Monday, June 29, 2020
Friday, June 26, 2020
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
NRC Identifies Nine Abnormal Occurrence Events in FY 2019 Annual Report to Congress
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-036 June 23, 2020
CONTACT: David McIntyre, 301-415-8200
NRC Identifies Nine Abnormal Occurrence Events in FY 2019 Annual Report to Congress
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has published its annual report to Congress for fiscal year 2019 regarding Abnormal Occurrences involving the medical and industrial uses of radioactive material.
Nine Abnormal Occurrences were identified, seven of which were medical events, such as misadministration of radioactive material in diagnosis or treatment of an illness. One event involved a worker exposure, and the final event was the theft and subsequent recovery of a device containing a risk-significant radioactive source. No events at commercial nuclear power plants in FY 2019 met the criteria requiring an Abnormal Occurrence declaration.
U.S. law defines an Abnormal Occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the NRC determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety. The NRC sets specific criteria, most recently updated in October 2017, for determining which events qualify.
The Report to Congress on Abnormal Occurrences, Fiscal Year 2019, is available on the NRC website as NUREG 0090, Volume 42.
Monday, June 22, 2020
NRC Accepts License Application for Oklo Advanced Reactor
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-033 June 15, 2020
CONTACT: Office of Public Affairs, 301-415-8200
NRC Accepts License Application for Oklo Advanced Reactor
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted for review a Combined License application from Oklo Power LLC. to build and operate the company’s Aurora reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory site in Idaho.
The proposed Aurora design uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon-dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. Oklo’s application, submitted on March 11, seeks approval of the first NRC license for an advanced non-light-water reactor design. The NRC and Oklo have engaged in “pre-application” discussions since 2016.
Accepting the application for review, or “docketing,” does not indicate whether the Commission will ultimately approve or reject the request for a license. The NRC is focusing on aligning on key design and safety aspects early in the process to provide a predictable and efficient licensing schedule. Information regarding the Combined License process is available on the NRC website.
In the near future, the NRC expects to publish in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to intervene in an adjudicatory hearing on the Combined License. Petitions to intervene in a hearing must be filed within 60 days of the notice, by anyone whose interest may be affected by the proposed license and who wants to participate as a party in the proceeding. More information on the hearing process is available on the NRC website.
Illinois - LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE RAILCAR FIRE
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Operations Center
Event Reports For
6/11/2020 - 6/12/2020 (Note delay of posting)
6/11/2020 - 6/12/2020 (Note delay of posting)
** EVENT NUMBERS **
| 54737 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 54737 |
| Rep Org: ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MGMT. AGENCY Licensee: Belt Railway Co. of Chicago Region: 3 City: Bedford Park State: IL County: License #: NA Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: Gary Forsee HQ OPS Officer: Ossy Font | Notification Date: 06/04/2020 Notification Time: 16:57 [ET] Event Date: 06/04/2020 Event Time: 01:00 [CDT] Last Update Date: 06/04/2020 |
| Emergency Class: Non Emergency 10 CFR Section: Agreement State | Person (Organization): LAURA KOZAK (R3DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL) WILLIAM GOTT (IRD) |
Event Text
| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE RAILCAR FIRE The following was received from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA; the Agency) via email: "At approximately 0700 [CDT] on 6/4/2020, the Agency was contacted by the Texas Radiation Control Program to advise that a rail car containing radioactive material had caught fire at the Belt Railway Co. of Chicago (BRC) located 6900 Central Ave., Bedford Park, IL. The Texas program had been contacted by the railway. IEMA staff contacted BRC and was informed that a lidded gondola (car WP-9241) transporting a load of UN2912 LSA-1 was found to be smoldering at approximately 0100 on 6/4/2020. The shipping manifest listed contents as 'solid oxides' with 4.13 mCi of Co-60, Cs-134, Cs-137, U-234, U-235 and U-238. BRC staff agitated the railcar and continued to observe until approximately 0300. At that time, flames had engulfed approximately 10 percent of the car and the Bedford Park Fire/Hazmat team arrived on scene. There is no indication of arson. The fire was monitored and the car separated from an adjacent car also containing LLRW [(Low Level Radioactive Waste)] (WP 9124). At approximately 0630, the fire burned itself out. At 0837, IEMA staff contacted the Response Management Team for the shipper and the General Manager for Alaron/Veolia to get shipping manifests (received 0920). Indications at that time were that the fire was rekindling and soil was added atop the fiberglass lid to help smother. "Agency responders arrived on scene at approximately 1040. Bedford Park Fire/Hazmat was on