99-25052. NRC Workshop on the NRC's Inspection Program for Decommissioning Power Reactors

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 186 (Monday, September 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 52113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25052]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


NRC Workshop on the NRC's Inspection Program for Decommissioning 
Power Reactors

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Public Workshop and Meeting with the Nuclear Energy 
Institute (NEI) to Discuss the Agency's Inspection of Decommissioning 
Nuclear Power Plants.

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SUMMARY: On October 13, 1999, at 7:00 p.m., the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission staff will conduct a Public Workshop at the Ramada Inn, in 
Meriden, CT, to discuss the Agency's program for its inspection of 
decommissioning nuclear power plants. Specifically, the staff plans to 
provide a short presentation on the current inspection program for 
reactor facilities that are decommissioning, summarize the findings of 
the inspection program since 1997, and discuss proposed changes to the 
current program. Following this presentation, a forum will be provided 
for the public, the nuclear industry, and other regulatory agencies to 
discuss and inform the NRC staff of any questions or concerns regarding 
the Agency's inspection of permanently shutdown nuclear power plants.
    On October 14, 1999, NEI has been invited to present to the NRC 
staff, its assessment of the NRC's inspection of decommissioning power 
reactors. This meeting will be open for public observation and will be 
held at 10:30 a.m. at the Ramada Inn, Meriden, CT.
    The insights gained from the workshop and meeting will be evaluated 
by the staff and factored into the Agency's lessons learned and risk 
insights that will be used to revise and improve the procedures used to 
inspect permanently shutdown reactor plants. NRC management, project 
managers, and specialist inspectors will be in attendance at the 
workshop and meeting to respond individually or in concert to questions 
or concerns. The NRC will be represented by the NRC Regional Offices 
and the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and Nuclear 
Materials Safety and Safeguards (NMSS).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 28, 1996, the Commission amended 
the regulations on the requirements that lead to the termination of an 
operating license for nuclear power reactors (FR 39278, July 29, 1996). 
These amended regulations were based on, in part, an Agency position 
that the degree of regulatory oversight required for a nuclear power 
reactor during its decommissioning stage is considerably less than that 
required for the facility during its operating stage.
    NRC Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2561, ``Decommissioning 
Inspection Program,'' was completely revised and issued on August 8, 
1997, to incorporate lessons learned from the inspection of 
decommissioning power plants and to, in part, implement the August 28, 
1996, amended regulations, as described above. The manual chapter was 
written to cover all phases of decommissioning whether the facility was 
placed in long-term safe storage (SAFSTOR) or it was being actively 
decontaminated and dismantled (DECON) to support radiological release 
of the site and license termination. To effectively inspect all 
decommissioning power plants regardless of the chosen decommissioning 
option, a core inspection program was developed to evaluate the key 
functional areas of: (1) Facility management and control (organization, 
cost controls, safety reviews, modifications, audits, self-assessment, 
corrective actions, and status reviews); (2) decommissioning support 
activities (maintenance, surveillance, cold weather preparations, 
physical security, and independent spent fuel storage facilities); (3) 
spent fuel safety (wet and dry spent fuel storage and fuel handling); 
and (4) radiological safety (occupational, transportation, and 
radioactive waste treatment). Further, the level of inspection effort 
(i.e., hours of direct inspection) required by the manual chapter was 
scaled or graduated to a number of considerations including licensee 
performance, the conduct of major decommissioning activities, and the 
level of contamination or radiation involved in particular 
decommissioning activities. Thus, IMC 2561 is risk-informed and the 
level of NRC inspection at a permanently shutdown unit is commensurate 
with the status of facility decommissioning and safety.
    When the 1997 revision of IMC 2561 was issued, the staff planned to 
review and revise the IMC and associated inspection procedures (IPs) 
following a period of implementation by the NRC Regional Offices. This 
was to (1) Ensure that the lessons learned from the four most recently 
shutdown operating power reactors (Haddam Neck, Millstone Unit 1, Big 
Rock Point, and Maine Yankee) would be factored into the IMC and IPs, 
and (2) allow the staff another opportunity to factor in additional 
risk insights gained from rulemaking activities and staff analysis of 
spent fuel accidents, emergency preparedness, and safeguards. This 
public meeting is a way the public can influence the staff's revision 
of the decommissioning power reactor inspection program.

DATES: October 13 and 14, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Ramada Plaza Hotel, 275 Research Parkway, Meriden, CT 06450, 
[phone]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul W. Harris, Project Manager, 
Decommissioning Section, Project Directorate IV and Decommissioning, 
Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation, at [phone] or by e-mail at [email protected] For public 
inspection of NRC IMC 2561, ``Decommissioning Power Reactor Inspection 
Program,'' and its associated NRC IPs, see the NRC's Website at: http:/
/www.nrc.gov under ``Reference Library,'' ``NRC Inspection Manual,'' 
and then ``Manual Chapter'' or ``Inspection Procedure.''

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of September 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael T. Masnik,
Section Chief, Decommissioning Section, Project Directorate IV and 
Decommissioning, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-25052 Filed 9-24-99; 8:45 am]
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