2021-03917. Changes to Subsequent License Renewal Guidance Documents

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Interim staff guidance; issuance.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing three Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) documents that update aging management criteria for mechanical, structural, and electrical structures and components in the NRC's subsequent license renewal (SLR) guidance documents. Specifically, the ISGs revise guidance contained in NUREG-2191, “Generic Aging Lessons Learned for Subsequent License Renewal (GALL-SLR) Report,” and NUREG-2192, “Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants.” These ISGs are intended to facilitate preparation of SLR applications by clarifying existing guidance for aging management and adding new guidance, which also will facilitate the NRC staff's review of SLR applications.

DATES:

This guidance is effective on March 29, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2020-0160 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly available information related to this document using any of the following methods:

• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0160. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
• 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]. For the convenience of the reader, instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are provided in the “Availability of Documents” section.
• Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of public documents, is currently closed. You may submit your request to the PDR via email at [e-mail] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jeffrey Mitchell, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On July 2, 2020 (85 FR 39938) and August 3, 2020, (85 FR 46735), the staff requested public comments on the following draft ISGs:

• Draft SLR-ISG-MECHANICAL-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Mechanical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance
• Draft SLR-ISG-STRUCTURES-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Structures Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance
• Draft SLR-ISG-ELECTRICAL-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Electrical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance
• Errata for Draft SLR-ISG-MECHANICAL-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Mechanical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance

The NRC received comments from the Nuclear Energy Institute by letter dated August 10, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20224A465). No other comments were submitted. The NRC staff considered those comments in developing the final versions of the ISGs. The staff's responses to the comments are provided in each of the final ISGs in appendices titled “Disposition of Public Comments.”

These ISGs update NUREG-2191, “Generic Aging Lessons Learned for Subsequent License Renewal (GALL-SLR) Report,” and NUREG-2192, “Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants.” NUREG-2191 and NUREG-2192 were published in July 2017, and a full review and revision to these documents is not scheduled to be performed for several years. The staff has reviewed the first three subsequent license renewal applications (SLRAs) that were based on the previously noted guidance documents. During these reviews, the staff and applicants identified improvements to the guidance that would assist in preparing and reviewing future SLRAs more effectively and efficiently. These ISGs provide interim updates to NUREG-2191 and NUREG-2192 to implement these improvements.

These ISGs are not intended for standalone use. They provide revisions to NUREG-2191 and NUREG-2192 sections and tables that supersede the content in the NUREGs and are intended to be used within the context of the NUREGs. The revisions captured in these ISGs include:

• Updates to recommended aging management programs;
• changes to aging management review items in NUREG-2191 tables and corresponding summary tables in NUREG-2192;
• new aging management review items in NUREG-2191 tables and corresponding summary tables in NUREG-2192;
• changes to “further evaluation” guidance sections in NUREG-2192;
• updates to references listed in affected NUREG-2191 sections; and
• editorial corrections to relevant sections.

II. Availability of Documents

The documents identified in the following table are available to interested persons in ADAMS, as indicated.

Document	ADAMS Accession No.
NUREG-2191, “Generic Aging Lessons Learned for Subsequent License Renewal (GALL-SLR) Report”	ML16274A389 (Vol. 1); ML16274A399 (Vol. 2).
NUREG-2192, “Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants, Final Report”	ML16274A402.
Draft SLR-ISG-MECHANICAL-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Mechanical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance	ML20156A330.
Draft SLR-ISG-STRUCTURES-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Structures Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance	ML20156A338.
Draft SLR-ISG-ELECTRICAL-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Electrical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance	ML20156A324.
Errata for Draft SLR-ISG-MECHANICAL-2020-XX; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Mechanical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance	ML20198M382.
March 28, 2019, Summary of Category 2 Public Meeting on Lessons Learned from the Review of the First Subsequent License Renewal Applications	ML19112A206.
Summary of December 12, 2019, Category 2 Public Meeting on Lessons Learned from the Review of the First Subsequent License Renewal Applications	ML20016A347.
February 20, 2020, Summary of Category 2 Public Meeting on Lessons Learned from the Review of the First Subsequent License Renewal Applications	ML20076E074.
Summary of March 25, 2020, Meeting with Industry Related to Revisions to Subsequent License Renewal Guidance Documents	ML20107F702.
Summary of April 3, 2020, Meeting with Industry Regarding Changes to Subsequent License Renewal Guidance Documents	ML20107F733.
Summary of April 7, 2020 Meeting with Industry Regarding Revisions to the Subsequent License Renewal Guidance Documents	ML20107F699.
Comment (1) of Allison Borst & Peter W. Kissinger, on Behalf of Nuclear Energy Institute, on Changes to Subsequent License Renewal Guidance Documents	ML20224A465.
Final SLR-ISG-2021-02-MECHANICAL; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Mechanical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance	ML20181A434.
Final SLR-ISG-2021-03-STRUCTURES; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Structures Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance	ML20181A381.
Final SLR-ISG-2021-04-ELECTRICAL; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Electrical Portions of Subsequent License Renewal Guidance	ML20181A395.

III. Backfitting, Forward Fitting, and Issue Finality

These ISGs intend to revise guidance for the NRC staff reviewing SLRAs and for prospective applicants in preparing SLRAs. Issuance of these ISGs does not constitute a backfit as defined in section 50.109(a)(1) of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) and is not otherwise inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52. As discussed in the “Backfitting” sections of the final ISGs, the ISG positions do not constitute backfitting inasmuch as the ISGs are guidance directed to the NRC staff with respect to its regulatory responsibilities and to applicants who choose to follow the guidance. Applicants and potential applicants are not, with certain exceptions, the subject of either the backfit rule or any issue finality provisions under 10 CFR part 52. The NRC staff has no intention to impose the ISG positions on existing nuclear power plant licensees either now or in the future (absent a voluntary request for a change from the licensee).

IV. Congressional Review Act

These ISGs are rules as defined in the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801-808). However, the Office of Management and Budget has not found them to be major rules as defined in the Congressional Review Act.

Dated: February 22, 2021.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Robert Caldwell,

Deputy Director, Division of New and Renewed Licenses, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.