ECA Update: November 6, 2015
Published: Fri, 11/06/15
NRC to issue 80-year reactor draft guidance documents next month Politico Pro November 6, 2015 By Darius Dixon The NRC said today that it intends to issue two draft guidance documents next month that will begin to formalize long-standing research the agency has done on reviewing nuclear reactor life beyond 60 years. Earlier today, Dominion became the first electric utility in the country to tell regulators that it intends to apply for a second 20-year license renewal on a pair of nuclear reactors in Virginia. Plant operators applying for what the NRC calls "subsequent license renewal" will need a detailed technical basis and "aging management" programs to demonstrate how they will keep their plants operating safely through their 80th birthday, Albert Wong of the agency's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation said in a blog post. "We expect the reviews will take about two years, though the quality of the applications could affect the schedule," he added, saying that the NRC was "proactively preparing" for second-round license renewals. NRC leadership turned down a staff proposal last year to initiate a rulemaking for subsequent renewals but instructed them to address technical issues through other agency processes. The guidance documents, which will be open for public comment, will be titled "Generic Aging Lessons Learned for Subsequent License Renewal Report" and the "Standard Review Plan for Review of Subsequent License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants." |
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