2024-26937. Risk-Informed, Technology-Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Advanced Reactors

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission

1. 10 CFR Parts 1, 2, 10, 11, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 30, 40, 50, 51, 53, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 95, 140, 150, 170, and 171
2. [NRC-2019-0062]
3. RIN 3150-AK31

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

On October 31, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) solicited comments on the part 53 proposed rulemaking, which would revise the NRC's regulations by adding a risk-informed, performance-based, and technology-inclusive regulatory framework for commercial nuclear plants in response to the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA). The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on December 30, 2024. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments and for the NRC staff to engage with stakeholders on the proposed rule language.

DATES:

The due date of comments requested in the document published on October 31, 2024 (89 FR 86918), is extended. Comments should be filed no later than February 28, 2025. Comments received after this date will be considered, if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by any of the following methods however, the NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the Federal rulemaking website:

• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2019-0062. Address questions about NRC dockets to Helen Chang; telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. For technical questions contact the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
• Email comments to: [e-mail]. If you do not receive an automatic email reply confirming receipt, then contact us at 301-415-1677.
• Fax comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at 301-415-1101.
• Mail comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff.
• Hand deliver comments to: 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. eastern time, Federal workdays; telephone: [phone].

You can read a plain language description of this proposed rule at https://www.regulations.gov/​docket/​NRC-2019-0062. For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting comments, see “Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments” in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Beall, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail]; or Anders Gilbertson, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. Both are staff of the U.S. NRC, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2019-0062 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publicly available information related to this action by any of the following methods:

• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2019-0062.
• NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/​reading-rm/​adams.html. To begin the search, select “Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.” For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [e-mail]. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in this document.
• NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to [e-mail] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

B. Submitting Comments

The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the Federal rulemaking website ( https://www.regulations.gov). Please include Docket ID NRC-2019-0062 in your comment submission. To facilitate NRC review, please distinguish between comments on the proposed rule and comments on the proposed guidance.

The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. The NRC will post all comment submissions at https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the comment submissions into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove identifying or contact information.

If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.

II. Discussion

On October 31, 2024, the NRC solicited comments on the “Risk-Informed, Technology-Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Advanced Reactors” proposed rule (also known as “part 53”). This proposed rule responds to NEIMA by creating an alternative regulatory framework for licensing future commercial nuclear plants. The new alternative requirements and implementing guidance would adopt technology-inclusive approaches and use risk-informed and performance-based techniques to ensure an equivalent level of safety to that of operating commercial nuclear plants while providing flexibility for licensing and regulating a variety of technologies and designs for commercial nuclear reactors. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on December 30, 2024. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period on this document until February 28, 2025, to allow more time for members of the public to submit their comments and for the NRC staff to engage with stakeholders on the proposed rule language. ( print page 92610)

The NRC may post materials related to this document, including public comments, on the Federal rulemaking website at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2019-0062. In addition, the Federal rulemaking website allows members of the public to receive alerts when changes or additions occur in a docket folder. To subscribe: (1) navigate to the docket folder (NRC-2019-0062); (2) click the “Dockets” link; (3) click the part 53 rulemaking link; (4) click the “Subscribe” link; (5) enter your email address in the pop-up window and click on the “Subscribe” link.

Dated: November 14, 2024.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Melissa Ralph,

Deputy Director, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.