Search Results for keywords:"Nuclear Regulatory Commission"

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to change the fees it charges to licensees for the fiscal year 2021 in order to comply with the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA). These changes will include amending various fees such as licensing, inspection, and annual fees to help the NRC recover nearly 100% of its annual budget. Additionally, the NRC plans to introduce improvements to the invoicing process and establish a new procedure for disputing errors in service fee invoices. The public is invited to comment on the proposal by March 24, 2021.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved exemptions for PSEG Nuclear, LLC, allowing it to transfer earnings from nuclear decommissioning trust funds into specific subaccounts without prior notification. These exemptions pertain to funds at Hope Creek Generating Station, Salem Generating Station, and Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, and are intended for activities that don't strictly fall under "decommissioning" as defined by existing regulations. The NRC confirmed these changes will not jeopardize the safe decommissioning of the reactors and concluded there are no significant environmental impacts from this decision. The exemptions are immediately effective and will expire once each reactor permanently ceases operations and removes nuclear fuel.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is updating its regulations to increase the maximum fines it can impose for violations. These changes are required by a federal law that adjusts penalties for inflation. For violations of the Atomic Energy Act, the penalty will increase from $362,814 to $372,240 per violation, per day. Additionally, for false claims under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, the penalty will increase from $13,946 to $14,308. These new penalties take effect on January 15, 2025.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting public feedback on renewing the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for collecting information titled "Public Records." This collection involves NRC Forms 507 and 509 used in its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The NRC is updating these forms to notify requesters about processing fees and other aspects related to FOIA requests. Comments should be submitted by March 9, 2021, and can be sent electronically or by mail to the addresses provided.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has updated its rules to adjust the maximum fines it can charge for violations. This is required by a law called the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act, which makes sure penalties keep pace with inflation. Now, fines for breaking the Atomic Energy Act will increase from $303,471 to $307,058 per violation, per day. Additionally, fines related to fraudulent claims under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act will rise from $11,665 to $11,803 per false claim or statement.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an application from Arizona Public Service Company to approve the indirect transfer of certain licenses for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. This involves transferring possession-only rights from the Public Service Company of New Mexico to Avangrid Inc., making PNM and its parent company indirect subsidiaries of Avangrid. The NRC assures that the transfer will not impact PNM's responsibilities or the qualifications needed to hold the license. Public comments on the matter must be submitted by February 26, 2021, and anyone interested may request a hearing or petition to intervene by February 16, 2021.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has released the final version of NUREG-1307, Revision 20, titled “Report on Waste Burial Charges: Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level Waste Burial Facilities.” This report updates the factors used to calculate the minimum funds needed for decommissioning nuclear reactors. Due to changes in costs at waste disposal facilities, many reactor operators will likely need less money than previously estimated. The public had the opportunity to comment on the draft version, and those comments were considered in finalizing the report.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted a request from Louisiana Energy Services, operating as Urenco USA, to amend its special nuclear materials license to increase the uranium enrichment limit at the National Enrichment Facility in New Mexico. This amendment includes raising the enrichment level from 5.5% to below 10% for on-site recycling and support systems and removing certain storage controls. Because the request contains sensitive information, the NRC has detailed procedures for how people can gain access to this information if they need it to participate in a hearing about the amendment. Those interested must file requests by specific deadlines, follow new filing rules, and comply with security checks for access to sensitive data.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has made changes to its regulations for renewing licenses of certain non-power facilities, known as non-power production or utilization facilities (NPUFs). The new rule simplifies the process by removing license terms for many facilities used for research and development, while introducing updated rules to ensure safety is maintained. Key changes require facilities to submit updated safety analysis reports every five years and set a new accident dose criterion of 1 rem total effective dose for facilities that are not testing facilities, to help manage potential risks better. These updates are expected to reduce costs and improve efficiency while maintaining public safety.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has announced its consideration of three amendment requests related to the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, and Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. The NRC plans to determine that these amendments pose no significant hazards. Since these requests include sensitive information, the NRC has set special procedures for accessing this information to prepare for any challenges. The public can comment on these requests, and those interested in hearings or interventions have specific deadlines to file their requests.