scene as well as the railway's emergency response team. AreaRays had been deployed by the hazmat team and were reporting background exposure rates. Based on conversations with the shipper, the subject load contained un-irradiated zirconium fuel cladding and other debris enroute from Alaron Nuclear Services in PA to Waste Control Specialists in TX. The cladding at one point contained enriched fuel, so there is approximately 1.3 mCi of uranium present (predominately U-234 at a concentration of 41 pCi/gram and U-235 at 3 pCi/g. Load contains approximately 44g of SNM [Special Nuclear Material]). It is believed that the friction due to transport created pyrophoric zirconium dust which reacted with the surrounding building debris and combustible waste. This debris and combustible waste was also contaminated with radioactive material - approximately 0.8 mCi of Co-60, Cs-134 and Cs-137 each. "At the time Agency staff arrived, the lid had been covered with soil and only a small amount of smoke was escaping. This was air sampled for any volatile radioactive contaminants by on site IEMA staff. Areas impacted by smoke, including adjacent cars, were wiped to check for surface contamination. On site measurements did not indicate any deviations from background and there is no indication that the radioactive material within the suspect load impacted personnel or the environment. Lab analyses will supplement this assessment. Impacted areas on the ground were surveyed and exposure rate measurements (reportedly maximally 400 microR/hour on contact with the railcar) documented for any first responder dose recreations. Modeling efforts are underway to provide bounding numbers on potential environmental impacts - albeit unexpected. Temperature of the car was recorded as approximately 400 degrees F and falling. Local Fire/Hazmat was still on scene and the shipper's radiological expertise was expected to arrive at approximately 1530. "In the initial fire response, approximately 1000 gallons of water was added to the railcar. A hydrant was not accessible. The bulk of this water impacted the fiberglass cover and ran off. This drip line was assessed for contamination and none identified. The car was also moved approximately 2000 feet to distance it from the second car of LLRW. Both sites were evaluated by inspectors and no indications of radioactive contamination identified. Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation, especially if the shipper intends to uncover or repackage the shipment. The incident was reported to the National Response Center under Incident Report 1278842 by the Railway Police Department. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, IEPA and USEPA notified and briefed. This matter is also reportable to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Ops Center for Emergencies under 32 Ill. Adm. Code 340.1220(c)(4)." Item Number: IL200010 |
NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board to Hold Oral Argument on Vogtle 3 New Reactor License Amendment
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-034 June 18, 2020
CONTACT: Office of Public Affairs, 301-415-8200
NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board to Hold Oral Argument on Vogtle 3 New Reactor License Amendment
A Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will conduct an oral argument via teleconference on July 1, 2020, regarding a petition to hold an adjudicatory hearing concerning the Southern Nuclear Operating Company application to amend the combined license for the under-construction Vogtle Unit 3 reactor near Waynesboro, Ga.
The oral argument will begin at 10 a.m., Eastern Time, and will address the standing of the petitioner, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, and the admissibility of the group’s proposed contentions. The three administrative judges on the Board will hear argument from representatives for BREDL, Southern Nuclear, and the NRC staff.
The public will have listen-only access to the teleconference. Those interested in calling in can access the conference by dialing 888-566-5903, passcode 2416062#.
The Board is composed of three administrative judges from the NRC’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel. Boards conduct adjudicatory hearings on major licensing actions by the NRC, and are independent of the NRC staff. A Board’s rulings may be appealed to the Commission, the five-member body that sets NRC policy.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
NRC Commissioner Wright Sworn in for Second Term
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-032 June 8, 2020
CONTACT: Office of Public Affairs, 301-415-8200
NRC Commissioner Wright Sworn in for Second Term
David A. Wright, nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, was sworn in today as an NRC Commissioner by Chairman Kristine L. Svinicki for a second term. Wright’s second term as Commissioner will begin July 1, 2020, and will end on June 30, 2025.
Wright previously served as Owner/President of Wright Directions, LLC, a strategic energy and water consulting and communications business. He also served as a member and Chairman of the South Carolina Public Service Commission from 2004-2013. He was elected and served as President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners from 2011-2012. Additionally, he has served as a council member and mayor of Irmo, S.C., and as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.
A colon cancer survivor, Wright is an advocate for cancer awareness and education. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Clemson University.
