98-13190. Year 2000 Readiness of Computer Systems at Nuclear Power Plants; Issue

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 96 (Tuesday, May 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27607-27608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13190]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Year 2000 Readiness of Computer Systems at Nuclear Power Plants; 
Issue

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Issuance.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Generic 
Letter (GL) 98-01 to all holders of operating licenses for nuclear 
power plants, except those who have permanently ceased operations and 
have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor 
vessel, to require the submittal of written responses that will give 
the NRC the necessary assurance that addressees are effectively 
addressing the year 2000 (Y2K) problem in computer systems at their 
respective facilities. Simply stated, the Y2K problem pertains to the 
potential for a system or an application to experience date-related 
problems, such as misreading ``00'' as the year 1900 rather than 2000. 
This generic letter requires the following information from addressees, 
under the provisions of Section 182a of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 
as amended, and 10 CFR 50.54(f): (1) Written confirmation that each 
addressee is implementing an effective plan to address the Y2K problem 
and provide for safe operation of their respective facilities prior to 
January 1, 2000, and (2) written certification that the facilities are 
Y2K ready with regard to compliance with the terms and conditions of 
the facility licenses and NRC regulations.
    The generic letter is a ``rule'' for purposes of the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (5 U.S.C., Chapter 8). The staff 
has received confirmation from the Office of Management and Budget that 
the generic letter is a non-major rule.
    The generic letter is available in the NRC Public Document Room 
under accession number 9805050192.

DATES: The generic letter was issued on May 11, 1998.

ADDRESSEES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Chiramal, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This generic letter only requires 
information from addressees under the provisions of Section 182a of the 
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and 10 CFR 50.54(f). The generic 
letter does not constitute a backfit as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1) 
since it does not impose modifications of or additions to

[[Page 27608]]

structures, systems or components or to design or operation of an 
addressee's facility. It also does not impose an interpretation of the 
Commission's rules that is either new or different from a previous 
staff position. The staff, therefore, has not performed a backfit 
analysis.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of May 1998.

For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David B. Matthews,
Acting Director, Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-13190 Filed 5-18-98; 8:45 am]
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