§ 72.30 - Financial assurance and recordkeeping for decommissioning.

§ 72.30 Financial assurance and recordkeeping for decommissioning.

(a) Each application under this part must include a proposed decommissioning plan that contains sufficient information on proposed practices and procedures for the decontamination of the site and facilities and for disposal of residual radioactive materials after all spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and reactor-related GTCC waste have been removed, in order to provide reasonable assurance that the decontamination and decommissioning of the ISFSI or MRS at the end of its useful life will provide adequate protection to the health and safety of the public. This plan must identify and discuss those design features of the ISFSI or MRS that facilitate its decontamination and decommissioning at the end of its useful life.

(b) Each holder of, or applicant for, a license under this part must submit for NRC review and approval a decommissioning funding plan that must contain:

(1) Information on how reasonable assurance will be provided that funds will be available to decommission the ISFSI or MRS.

(2) A detailed cost estimate for decommissioning, in an amount reflecting:

(i) The cost of an independent contractor to perform all decommissioning activities;

(ii) An adequate contingency factor; and

(iii) The cost of meeting the § 20.1402 of this chapter criteria for unrestricted use, provided that, if the applicant or licensee can demonstrate its ability to meet the provisions of § 20.1403 of this chapter, the cost estimate may be based on meeting the § 20.1403 criteria.

(3) Identification of and justification for using the key assumptions contained in the DCE.

(4) A description of the method of assuring funds for decommissioning from paragraph (e) of this section, including means for adjusting cost estimates and associated funding levels periodically over the life of the facility.

(5) The volume of onsite subsurface material containing residual radioactivity that will require remediation to meet the criteria for license termination.

(6) A certification that financial assurance for decommissioning has been provided in the amount of the cost estimate for decommissioning.

(c) At the time of license renewal and at intervals not to exceed 3 years, the decommissioning funding plan must be resubmitted with adjustments as necessary to account for changes in costs and the extent of contamination. If the amount of financial assurance will be adjusted downward, this can not be done until the updated decommissioning funding plan is approved. The decommissioning funding plan must update the information submitted with the original or prior approved plan and must specifically consider the effect of the following events on decommissioning costs:

(1) Spills of radioactive material producing additional residual radioactivity in onsite subsurface material.

(2) Facility modifications.

(3) Changes in authorized possession limits.

(4) Actual remediation costs that exceed the previous cost estimate.

(d) If, in surveys made under 10 CFR 20.1501(a), residual radioactivity in soils or groundwater is detected at levels that would require such radioactivity to be reduced to a level permitting release of the property for unrestricted use under the decommissioning requirements in part 20 of this chapter, the licensee must submit a new or revised decommissioning funding plan within one year of when the survey is completed.

(e) The financial instrument must include the licensee's name, license number, and docket number; and the name, address, and other contact information of the issuer, and, if a trust is used, the trustee. When any of the foregoing information changes, the licensee must, within 30 days, submit financial instruments reflecting such changes. Financial assurance for decommissioning must be provided by one or more of the following methods:

(1) Prepayment. Prepayment is the deposit before the start of operation into an account segregated from licensee assets and outside the licensee's administrative control of cash or liquid assets such that the amount of funds would be sufficient to pay decommissioning costs. Prepayment must be made into a trust account, and the trustee and the trust must be acceptable to the Commission.

(2) A surety method, insurance, or other guarantee method. These methods guarantee that decommissioning costs will be paid. A surety method may be in the form of a surety bond, or letter of credit. A parent company guarantee of funds for decommissioning costs based on a financial test may be used if the guarantee and test are as contained in Appendix A to part 30 of this chapter. For commercial corporations that issue bonds, a guarantee of funds by the applicant or licensee for decommissioning costs based on a financial test may be used if the guarantee and test are as contained in Appendix C to part 30 of this chapter. For commercial companies that do not issue bonds, a guarantee of funds by the applicant or licensee for decommissioning costs may be used if the guarantee and test are as contained in Appendix D to part 30 of this chapter. Except for an external sinking fund, a parent company guarantee or a guarantee by the applicant or licensee may not be used in combination with other financial methods to satisfy the requirements of this section. A guarantee by the applicant or licensee may not be used in any situation where the applicant or licensee has a parent company holding majority control of the voting stock of the company. Any surety method or insurance used to provide financial assurance for decommissioning must contain the following conditions:

(i) The surety method or insurance must be open-ended or, if written for a specified term, such as five years, must be renewed automatically unless 90 days or more prior to the renewal date, the issuer notifies the Commission, the beneficiary, and the licensee of its intention not to renew. The surety method or insurance must also provide that the full face amount be paid to the beneficiary automatically prior to the expiration without proof of forfeiture if the licensee fails to provide a replacement acceptable to the Commission withing 30 days after receipt of notification or cancellation.

