82 FR 61043 - Criteria for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear Power Plants
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 246 (December 26, 2017)
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 246 (December 26, 2017)
| Page Range | 61043-61044 | |
| FR Document | 2017-27661 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 26, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 61043-61044] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-27661] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2017-0237] Criteria for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request for comment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1335, ``Criteria for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear Power Plants.'' The DG- 1335 is proposed revision 5 of regulatory guide (RG) 1.97, (same title), last revised in June 2006 (Revision 4). This guide describes an approach that is acceptable to the staff of the NRC to meet regulatory requirements for instrumentation to monitor accidents in nuclear power plants. It endorses, with clarifications, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Standard (Std.) 497-2016, ``IEEE Standard Criteria for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear Power Generating Stations.'' DATES: Submit comments by February 26, 2018. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date. Although a time limit is given, comments and suggestions in connection with items for inclusion in guides currently being developed or improvements in all published guides are encouraged at any time. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-0237. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415- 3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. Mail comments to: May Ma, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: OWFN-12H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. [[Page 61044]] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pong Chung, telephone: 301-415-2363, email: [email protected]; and Stephen Burton, telephone: 301-415-7000, email: [email protected]. Both are staff members of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments A. Obtaining Information Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2017-0237 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this action. You may obtain publically-available information related to this action, by any of the following methods: Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-0237. 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 DG is electronically available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML17083A134. The regulatory analysis for this DG is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML17083A133. 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. B. Submitting Comments Please include Docket ID NRC-2017-0237 in the subject line of your comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make your comment submission available to the public in this docket. The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at http://www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove identifying or contact information. If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. II. Additional Information The NRC is issuing for public comment a DG in the NRC's ``Regulatory Guide'' series. This series was developed to describe and make available to the public information regarding methods that are acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the NRC's regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating specific issues or postulated events, and data that the staff needs in its review of applications for permits and licenses. The DG, entitled ``Criteria for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear Power Plants,'' is proposed revision 5 to RG 1.97. The proposed revised RG is temporarily identified by its task number, DG- 1335. The DG provides a more technology-neutral approach and brings the regulatory guide more in line with related international standards. This revision introduces a new set of variables for parameters that may be monitored when following severe accident management guidelines. The NRC staff determined that RG 1.97 should be revised to endorse the 2016 version of IEEE Std. 497, with certain exceptions and clarifications, and to make additional clarifying changes to support new reactor license applications, design certifications, and applications for license amendments. Revising RG 1.97 to endorse the current version of the IEEE consensus standard is in accordance with Section 12(a)(2) of Public Law 104-113, ``National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995,'' (codified at 15 U.S.C. 272(b)(3)) and is consistent with the NRC policy of evaluating the latest versions of national consensus standards to determine their suitability for endorsement by regulatory guides. This revision also will comply with the NRC's Management Directive (MD) 6.5, ``NRC Participation in the Development and Use of Consensus Standards'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML16193A497). Copies of IEEE documents may be purchased from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Service Center, 445 Hoes Lane, PO Box 1331, Piscataway, NJ 08855 or through the IEEE's public website at http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/index.html. III. Backfitting and Issue Finality Draft regulatory guide DG-1335, if finalized as revision 5 to RG 1.97, would endorse, with certain exceptions and clarifications, the 2016 revision of IEEE Std. 497, which contains a more technology- neutral approach and brings current guidance more in line with related international standards. This revision introduces a new set of variables for parameters that may be monitored when following severe accident management guidelines. Applicants and licensees may voluntarily use the guidance in DG-1335, if finalized as revision 5 to RG 1.97, to demonstrate compliance with the underlying NRC regulations. Current licensees may continue to use guidance the NRC found previously acceptable for complying with the identified regulations as long as their current licensing basis remains unchanged. As such, this draft regulatory guide, if finalized, would not constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule) and is not otherwise inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52, ``Licenses, Certifications and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.'' Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of December 2017. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Thomas H. Boyce, Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic Issues Branch, Division of Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. [FR Doc. 2017-27661 Filed 12-22-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2017 / Notices 61043
simply provided conclusory statements staff relies on the Decommissioning NUCLEAR REGULATORY
supporting its position. Financial Status Report from March 30, COMMISSION
NRC response. The NRC disagrees 2015 to support the EA, when it had a
with this comment. The EA [NRC–2017–0237]
more recent report from March 30, 2016.
appropriately considered all
NRC response. The NRC disagrees Criteria for Accident Monitoring
withdrawals from the decommissioning
with this comment. In CLI–16–17, the Instrumentation for Nuclear Power
trust that would be permissible under
Commission directed the NRC staff ‘‘to Plants
the NRC’s regulations and under the
exemptions. Specifically, the EA conduct an environmental assessment to AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory
considered withdrawals for examine the environmental impacts, if Commission.
decommissioning expenses, which are any, associated with the exemption.’’
ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request
permitted by the NRC’s regulations, and Although the Commission declined to for comment.
withdrawals for spent fuel management reverse the staff’s approval of the
expenses, which are permitted by the exemption request, it specified that if SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
exemptions. The EA did not consider the staff’s environmental review ‘‘results Commission (NRC) is issuing for public
withdrawals for any non- in a determination of significant comment draft regulatory guide (DG),
decommissioning expenses beyond impacts, the Staff should promptly DG–1335, ‘‘Criteria for Accident
spent fuel management expenses, notify [the Commission] and, at that Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear
because such withdrawals are time, [the Commission] may reconsider Power Plants.’’ The DG–1335 is
prohibited by the NRC’s regulations and whether the exemption should be stayed proposed revision 5 of regulatory guide
are not allowed by the exemptions. In or vacated.’’ (RG) 1.97, (same title), last revised in
addition, this scope of the EA is June 2006 (Revision 4). This guide
appropriate because the NRC staff The March 30, 2015 Decommissioning
describes an approach that is acceptable
reviews the status of decommissioning Financial Status Report (ADAMS to the staff of the NRC to meet
funds annually during decommissioning Accession No. ML15092A141) was not regulatory requirements for
to ensure that adequate funds for needed to support the EA and neither instrumentation to monitor accidents in
decommissioning are available and that was the more recent report from March nuclear power plants. It endorses, with
withdrawals from the decommissioning 30, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. clarifications, the Institute of Electrical
fund are for approved purposes. Finally, ML16090A355). The supporting and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
the cumulative impacts of analysis of the adequacy of the Trust to Standard (Std.) 497–2016, ‘‘IEEE
decommissioning were considered in provide reasonable assurance of Standard Criteria for Accident
the Decommissioning GEIS. Therefore, adequate funding to complete all NRC Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear
the EA’s consideration of impacts was required decommissioning activities Power Generating Stations.’’
appropriate. and to conduct irradiated fuel DATES: Submit comments by February
Petitioners comment 1.d. The EA fails management is described in the June 23, 26, 2018. Comments received after this
to consider reasonable alternatives. The 2015 Federal Register Notice of the date will be considered if it is practical
only alternative that the NRC staff issuance of the exemptions. to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure
evaluated was denying Entergy’s
consideration only for comments
exemption request. The NRC staff failed III. Finding of No Significant Impact
to evaluate other alternatives, such as received on or before this date.
granting conditional approval. Entergy proposed exemptions from 10 Although a time limit is given,
NRC response. The NRC disagrees CFR 50.82(a)(8)(i)(A) and 50.75(h)(1)(iv) comments and suggestions in
that the EA fails to consider reasonable to allow the licensee to use funds from connection with items for inclusion in
alternatives. The exemptions at issue the Trust for irradiated fuel management guides currently being developed or
here allow Entergy to use funds from the activities. The NRC granted the improvements in all published guides
Trust for the non-decommissioning exemptions on June 23, 2015. are encouraged at any time.
expense of irradiated fuel management ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
Consistent with 10 CFR 51.21, the
activities. This EA evaluates denying by any of the following methods:
NRC conducted the EA for the • Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
the exemption request as a reasonable
exemptions included in Section II of http://www.regulations.gov and search
alternative to the action of granting the
exemption request. Consistent with the this document and incorporated by for Docket ID NRC–2017–0237. Address
NRC’s regulations, imposing conditions reference into this finding. On the basis questions about NRC dockets to Carol
on a licensee is typically done through of this EA, the NRC concludes that the Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;
the license amendment process and not exemptions did not, and will not, have email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
through the exemption process; a significant effect on the quality of the technical questions, contact the
therefore, the NRC disagrees that it human environment. Accordingly, the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER
should have also evaluated as a NRC has determined not to prepare an INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
reasonable alternative granting EIS for the action. document.
conditional approval of the exemption Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day • Mail comments to: May Ma, Office
request. of December 2017. of Administration, Mail Stop: OWFN–
Petitioners comment 2. The 12H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
publication of the EA after the relevant Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
decision has already been made does Bruce Watson, 0001.
not comply with NEPA’s requirement Chief, Reactor Decommissioning Branch, For additional direction on obtaining
that the analysis occur before a decision Division of Decommissioning, Uranium information and submitting comments,
is made. The NRC approved the Recovery and Waste Programs, Office of see ‘‘Obtaining Information and
exemption request on June 23, 2015, but Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. Submitting Comments’’ in the
published the draft EA and FONSI for [FR Doc. 2017–27682 Filed 12–22–17; 8:45 am] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
comment on March 8, 2017. The NRC BILLING CODE 7590–01–P this document.
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![61044 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2017 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: submission to the NRC, then you should 1331, Piscataway, NJ 08855 or through
Pong Chung, telephone: 301–415–2363, inform those persons not to include the IEEE’s public website at http://
email: Pong.Chung@nrc.gov; and identifying or contact information that www.ieee.org/publications_standards/
Stephen Burton, telephone: 301–415– they do not want to be publicly index.html.
7000, email: Stephen.Burton@nrc.gov. disclosed in their comment submission.
