The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday unveiled a set of proposed rules for nuclear reactors making the transition from operations to decommissioning.
The proposed rules developed by NRC staff are intended to reduce the need for nuclear plant operators to request exemptions to federal regulations or license amendments for facilities that pose a reduced danger for accidents or radiation releases.
“In several areas of the current regulations, there is no means to distinguish provisions that apply to a power reactor that has permanently ceased operations from provisions that apply to an operating power reactor. To address this potential confusion, the NRC is proposing to amend its regulations to provide a sustainable regulatory framework for the transition to decommissioning,” according to a nearly 300-page Federal Register notice that would be published upon approval from the commission.
The NRC staff estimated the federal government, nuclear industry, and society could save roughly $18.8 million in decommissioning costs if the new rules are adopted.
Broadly, the proposed rules cover areas including emergency preparedness, physical and cyber security, and decommissioning trust funds, among others.
Among the proposals:
- Cybersecurity requirements would remain in place until used fuel in wet storage had decayed to the point at which it could not ignite “within 10 hours under adiabatic heatup conditions.”
- Licensees would be authorized to use money in decommissioning trusts for spent fuel management, under certain circumstances.
- Increasing the current 20-day period to 45 days for notification of receipt of shipments of low-level radioactive waste.
- On physical security during decommissioning, a certified fuel handler would be able to temporarily suspend security measures during certain emergency conditions or during severe weather.
The next step would be for the commission to affirm or request changes to the proposal, which is expected several months from now. That would be followed by a 75-day public input period that will help shape the final document. The commission is expected to vote on that document in fall 2019.
The proposed rules package quickly drew the ire of Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), who likened it to “an industry wish list.”
“This is a missed opportunity to put down a marker for smarter decommissioning, and I urge the Commission to strengthen this draft rule to ensure safety not expediency is paramount,” he said in a prepared statement.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article incorrecetly indicated the Federal Register notice on the proposed rulemaking had been published.
