Reactor Licensing & Regulation

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/18/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission denied a petition this week that would have halted all licensing decisions for nuclear plants. The petition, submitted by a group of 34 environmental activist groups in February, called for a halt to all reviews of new licenses and license renewals due to new findings […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/18/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s planned schedule for completing its Waste Confidence rulemaking received another vote of confidence this week as NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane indicated the NRC is on track to issue a final version this fall during her speech at the Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. The NRC […]

NRC Commissioner William Magwood will not resign or retroactively recuse himself from decisions from the past year, the Commissioner said in a response letter yesterday to a coalition of 34 environmental activist organizations calling for his removal for accepting a position with the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Nuclear Energy Agency while still […]

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Allison Macfarlane joined industry stakeholders yesterday in calling for a rulemaking to better define the decommissioning process for commercial reactors during a Commission briefing on nuclear plant decommissioning. With the recent surge of plants entering premature shutdown, the NRC’s lack of regulations to show the difference between an operating site and […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission remains on track to issue a final version of its Waste Confidence rulemaking this fall, NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane said yesterday in a speech at the Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. The NRC had previously announced that a final ruling for Waste Confidence would come no later than Oct. 3, and […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/11/2014 The state of Nevada is gearing up to fight the results from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Yucca Mountain licensing review. Nevada’s Board of Examiners, which includes Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and Secretary of State Ross Miller, approved this week a $1.4 million funding request from the attorney general’s office […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/11/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has no plans to change its exemption process for decommissioning sites, according to a letter NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane sent to a group of Senators this week. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) along with four other Senators from states with decommissioning sites, sent a letter in […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/11/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is seeking Commission approval to enable a speedier and more efficient review of Shine Medical Industries’ low-energy neutron source design for the production of molybdenum-99. Shine is one of several companies trying to get through the regulatory hurdles to begin the production of the […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the deadline to submit public comments for the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Program’s Strategic Assessment. The NRC is soliciting public comment on its Strategic Assessment to address developments in the national program for LLRW disposal as well as changes in the regulatory environment since it originally formed its assessment, according […]

The NRC Staff are recommending that Dominion’s exemption request for emergency preparedness regulations for the Kewaunee Power Station be granted, according to the Staff’s SECY letter to the Commission yesterday. Exemptions at decommissioning sites have made headlines recently after Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) criticized the NRC for granting too many at […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has no plans to change its exemption process for decommissioning sites, according to a letter sent by NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane to a group of Senate lawmakers led by Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) this week. Markey sent a letter back in early May to the NRC, along with four other Senators […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is seeking Commission approval to enable a speedier and more efficient review of Shine Medical Industries’ low-energy neutron source design for the production of molybdenum-99. Shine is one of several companies trying to get through the regulatory hurdles to begin the production of the medical isotope used in millions of […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/3/2014 George Apostolakis’ tenure as a Commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission came to an end this week, and it remains to be seen who the Obama Administration will nominate as a replacement. Apostolakis, who has served on the Commission since 2010, confirmed two weeks ago that he would not […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/3/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission appears to have taken on the responsibility to complete the Yucca Mountain supplemental Environmental Impact Statement needed to complete the Yucca licensing review, according to a letter NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane sent to members of Congress this week. The NRC originally requested that the Department […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission appears to have taken on the responsibility to complete the Yucca Mountain supplemental Enviromental Impact Statement needed to complete the Yucca licensing review, according to a letter sent from NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane to members of Congress yesterday. The NRC originally requested that the Department of Energy complete the EIS, but […]

NRC Commissioner George Apostolakis’ tenure on the Commission ends today. Apostolakis, who has served on the Commission since 2010, confirmed two weeks ago that he would not be returning as commissioner after President Barrack Obama elected not two re-nominate him to another term. “I am proud and honored to have served as a member of […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/27/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission this week withdrew its direct final ruling issued in April that would have enabled the storage of high burnup spent nuclear fuel in Areva’s Standardized Advanced NUHOMS Horizontal Modular Storage System. Areva was seeking an amendment to its certificate of compliance for its storage casks, […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission withdrew its direct final ruling issued in April that would have enabled the storage of high burnup spent nuclear fuel in Areva’s Standardized Advanced NUHOMS Horizontal Modular Storage System, according to a posting in the Federal Register yesterday. Areva was seeking an amendment to its certificate of compliance for its storage […]

Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 2/28/2014 In a another step in a proposal to construct a new laser enrichment plant at the Paducah site, Global Laser Enrichment intends to submit a license application by September to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the company told the NRC last week. “GLE expects to submit the license application for the […]

NRC FINDS NO VIOLATIONS IN LATEST INSPECTION PERIOD NS&D Monitor 2/14/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission found no violations in its latest round of construction inspections at the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility. The NRC conducts quarterly inspections of the project’s construction by contractor Shaw AREVA MOX Services. “The inspections examined activities conducted under your construction […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/20/2014 NRC Commissioner George Apostolakis will not be re-nominated for another term as commissioner after his current one expires at the end of the month, his office confirmed this week.  It was widely speculated that Apostolakis would not return at the end of his term, but this marks the first […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/20/2014 A group of 34 environmental activist groups this week called for the resignation of NRC Commissioner William Magwood for accepting a position with an international organization that promotes nuclear energy while he still served as a regulator, according to a letter sent to Magwood. Magwood announced earlier this year […]

A group of 34 environmental activist groups yesterday called for the resignation of NRC Commissioner William Magwood for accepting a position with an international organization that promotes nuclear energy while he still served as a regulator, according to a letter sent to Magwood yesterday. Magwood announced earlier this year that he would be leaving the […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/13/2014 ORLANDO, Fla.—An effort by some lawmakers to restrict the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s ability to grant exemptions to safety and security requirements for nuclear power plants undergoing decommissioning was met with skepticism here this week by an NRC Commissioner and industry officials. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/13/2014 ORLANDO, Fla.—The Nuclear Regulatory Commission remains on track to issue a final version of its updated Waste Confidence rulemaking this fall, NRC Commissioner William Ostendorff said during a presentation at this year’s EPRI Low-Level Waste Conference, held here this week. The NRC had previously announced that a final ruling […]

NRC Commissioner William Ostendorff maintained confidence yesterday that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Waste Confidence rulemaking will go out for final publication in the fall, he said during a presentation at the EPRI Low-Level Waste Conference in Orlando. The NRC announced earlier this year that a final ruling for Waste Confidence would come no later than […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/6/2014 Senate Republicans called on the Obama Administration this week to move quickly to address two looming vacancies at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In the near-term, NRC Commissioner George Apostolakis’ term is set to expire at the end of this month, but the Administration so far has remained silent on […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/6/2014 Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) hounded the Nuclear Regulatory Commission again this week for granting exemptions to emergency preparedness and safety regulations at shutdown reactor sites. Boxer has been critical of NRC exemptions, especially for pending exemption requests from Southern California Edison for the San […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 6/6/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun seeking public comment on a draft regulatory issue summary that addresses the reporting of radionuclides on the uniform waste manifest, according to a notice in the Federal Register this week. The NRC wants to identify instances where licensees use “indirect methods” to determine […]

Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) scolded the Nuclear Regulatory Commission yesterday for granting exemptions to emergency preparedness and safety regulations at shutdown reactor sites. Boxer, whose home state includes the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, has been critical of NRC exemptions, especially for pending exemption requests from Southern California Edison for […]