Search Results for keywords:"Nuclear Regulatory Commission"

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 proposing a new rule to update its regulations by incorporating revisions to three regulatory guides related to Code Cases published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). These changes would provide new and updated engineering standards for nuclear power plant components, allowing licensees and applicants to use these standards as voluntary alternatives. The NRC is seeking public comments on this proposal, and if implemented, it is expected to reduce costs for both the NRC and the nuclear industry by simplifying compliance requirements. The aim is to ensure safety while aligning with contemporary engineering practices and international standards.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing changes to its fee schedules for fiscal year 2025 to comply with the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, which mandates recovering nearly all of its annual budget through fees. The updates include amendments to licensing, inspection, and annual fees, and introducing a reduced hourly rate for advanced nuclear reactor applicants and pre-applicants. This reduced rate is set to encourage the development and application of versatile, advanced nuclear technologies, aligning with recent legislative acts. Public comments on these proposals are invited until March 21, 2025.

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 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 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) has released NUREG-1307, Revision 18, which discusses changes in decommissioning waste disposal costs at low-level waste burial facilities. This report updates the formula used by nuclear power reactor licensees to determine the minimum funds required for decommissioning, including adjustments for labor, energy, and waste burial costs. It builds on previous revisions and indicates that decommissioning fund requirements might remain similar or slightly decrease compared to 2019 levels. The report considers public comments received during a comment period that ended in December 2020.

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.

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) 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.