–01 (ADAMS Accession No. Review of Subsequent License Renewal December 1, 2016.
ML16237A383) to describe changes to for Nuclear Power Plants’’ (SRP–SLR) Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
the aging management guidance for (ADAMS Accession No. ML15348A265). Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
various steam generator components ‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
II. Congressional Review Act
within the scope of part 54 of title 10 notice is hereby given that on November
of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 This LR–ISG is a rule as defined in
the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 29, 2016, Bats BZX Exchange, Inc. (the
CFR), ‘‘Requirements for Renewal of ‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘BZX’’) filed with the
Operating Licenses for Nuclear Power 801–808). However, the Office of
Management and Budget has not found Securities and Exchange Commission
Plants.’’ Specifically, this LR–ISG
it to be a major rule as defined in the (the ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
addresses the changes to aging
Congressional Review Act. change as described in Items I, II, and
management guidance for managing: (a)
III below, which Items have been
Cracking due to primary water stress III. Backfitting prepared by the Exchange. The
corrosion cracking in divider plate
The NRC intends to use the guidance Exchange has designated the proposed
assemblies and tube-to-tubesheet welds,
in this LR–ISG when reviewing current rule change as one establishing or
and (b) loss of material due to boric acid
and future license renewal applications. changing a member due, fee, or other
corrosion in steam generator heads
Issuance of this final LR–ISG does not charge imposed by the Exchange under
(interior surfaces) and tubesheets
constitute backfitting as defined in 10 Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act 3 and
(primary side). In addition, changes are
made to the associated AMR items in CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule). As Rule 19b–4(f)(2) thereunder,4 which
the GALL Report and SRP–LR. This LR– discussed in the ‘‘Backfitting’’ section of renders the proposed rule change
ISG also revises the Final Safety the final LR–ISG–2016–01, the effective upon filing with the
Analysis Report supplement for GALL backfitting provisions in 10 CFR 50.109 Commission. The Commission is
Report AMP XI.M19, ‘‘Steam are not applicable to an applicant for a publishing this notice to solicit
Generators’’ that is documented in Table renewed license. Therefore, issuance of comments on the proposed rule change
3.0–1, ‘‘FSAR Supplement for Aging this LR ISG would not constitute from interested persons.
Management of Applicable Systems’’ of backfitting for licensees currently in the I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
the SRP–LR. license renewal process as defined in 10 Statement of the Terms of the Substance
On June 7, 2016, (81 FR 36612) the CFR 50.109(a)(1). This guidance is of the Proposed Rule Change
NRC requested public comments on nonbinding and the LR–ISG does not
draft LR–ISG–2016–01 (ADAMS require current holders of renewed The Exchange filed a proposal to
Accession No. ML16102A268). The NRC licenses to take any action (i.e., make several non-substantive changes to
received comments from the Nuclear programmatic or plant hardware the fee schedule applicable to
Energy Institute by letter dated July 7, changes for managing the associated Members 5 and non-members of the
2016 (ADAMS Accession No. aging effects for components within the Exchange pursuant to Exchange Rules
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

ML16194A026). No other comments scope of this LR–ISG). The current 15.1(a) and (c).
were submitted. The NRC considered holders of renewed licenses could treat
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
those comments in developing the final the information presented in this LR–
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
LR–ISG. Detailed responses to the ISG as ‘‘operating experience’’ 3 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
comments can be found in Appendix C information and consider this 4 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).
of the final LR–ISG. information to ensure that relevant 5 A Member is defined as ‘‘any registered broker
The final LR–ISG–2016–01 is AMPs are, and will remain, effective. or dealer that has been admitted to membership in
approved for NRC staff and stakeholder However, the NRC could also use the the Exchange.’’ See Exchange Rule 1.5(n).

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Document Created: 2016-12-07 05:32:06
Document Modified: 2016-12-07 05:32:06

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Interim staff guidance; issuance.
Dates		This guidance is effective on January 6, 2017.
Contact		Seung Min, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555- 0001; telephone: 301-415-2045; email: [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 88276