A prominent nuclear-professional organization this week rallied behind a proposed Nuclear Regulatory Commission rulemaking aimed at streamlining decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
The American Nuclear Society (ANS) said in a statement Tuesday that it was “pleased” with NRC’s proposed changes to decommissioning regulations.
“This rulemaking has been under development for many years, and changes to the rule are needed to provide for a predictable and transparent decommissioning framework,” ANS president Steven Nesbit said in the statement.
Nesbit urged NRC to complete its decommissioning rulemaking “with all due haste.”
The proposed decommissioning rule would reduce certain NRC-mandated emergency preparedness and safety requirements for nuclear plant operators transitioning their facilities to decommissioning. The proposed change is aimed at removing existing regulations that the commission said don’t reflect “lower safety hazard[s]” when a plant is being dismantled.
In comments submitted to the commission Tuesday, ANS said it “generally supports the proposed changes and the efforts that have been taken to help streamline the regulations while keeping safety as the top priority.”
Among other suggestions, ANS proposed dropping certain license amendment approval requirements for spent fuel management and clarifying language about decommissioning funding plans.
NRC in November approved the proposed rule on a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Jeff Baran, the ‘no’ vote, called the rulemaking “laissez-faire” and that it stripped the commission of some regulatory authority. NRC chairman Christopher Hanson pushed back on that view during a November interview with Radwaste Monitor, arguing that the proposed change was “focused primarily on safety.”
Meanwhile, NRC said earlier this month that it would continue accepting public comments on the decommissioning rule until August 30.