(ii) The surety method or insurance must be payable to a trust established for decommissioning costs. The trustee and trust must be acceptable to the Commission. An acceptable trustee includes an appropriate State or Federal government agency or an entity which has the authority to act as a trustee and whose trust operations are regulated and examined by a Federal or State agency.

(iii) The surety or insurance must remain in effect until the Commission has terminated the license.

(3) An external sinking fund in which deposits are made at least annually, coupled with a surety method, insurance, or other guarantee method, the value of which may decrease by the amount being accumulated in the sinking fund. An external sinking fund is a fund established and maintained by setting aside funds periodically in an account segregated from licensee assets and outside the licensee's administrative control in which the total amount of funds would be sufficient to pay decommissioning costs at the time termination of operation is expected. An external sinking fund must be in the form of a trust. If the other guarantee method is used, no surety or insurance may be combined with the external sinking fund. The surety, insurance, or other guarantee provisions must be as stated in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.

(4) In the case of Federal, State, or local government licensees, a statement of intent containing a cost estimate for decommissioning, and indicating that funds for decommissioning will be obtained when necessary.

(5) In the case of licensees who are issued a power reactor license under part 50 of this chapter or ISFSI licensees who are an electric utility, as defined in part 50 of this chapter, with a specific license issued under this part, the methods of 10 CFR 50.75(b), (e), and (h), as applicable. In the event that funds remaining to be placed into the licensee's ISFSI decommissioning external sinking fund are no longer approved for recovery in rates by a competent rate making authority, the licensee must make changes to provide financial assurance using one or more of the methods stated in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this section.

(6) When a governmental entity is assuming ownership of a site, an arrangement that is deemed acceptable by such governmental entity.

(f) Each person licensed under this part shall keep records of information important to the decommissioning of a facility in an identified location until the site is released for unrestricted use. If records important to the decommissioning of a facility are kept for other purposes, reference to these records and their locations may be used. Information the Commission considers important to decommissioning consists of -

(1) Records of spills or other unusual occurrences involving the spread of contamination in and around the facility, equipment, or site. These records may be limited to instances when contamination remains after any cleanup procedures or when there is reasonable likelihood that contaminants may have spread to inaccessible areas as in the case of possible seepage into porous materials such as concrete. These records must include any known information on identification of involved nuclides, quantities, forms, and concentrations.

(2) As-built drawings and modifications of structures and equipment in restricted areas where radioactive materials are used and/or stored, and of locations of possible inaccessible contamination such as buried pipes which may be subject to contamination. If required drawings are referenced, each relevant document need not be indexed individually. If drawings are not available, the licensee shall substitute appropriate records of available information concerning these areas and locations.

(3) A list contained in a single document and updated no less than every 2 years of the following:

(i) All areas designated and formerly designated as restricted areas as defined under 10 CFR 20.1003; and

(ii) All areas outside of restricted areas that require documentation under § 72.30(f)(1).

(4) Records of the cost estimate performed for the decommissioning funding plan and records of the funding method used for assuring funds are available for decommissioning.

(g) In providing financial assurance under this section, each licensee must use the financial assurance funds only for decommissioning activities and each licensee must monitor the balance of funds held to account for market variations. The licensee must replenish the funds, and report such actions to the NRC, as follows:

(1) If, at the end of a calendar year, the fund balance is below the amount necessary to cover the cost of decommissioning, but is not below 75 percent of the cost, the licensee must increase the balance to cover the cost, and must do so within 30 days after the end of the calendar year.

(2) If, at any time, the fund balance falls below 75 percent of the amount necessary to cover the cost of decommissioning, the licensee must increase the balance to cover the cost, and must do so within 30 days of the occurrence.

(3) Within 30 days of taking the actions required by paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this section, the licensee must provide a written report of such actions to the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, and state the new balance of the fund.

[53 FR 31658, Aug. 19, 1988, as amended at 55 FR 29191, July 18, 1990; 58 FR 39635, July 26, 1993; 58 FR 67662, Dec. 22, 1993; 58 FR 68732, Dec. 29, 1993; 59 FR 1618, Jan. 12, 1994; 61 FR 24675, May 16, 1996; 62 FR 39092, July 21, 1997; 63 FR 29544, June 1, 1998; 66 FR 51840, Oct. 11, 2001; 67 FR 78351, Dec. 24, 2002; 76 FR 35573, June 17, 2011; 79 FR 75741 Dec. 19, 2014]