III. Backfitting and Issue Finality
Both are staff members of the Office of Your request should state that the NRC
Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. does not routinely edit comment Draft regulatory guide DG–1335, if
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, submissions to remove such information finalized as revision 5 to RG 1.97, would
Washington, DC 20555–0001. before making the comment endorse, with certain exceptions and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: submissions available to the public or clarifications, the 2016 revision of IEEE
entering the comment submissions into Std. 497, which contains a more
I. Obtaining Information and ADAMS. technology-neutral approach and brings
Submitting Comments current guidance more in line with
II. Additional Information related international standards. This
A. Obtaining Information
The NRC is issuing for public revision introduces a new set of
Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2017– comment a DG in the NRC’s ‘‘Regulatory variables for parameters that may be
0237 when contacting the NRC about Guide’’ series. This series was monitored when following severe
the availability of information regarding developed to describe and make accident management guidelines.
this action. You may obtain publically- available to the public information Applicants and licensees may
available information related to this regarding methods that are acceptable to voluntarily use the guidance in DG–
action, by any of the following methods: the NRC staff for implementing specific 1335, if finalized as revision 5 to RG
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to parts of the NRC’s regulations, 1.97, to demonstrate compliance with
http://www.regulations.gov and search techniques that the staff uses in the underlying NRC regulations. Current
for Docket ID NRC–2017–0237. evaluating specific issues or postulated licensees may continue to use guidance
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents events, and data that the staff needs in the NRC found previously acceptable for
Access and Management System its review of applications for permits complying with the identified
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly- and licenses. regulations as long as their current
available documents online in the The DG, entitled ‘‘Criteria for licensing basis remains unchanged. As
ADAMS Public Documents collection at Accident Monitoring Instrumentation such, this draft regulatory guide, if
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ for Nuclear Power Plants,’’ is proposed finalized, would not constitute
adams.html. To begin the search, select revision 5 to RG 1.97. The proposed backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109
‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then revised RG is temporarily identified by (the Backfit Rule) and is not otherwise
select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS its task number, DG–1335. The DG inconsistent with the issue finality
Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, provides a more technology-neutral provisions in 10 CFR part 52, ‘‘Licenses,
please contact the NRC’s Public approach and brings the regulatory Certifications and Approvals for Nuclear
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at guide more in line with related Power Plants.’’
1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by international standards. This revision
email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The DG introduces a new set of variables for Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day
parameters that may be monitored when of December 2017.
is electronically available in ADAMS
under Accession No. ML17083A134. following severe accident management For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The regulatory analysis for this DG is guidelines. The NRC staff determined Thomas H. Boyce,
available in ADAMS under Accession that RG 1.97 should be revised to Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic
No. ML17083A133. endorse the 2016 version of IEEE Std. Issues Branch, Division of Engineering, Office
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and 497, with certain exceptions and of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
purchase copies of public documents at clarifications, and to make additional [FR Doc. 2017–27661 Filed 12–22–17; 8:45 am]
the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One clarifying changes to support new BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville reactor license applications, design
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. certifications, and applications for
license amendments. POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
B. Submitting Comments Revising RG 1.97 to endorse the
[Docket Nos. CP2017–87; MC2018–60;
Please include Docket ID NRC–2017– current version of the IEEE consensus CP2018–100; MC2018–61; CP2018–101;
0237 in the subject line of your standard is in accordance with Section MC2018–62; CP2018–102; MC2018–63;
comment submission, in order to ensure 12(a)(2) of Public Law 104–113, CP2018–103; MC2018–64; CP2018–104;
that the NRC is able to make your ‘‘National Technology Transfer and MC2018–65; CP2018–105; MC2018–66;
comment submission available to the Advancement Act of 1995,’’ (codified at CP2018–106; MC2018–67; CP2018–107;
public in this docket. 15 U.S.C. 272(b)(3)) and is consistent MC2018–68; CP2018–108; MC2018–69;
The NRC cautions you not to include with the NRC policy of evaluating the CP2018–109]
identifying or contact information that latest versions of national consensus
you do not want to be publicly standards to determine their suitability New Postal Products
disclosed in your comment submission. for endorsement by regulatory guides. AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
The NRC posts all comment This revision also will comply with the ACTION: Notice.
submissions at http:// NRC’s Management Directive (MD) 6.5,
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
www.regulations.gov as well as entering ‘‘NRC Participation in the Development SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing
the comment submissions into ADAMS. and Use of Consensus Standards’’ recent Postal Service filings for the
The NRC does not routinely edit (ADAMS Accession No. ML16193A497). Commission’s consideration concerning
comment submissions to remove Copies of IEEE documents may be negotiated service agreements. This
identifying or contact information. purchased from the Institute of notice informs the public of the filing,
If you are requesting or aggregating Electrical and Electronics Engineers invites public comment, and takes other
comments from other persons for Service Center, 445 Hoes Lane, PO Box administrative steps.
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Document Created: 2017-12-23 03:09:09
Document Modified: 2017-12-23 03:09:09
| 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 | Draft regulatory guide; request for comment. | |
| Dates | Submit comments by February 26, 2018. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date. Although a time limit is given, comments and suggestions in connection with items for inclusion in guides currently being developed or improvements in all published guides are encouraged at any time. | |
| Contact | Pong Chung, telephone: 301-415-2363, email: [email protected]; and Stephen Burton, telephone: 301-415-7000, email: [email protected] Both are staff members of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 61043 |
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