Reactor Licensing & Regulation

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is taking public comment through June 5 on a request for an update to federal regulations regarding storage of spent nuclear reactor fuel. Ray Lutz, and his California watchdog group Citizens’ Oversight, filed the petition for rulemaking on Title 10, Part 72, of the Code of Regulations in January. His […]

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has formally requested to withdraw its application with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for renewal of reactor Units 1 and 2 at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. The utility instead plans to shut down California’s last operational atomic energy facility within a decade. “PG&E hereby requests to withdraw the […]

By John Stang It might take up to six months after the approval of the 2019 federal budget for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste disposal facility in Nevada to get back on track, a pair of U.S. House subcommittees were told Tuesday. That is because the regulator’s Yucca team […]

It might take up to six months after the approval of the 2019 federal budget for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada to get back on track, a pair of U.S. House subcommittees were told Tuesday. That is because the regulator’s Yucca team was reassigned after the […]

The three sitting members of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission are scheduled to make two appearances on Capitol Hill this week to testify on the agency’s fiscal 2019 budget and other matters. NRC Chairman Kristine Svinicki and Commissioners Jeff Baran and Stephen Burns are due to appear this morning at a joint hearing of the […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission should dismiss a request from a number of New Mexico state lawmakers to slow its technical review of plans for a consolidated interim storage facility for spent nuclear reactor fuel, according to one elected official in the county that would house the site. In separate letters sent in February, nine […]

By John Stang Honeywell International recently sued the federal government in an effort to reclaim almost $2 million in payments made to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2013 and 2014. The lawsuit was filed Feb. 16 in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Honeywell’s Metropolis Works plant in Illinois converts natural uranium into uranium hexafluoride […]

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Kristine Svinicki on Tuesday touted the benefits of full membership in the five-person panel, without directly mentioning the U.S. Senate’s extended inaction on nominees waiting to fill two vacancies. Svinicki noted that the commission has been at three members “for some period of time” – specifically since William Ostendorff stepped […]

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Kristine Svinicki on Tuesday touted the benefits of full membership in the five-person panel, without directly mentioning the U.S. Senate’s extended inaction on nominees waiting to fill two vacancies. Svinicki noted that the commission has been at three members “for some period of time” – specifically since William Ostendorff stepped […]

Honeywell International recently sued the federal government in an effort to reclaim almost $2 million in payments made to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2013 and 2014. The lawsuit was filed Feb. 16 in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Honeywell’s Metropolis Works plant in Illinois converts natural uranium into uranium hexafluoride for use in […]

All three sitting members of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission are scheduled to speak Tuesday on the first day of the agency’s 30th Regulatory Information Conference. Commission Chairman Kristine Svinicki will offer the keynote speech to start off the conference Tuesday morning, followed by separate “commissioner plenaries” from Commissioners Jeff Baran and Stephen Burns. While […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday said it would conduct a full technical review of Holtec International’s application for a license to build and operate an interim spent-fuel storage facility in southeastern New Mexico. The Camden, N.J.-based energy technology company filed its application on March 30, 2017, for authorization to store as much as […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday said it would conduct a full technical review of Holtec International’s application for a license to build an interim spent-fuel storage facility in southeastern New Mexico. The Camden, N.J.-based energy technology company filed its application on March 30, 2017, for authorization to store as much as 8,680 metric […]

By John Stang A California watchdog organization has petitioned the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to significantly increase the required longevity of the dry casks used for storage of spent nuclear reactor fuel at power plants around the country. On Jan. 2, Citizens’ Oversight submitted the petition for rulemaking that argued the 40-year design life required […]

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), who has pledged to stop the Department of Energy from building a permanent nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain in his state, is still preventing the White House from filling a key nuclear regulatory position in the U.S. government, Politico reported last week. President Donald Trump nominated Republican Annie Caputo for a […]

By John Stang The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has requested a $970.7 million budget for fiscal 2019, a nearly $60 million spike from the current level largely on the back of proposed funding for licensing of the planned Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. If approved by Congress, the nuclear industry regulator’s budget would […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is moving toward a potential rulemaking on disposal of Greater-Than-Class-C (GTCC) and transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes from nongovernment sources, this week requesting public input for a regulatory basis that would help guide the process. The commission first requested the regulatory basis in December 2015, after Texas inquired about licensing a […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Monday issued a new strategic plan outlining a long list of measures it will take to ensure the safe and secure use of radioactive materials in the United States. The strategic plan, covering fiscal years 2018 to 2022, is largely in line with the goals from the agency’s prior […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is moving forward with a rulemaking on disposal of Greater Than Class C (GTCC) and transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes, this week requesting public input for a regulatory basis that would help guide the process. Commissioners first called for the regulatory basis in December 2015, after Texas inquired about licensing a […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Monday issued a new strategic plan outlining a long list of measures it will take to ensure the safe and secure use of radioactive materials in the United States. The strategic plan, covering fiscal years 2018 to 2022, is largely in line with the goals from the agency’s prior […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has requested a $970.7 million budget for fiscal 2019, a nearly $60 million spike from the current level largely on the back of proposed funding for licensing of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. The number of full-time equivalent positions at the nuclear industry regulator, meanwhile, would drop […]

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), who has pledged to stop the Department of Energy from building a permanent nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain in his state, is still preventing the White House from filling a key nuclear regulatory in the U.S. government, Politico reported last week. The mostly silent blockade against Annie Caputo, a Republican whom […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has reopened the comment period for a draft final guidance on requests for alternative disposal of very low-level radioactive waste. The comment period, which initially closed on Dec. 18, will now stretch to Jan. 17, according to a Dec. 21 notice in the Federal Register. Comments can be submitted at www.regulations.gov, […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has reopened the comment period for a draft final guidance for agency staff reviews of requests for alternative disposal of very low-level radioactive waste. The comment period, which initially closed on Dec. 18, will now stretch to Jan. 17, according to a Dec. 21 notice in the Federal Register. Comments […]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in November spent $16,743 of its remaining Nuclear Waste Fund balance, leaving it with just under $525,000 to spend, according to the agency’s latest update to Congress. The fund in total as of January 2017 had a balance of roughly $34 billion collected from nuclear power generators to fund development […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given final authorization for power company Entergy to use the decommissioning trust for the retired Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant for management of the site’s irradiated fuel. The regulator announced publication of its environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) on the exemption in a Dec. 26 Federal […]

The state of Nevada has requested that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission postpone an upcoming meeting of the advisory panel on management of the Licensing Support Network, the repository of documents on the agency’s review of the license application for the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. Last month, the NRC announced a Jan. 30-31 meeting […]

President Donald Trump on Friday signed a third short-term budget for fiscal 2018 to prevent a shutdown of the federal government, including the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. His approval came just a day after both chambers of Congress voted in favor of the continuing resolution through Jan. 19, 2018. The latest stopgap spending plan succeeds […]

A second round of state depositions has been scheduled for January on the proposed sale of the retired Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Depositions were previously held in October as the Vermont Public Utility Commission considers whether to authorize transfer of ownership of Vermont Yankee from power company Entergy to nuclear decommissioning specialist NorthStar Group […]

The state of Nevada has joined the U.S. Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff in formally declaring its intention to participate in any resumed NRC review of the license application for the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. On Friday, Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects Director Robert Halstead submitted the state’s response to […]