10 CFR 52 - LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND APPROVALS FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations related to verification of nuclear power plant construction activities through inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) under a combined license, and issuing a revision to Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.215, “Guidance for ITAAC Closure Under 10 CFR [Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations ] Part 52.” The final rule contains new provisions that apply after a licensee has completed an ITAAC and submitted an ITAAC closure notification. The new provisions require licensees to report new information materially altering the basis for determining that inspections, tests, or analyses were performed as required, or that acceptance criteria are met, and to notify the NRC of the completion of all ITAAC activities. In addition, the NRC is including editorial corrections to existing language in the NRC's regulations to make that language consistent with language in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA). Regulatory Guide 1.215 describes a method that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable for use in satisfying the requirements for documenting the completion of ITAAC.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is publishing for public comment a notice of receipt for a petition for rulemaking (PRM), dated February 15, 2012, which was filed with the NRC by Mr. Michael Mariotte on behalf of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS or the petitioner) and 37 co-petitioners. The petition was docketed by the NRC on February 17, 2012, and assigned Docket No. PRM-50-104. The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations to expand the Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs) for nuclear power plants.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is issuing this Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to begin the process of potentially amending its regulations to strengthen and integrate onsite emergency response capabilities. The NRC seeks public comment on specific questions and issues with respect to possible revision to the NRC's requirements for onsite emergency response capabilities, and development of both new requirements and the supporting regulatory basis. This regulatory action is one of the actions stemming from the NRC's lessons-learned efforts associated with the March 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in Japan.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) has received a petition for rulemaking (PRM), dated October 14, 2011, from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (NRDC or the petitioner). The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations regarding the measurement and control of combustible gas generation and dispersal within a power reactor system. The NRC is not instituting a public comment period for this PRM at this time.