81 FR 93713 - Memorandum of Understanding Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Electric Power Research Institute

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 245 (December 21, 2016)

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) supporting cooperative nuclear safety research. Current cooperative research technical areas include spent fuel neutron absorber performance, cable aging, external flooding hazards, digital I&C and human factors, fire risk, long-term operation, nondestructive examination, probabilistic fracture mechanics, primary water stress corrosion cracking, probabilistic risk assessment, seismic risk, and steam generator tube research. The NRC and EPRI first signed an MOU in 1997 to encourage cooperation in nuclear safety research. The MOU renewal extends cooperation between NRC and EPRI from September 30, 2016 to September 30, 2021.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 93713]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30739]



[[Page 93713]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2016-0260]


Memorandum of Understanding Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission and the Electric Power Research Institute

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Memorandum of understanding; renewal.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Electric 
Power Research Institute (EPRI) renewed a Memorandum of Understanding 
(MOU) supporting cooperative nuclear safety research. Current 
cooperative research technical areas include spent fuel neutron 
absorber performance, cable aging, external flooding hazards, digital 
I&C and human factors, fire risk, long-term operation, nondestructive 
examination, probabilistic fracture mechanics, primary water stress 
corrosion cracking, probabilistic risk assessment, seismic risk, and 
steam generator tube research. The NRC and EPRI first signed an MOU in 
1997 to encourage cooperation in nuclear safety research. The MOU 
renewal extends cooperation between NRC and EPRI from September 30, 
2016 to September 30, 2021.

DATES: The MOU was effective September 30, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0260 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-2016-0260. 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. The MOU and technical addenda are available in ADAMS under 
Accession No. ML16223A495.
     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: Nicholas DiFrancesco, Office of 
Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-1115, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  The NRC and EPRI each conduct research on 
nuclear reactor safety. The NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research 
conducts independent research in all areas regulated by the NRC 
including ongoing and potential safety issues, risk-informed and 
performance-based regulation, and operating experience analysis. The 
EPRI is engaged in research and development in the public interest and 
on behalf of Industry with respect to the production, transmission, 
distribution, and utilization of electric power including research 
designed to improve the safety, reliability, and economy of nuclear 
power plants. While the research efforts of the NRC and EPRI may be 
conducted for different purposes, the underlying data and the results 
obtained have common value to both the NRC and EPRI. Accordingly, to 
conserve resources and to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, both 
the NRC and EPRI agreed to cooperate in selected research efforts and 
to share information and/or costs related to such research whenever 
such cooperation and cost sharing is appropriate and mutually 
beneficial.
    The MOU is authorized pursuant to Section 31 of the Atomic Energy 
Act of 1954, as amended, and Section 205 of the Energy Reorganization 
Act of 1974, as amended. The roles, responsibilities, terms, and 
conditions of the MOU should not be interpreted in a manner 
inconsistent with, and shall not supersede, applicable federal laws and 
regulations, as well as EPRI's status as a 501(c)(3) scientific 
research organization for the public benefit and the NRC's status as an 
independent regulatory agency.
    The MOU describes the parameters within which cooperative research 
programs between the NRC and EPRI will be considered and conducted. 
Individual cooperative research programs are described in addenda to 
the MOU (``Cooperative Research Programs'').
    The MOU was signed by the NRC on September 28, 2016, and by EPRI on 
September 30, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16223A497).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of December, 2016.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Edwin M. Hackett,
Acting Director, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2016-30739 Filed 12-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P