Reactor Licensing & Regulation

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff recommended the Commission approve the exemptions requests for reduced emergency preparedness and security at Duke Energy’s Crystal River Nuclear Plant, according to a Staff paper released yesterday. Citing the decreased risk of a shutdown reactor in comparison to an operating one, the Staff found that public safety would not be […]

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Allison Macfarlane yesterday called for regulationis to better reflect the status of decommissioning plants during remarks made at the National Press Club. Macfarlane’s comments came in the context of lessons-learned during her time at the Commission, especially in light of her impending departure. Macfarlane announced last month her plans to leave […]

President Barrack Obama late last week nominated current-Nuclear Regulatory Commission member Jeffrey Baran to serve the remaining years left on departing NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane’s tenure. Macfarlane’s planned departure at the end of the year would end before her term expires in June of 2018. Baran initially was confirmed to serve out the remainder of former-commissioner William […]

RW Monitor 11/7/2014 IN THE NRC Stephen Burns was officially sworn in as a new member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this week. Burns previously worked at the NRC for more than 30 years, rising to General Counsel under then-Chairman Gregory Jaczko, but left in 2012 for a position with the Nuclear Energy Agency. Burns […]

Stephen Burns became the 35th commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as he officially took his oath of office yesterday at NRC Headquarters in Rockville, Md. Burns previously worked at the NRC for over 30 years, rising to General Counsel under then-Chairman Gregory Jaczko, but he left in 2012 for a position with the Nuclear […]

NRC Finds No MOX Violations in Third Quarter NS&D Monitor 10/31/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission found no violations or deviations for the period from July 1 through Sept. 30, 2014, the agency told contractor CB&I AREVA MOX Services in an Oct. 16 letter. The NRC releases quarterly reports on the project based on the findings […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/31/2014 A flurry of lawsuits aimed at curtailing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s ‘Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel’ rule, formerly known as Waste Confidence, emerged this week, with four separate appeals appearing in a federal court. The challengers include many of the parties involved in the original suit that required […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/31/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has received a petition for rulemaking from the Nuclear Energy Institute concerning the physical protection of Category 1 and Category 2 Quantities of Radioactive Material, according to a notice in the Federal Register this week. NEI said the rulemaking is needed to “remove unnecessary and […]

RW Monitor 10/31/2014 IN NRC The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced this week that it has officially enacted the exemptions for emergency preparedness at the Kewaunee Power Station. The Commission had approved the exemptions back in August after Staff had recommended the changes would not have a significant impact on public safety. Dominion will still need […]

Two new legal appeals to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s ‘Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel Rule,’ formerly known as Waste Confidence, emerged yesterday from a group of nine environmental groups and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The new challenges join the other legal appeals to the Court of Appeals of the D.C. Circuit this week […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission officially enacted the exemptions for emergency preparedness at the Kewaunee Power Station, the NRC announced yesterday. The Commission had approved the exemptions back in August after Staff had recommended the changes would not have a significant impact on public safety. Dominion will still need to maintain an onsite emergency plan and […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has received a petition for rulemaking from the Nuclear Energy Institute concerning the physical protection of Category 1 and Category 2 quantities of radioactive material, according to a post in the Federal Register yesterday. NEI is arguing that the rulemaking is needed to “remove unnecessary and burdensome requirements on licensees with […]

The Prairie Island Indian Community has filed an appeal in a federal court against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s ‘Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel Rule’ for failing to address the environmental concerns of long-term storage, the tribe announced this week. Although filed separately, their appeal follows a similar one filed this week in the Court […]

