10 CFR Part 140 - FINANCIAL PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENTS

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting comments on a draft regulatory basis to support a rulemaking that would amend NRC's regulations for the decommissioning of nuclear power reactors. The NRC's goals in amending these regulations would be to provide for an efficient decommissioning process; reduce the need for exemptions from existing regulations; address other decommissioning issues deemed relevant by the NRC staff; and support the principles of good regulation, including openness, clarity, and reliability. The NRC plans to hold a public meeting to discuss the draft regulatory basis and facilitate public comment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to increase the required amount  1 of primary nuclear liability insurance from $375 million to $450 million for each nuclear reactor that is licensed to operate, is designed for the production of electrical energy, and has a rated capacity of 100,000 electrical kilowatts or more. This change conforms to the provision in the Price-Anderson Amendments Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-408) (Price-Anderson Act) that the amount of primary financial protection required of licensees by the NRC shall be the maximum amount available at reasonable cost and on reasonable terms from private sources. 1  The title listed in the information submitted by the NRC for the Unified Agenda was “Increase in the Maximum Limit of Primary Nuclear Liability Insurance.” The title was changed here to reflect that the regulation makes reference to “Maximum Amount.” The use of the term “Maximum Limit” is an incorrect description of the statutory requirement and the regulation revision.

On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) on regulatory improvements for decommissioning power reactors. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on January 4, 2016. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to make miscellaneous corrections. These changes include renaming the Office of Information Services, renaming the Computer Security Office and removing it as a standalone office, capitalizing the words Tribe, Tribes, and Tribal, correcting a Web site address, correcting a misspelling, removing a submission requirement, correcting an email address, correcting a room number, removing a Federal Register notice requirement, and adding missing information collection references. This document is necessary to inform the public of these non-substantive changes to the NRC's regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to obtain input from stakeholders on the development of a draft regulatory basis. The draft regulatory basis would support potential changes to the NRC's regulations for the decommissioning of nuclear power reactors. The NRC's goals in amending these regulations would be to provide an efficient decommissioning process, reduce the need for exemptions from existing regulations, and support the principles of good regulation, including openness, clarity, and reliability. The NRC is soliciting public comments on the contemplated action and invites stakeholders and interested persons to participate. The NRC plans to hold a public meeting to promote full understanding of the questions contained in this ANPR and facilitate public comment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to reflect internal organizational changes and conforming amendments. These changes include adding the address for a new NRC building at headquarters, removing references to several committees that no longer exist, adding the Computer Security Office, removing all references to the Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs because that office has merged with the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, and making conforming amendments throughout the regulations to reflect this office merger.

The U.S. Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a final rule in the Federal Register on July 12, 2013, to amend its regulations to satisfy a statutory requirement to adjust the maximum total and annual standard deferred premiums specified in the Price-Anderson Act for inflation at least once during each 5-year period following August 20, 2003. This correcting amendment makes a necessary conforming change to a concomitant NRC regulation.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), requires the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to adjust the maximum total and annual standard deferred premiums specified in the Price-Anderson Act for inflation at least once during each 5-year period following August 20, 2003. The NRC is amending its regulations to satisfy this requirement.