§ 70.72 - Facility changes and change process.

§ 70.72 Facility changes and change process.

(a) The licensee shall establish a configuration management system to evaluate, implement, and track each change to the site, structures, processes, systems, equipment, components, computer programs, and activities of personnel. This system must be documented in written procedures and must assure that the following are addressed prior to implementing any change:

(1) The technical basis for the change;

(2) Impact of the change on safety and health or control of licensed material;

(3) Modifications to existing operating procedures including any necessary training or retraining before operation;

(4) Authorization requirements for the change;

(5) For temporary changes, the approved duration (e.g., expiration date) of the change; and

(6) The impacts or modifications to the integrated safety analysis, integrated safety analysis summary, or other safety program information, developed in accordance with § 70.62.

(b) Any change to site, structures, processes, systems, equipment, components, computer programs, and activities of personnel must be evaluated by the licensee as specified in paragraph (a) of this section, before the change is implemented. The evaluation of the change must determine, before the change is implemented, if an amendment to the license is required to be submitted in accordance with § 70.34.

(c) The licensee may make changes to the site, structures, processes, systems, equipment, components, computer programs, and activities of personnel, without prior Commission approval, if the change:

(1) Does not:

(i) Create new types of accident sequences that, unless mitigated or prevented, would exceed the performance requirements of § 70.61 and that have not previously been described in the integrated safety analysis summary; or

(ii) Use new processes, technologies, or control systems for which the licensee has no prior experience;

(2) Does not remove, without at least an equivalent replacement of the safety function, an item relied on for safety that is listed in the integrated safety analysis summary and is necessary for compliance with the performance requirements of § 70.61;

(3) Does not alter any item relied on for safety, listed in the integrated safety analysis summary, that is the sole item preventing or mitigating an accident sequence that exceeds the performance requirements of § 70.61; and

(4) Is not otherwise prohibited by this section, license condition, or order.

(d)

(1) For changes that require pre-approval under § 70.72, the licensee shall submit an amendment request to the NRC in accordance with § 70.34 and § 70.65 of this chapter.

(2) For changes that do not require pre-approval under § 70.72, the licensee shall submit to NRC annually, within 30 days after the end of the calendar year during which the changes occurred, a brief summary of all changes to the records required by § 70.62(a)(2) of this subpart.

(3) For all changes that affect the integrated safety analysis summary, the licensee shall submit to NRC annually, within 30 days after the end of the calendar year during which the changes occurred, revised integrated safety analysis summary pages.

(e) If a change covered by § 70.72 is made, the affected on-site documentation must be updated promptly.

(f) The licensee shall maintain records of changes to its facility carried out under this section. These records must include a written evaluation that provides the bases for the determination that the changes do not require prior Commission approval under paragraph (c) or (d) of this section. These records must be maintained until termination of the license.

[65 FR 56226, Sept. 18, 2000, as amended at 71 FR 56346, Sept. 27, 2006]