⚛️NRC Issues Regulatory Guide 3.78 for Inservice Inspection Compliance
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a new Regulatory Guide (RG) 3.78 (Revision 0), "Acceptable ASME Section XI Inservice Inspection Code Cases." This new RG provides applicants and licensees with methods that the NRC staff considers acceptable for specific or general independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) licensees and certificate of compliance (CoC) holders to comply with NRC regulations for inservice inspection of confinement boundary components and aging management activities associated with the renewals of ISFSIs, general licensees, and CoC holders for spent fuel storage systems.
Learn More🛡️Holtec HI-STORM UMAX Storage System Compliance Updates
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI- STORM UMAX Canister Storage System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 0 through 2 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1040. Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 0 through 2 updates the CoC appendix A technical specifications for radiation protection and the associated bases information to clearly articulate the basis for the dose rate limits for the closure lids, modify the dose rate limit values and the description of the location of the dose rate measurements, and make other editorial changes.
Learn More⚖️NRC Adjusts Civil Penalties for Inflation in FY2025
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to adjust the maximum civil monetary penalties it can assess under statutes enforced by the agency. These changes are mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. The NRC is amending its regulations to adjust the maximum civil monetary penalty for a violation of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or any regulation or order issued under the Atomic Energy Act from $362,814 to $372,240 per violation, per day. Additionally, the NRC is amending provisions concerning program fraud civil penalties by adjusting the maximum civil monetary penalty under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act from $13,946 to $14,308 for each false claim or statement.
Learn More⚛️Business Implications of DOE’s HALEU Record of Decision
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) announces the Record of Decision (ROD) for the "Final Environmental Impact Statement for Department of Energy Activities in Support of Commercial Production of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU)" (Final HALEU EIS) (DOE/EIS-0559). DOE prepared the Final HALEU EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of activities associated with DOE's Proposed Action to acquire, through procurement from commercial sources, HALEU enriched to at least 19.75 and less than 20 weight percent uranium-235 (U-235) over a 10-year period of performance, and to facilitate the establishment of commercial HALEU fuel production. The Proposed Action addresses the Energy Act of 2020 ("the Energy Act of 2020" or in context, "the Energy Act"), for the acquisition of HALEU produced by a commercial entity using enrichment technology and making it available for commercial use or demonstration projects. DOE also evaluated the No Action Alternative. DOE has decided to implement the Proposed Action, its Preferred Alternative, as described in the Final HALEU EIS.
Learn More⚛️NRC Issues Updates on Spent Fuel Storage Regulations and Compliance
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International, Inc. MAGNASTOR[supreg] Storage System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Amendment No. 14 and revisions to Amendment Nos. 0 through 13 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1031. Amendment No. 14 and revisions to Amendment Nos. 0 through 13 revise the certificate of compliance to add a revised method of evaluation for the non-mechanistic tipover accident, clarify in the technical specifications that damaged missing grid spacers only apply to pressurized-water reactor fuel assembles, clarify inlet and outlet vent blockage and surveillance requirements in limiting condition for operation 3.1.2 in Appendix A to the certificate of compliance and associated technical specification bases, and remove the reference to Type II Portland cement in the description of the certificate of compliance. The NRC is also correcting typographical errors in Revision 1 to Amendment Nos. 11 to 13 and Amendment No. 14 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1031.
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