New York, along with Connecticut and Vermont, will challenge the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s ‘Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel Rule’ by petitioning a federal court to invalidate the rule for failing to properly address the National Environmental Policy Act and other court concerns, New York’s Attorney General  Eric Schneiderman announced yesterday. New York led the […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission found no violations or deviations for the period from July 1 through Sept. 30, 2014, the agency told contractor CB&I AREVA MOX Services in an Oct. 16 letter. The NRC releases  quarterly reports on the project based on the findings of its resident inspection team on whether construction activities are conducted […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/24/2014 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Allison Macfarlane will step down from her position at the end of this year for a position at George Washington University starting Jan. 1, the NRC announced this week. Macfarlane, who took over the chairmanship in 2012, followed a tumultuous period at the Commission under […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/24/2014 With the release of Volume Three of the NRC’s Yucca Mountain Safety Evaluation Report last week, the state of Nevada is pushing back against assertions that the report shows the suitability of the site for a repository. Volume Three, which found that repository design adequately addresses Nuclear Regulatory Commission […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/24/2014 While litigation looms around the corner, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s final ruling on the Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, formerly known as Waste Confidence, went into effect this week, 30 days after it was published in the Federal Register. The rule going into effect allows the Commission to […]

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Allison Macfarlane will step down from her position at the end of this year for a position at George Washington University starting Jan. 1, the NRC announced yesterday. Macfarlane, who took over the chairmanship in 2012, followed a tumultuous period at the Commission marked by the disorder of former-chair Gregory Jaczko. […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Inspector General found the agency has problems implementing some parts of the National Environmental Policy Act, according to a report released yesterday. The report, titled “Assessment of the Most Serious Management and Performance Challenges Facing NRC,” looked at a variety of issues the NRC needs improvement in, including cybersecurity, acquisition procurement, […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s final ruling on the Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, formerly known as Waste Confidence, went into effect yesterday, 30 days after it was published in the Federal Register. The rule going into effect allows the Commission to make license renewal decisions that had to be put on hold, the first […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/17/2014 The Yucca Mountain repository design adequately addresses Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulatory requirements, according to Volume Three of the NRC’s Yucca Mountain Safety Evaluation Report, released this week. Volume Three, which is a review of repository safety after closure, has been the focus of pro-Yucca lawmakers since the project was […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/17/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is set to hold the public meeting for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station’s decommissioning plan Oct. 27. The NRC will meet with the public from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Carlsbad, Calif. to discuss and answer questions on Southern California Edison’s Post-Shutdown Decommissioning […]

RW Monitor 10/17/2014 IN NRC Jeff Baran has taken his place as the 34th Commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, after being sworn in this week. Baran was confirmed by the Senate last month to fill the position left by former-NRC Commissioner William Magwood, who left the Commission to serve as Director General of the […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to release as early as Thursday the highly anticipated third volume of the Yucca Mountain Safety Evaluation Report, Weapons Complex Morning Briefing has learned. Volume Three, which is a review of repository safety after closure, has been the focus of pro-Yucca lawmakers since the project was deemed “unworkable” by the […]

Jeff Baran has taken his place as the 34th Commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, after being sworn in yesterday. Baran was confirmed by the Senate last month to fill the position left by former-NRC Commissioner William Magwood, who left the Commission to serve as Director General of the Nuclear Energy Agency. Baran’s tenure would […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled the public meeting for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station’s decommissioning plan for Oct. 27. The NRC will meet with the public from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Carlsbad, Calif. to discuss and answer questions on Southern California Edison’s Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report (PSDAR), cost estimate and used […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 10/10/2014 This week marked the start of operation for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s reincorporated Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. With the NRC’s changing workload, the NRC staff launched a working group last year to review the organizational structure of the materials and waste management programs, and determined that […]

Yesterday marked the first day of operations for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s reorganized Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. With the NRC’s changing workload, the NRC staff launched a working group last year to review the organizational structure of the materials and waste management programs, and determined that Office of Federal and State Materials […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 9/19/2014 The Senate this week confirmed two new members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, bringing the NRC back to its full five-member contingent. Steven Burns previously worked for the NRC, rising to General Counsel under then-Chairman Gregory Jaczko, but left in 2012 for a position with the Nuclear Energy Agency. […]