The NRC is comprised of five Commissioners, one of whom is designated by the President as Chairman. The Commission was established to be a collegial body that formulates policies, develops regulations, issues orders to licensees, and adjudicates legal matters. The Commissioners serve five-year terms, with one term expiring every year on June 30. No more than three Commissioners may be of the same political party.
Christopher T. Hanson Sworn in as NRC Commissioner
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-030 June 8, 2020
CONTACT: Office of Public Affairs, 301-415-8200
Christopher T. Hanson Sworn in as NRC Commissioner
Christopher T. Hanson was sworn in today by NRC Chairman Kristine L. Svinicki as the fifth NRC Commissioner. Hanson was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve the remainder of a five-year term expiring June 30, 2024. Hanson will begin serving his term immediately.
Hanson has more than two decades of government and private- sector experience in the fields of nuclear energy. Prior to joining the NRC, he served as a staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Before working in the Senate, Hanson served as a senior advisor in the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. He also served as a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he led multiple engagements for government and industry.
Hanson earned master’s degrees from Yale Divinity School and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where he focused on ethics and natural resource economics. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind.
The NRC is comprised of five Commissioners, one of whom is designated by the President as Chairman. The Commission was established to be a collegial body that formulates policies, develops regulations, issues orders to licensees and adjudicates legal matters. The Commissioners serve five-year terms, with one term expiring every year on June 30. No more than three Commissioners may be of the same political party.
20-031.pdf
No: 20-030 June 8, 2020
CONTACT: Office of Public Affairs, 301-415-8200
Christopher T. Hanson Sworn in as NRC Commissioner
Christopher T. Hanson was sworn in today by NRC Chairman Kristine L. Svinicki as the fifth NRC Commissioner. Hanson was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve the remainder of a five-year term expiring June 30, 2024. Hanson will begin serving his term immediately.
Hanson has more than two decades of government and private- sector experience in the fields of nuclear energy. Prior to joining the NRC, he served as a staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Before working in the Senate, Hanson served as a senior advisor in the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. He also served as a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he led multiple engagements for government and industry.
Hanson earned master’s degrees from Yale Divinity School and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where he focused on ethics and natural resource economics. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind.
The NRC is comprised of five Commissioners, one of whom is designated by the President as Chairman. The Commission was established to be a collegial body that formulates policies, develops regulations, issues orders to licensees and adjudicates legal matters. The Commissioners serve five-year terms, with one term expiring every year on June 30. No more than three Commissioners may be of the same political party.
20-031.pdf
Sunday, June 7, 2020
2020/05/22 NRR E-mail Capture - Exelon Generation Company, LLC - Request for an Alternative to Use ASME Code Case N-885 (EPID L-2020-LLR-0069)
Mr. Loomis:
ML20149K430.pdf
By application dated April 28, 2020 (ADAMS Accession No. ML20119B061), Exelon Generation
Company, LLC (the licensee) submitted a request in accordance with Paragraph 50.55a(z)(1) of
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) for a proposed alternative to the
requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Code at Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2; Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2; Calvert Cliffs
Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2; and R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant The proposed
alternative would allow the licensee to use ASME Code Case N-885, “Alternative Requirements
for Table IWB-2500-1, Examination Category B-N-1, Interior of Reactor Vessel, Category B-N-2,
Welded Core Support Structures and Interior Attachments to Reactor Vessels, Category B-N-3,
Removable Core Support Structures Section XI, Division 1,” at these facilities.
ML20149K430.pdf
Saturday, June 6, 2020
US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ANNOUNCES PUBLIC MEETING WEBINAR TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY
SUBJECT: US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ANNOUNCES PUBLIC MEETING WEBINAR TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will conduct a public meeting via webinar soliciting comments on a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Holtec International’s (Holtec) proposed Consolidated Interim Storage Facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel in Lea County, New Mexico. The draft EIS evaluates potential environmental impacts of Holtec’s request to build and operate the proposed CISF.
The public meeting webinar will be accessible to the public by navigating, on the day and time of the meeting, to the internet link below and entering the event number associated with the date of the webinar when prompted. Telephone access is also provided by dialing the telephone number and entering the passcode provided below. The NRC staff will present the results of the draft environmental impact analysis and receive the public’s comments on the draft report. The NRC invites members of the public to attend the public meeting webinar and to present oral comments on the draft EIS. The public meeting webinar will commence at 3:00 pm Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on June 23, 2020.
Webinar Internet address: https://usnrc.webex.com/usnrc/
|
Event Number: 199 800 0026
Password: HOLTEC
Telephone access
Telephone number: 888-454-7496
Telephone passcode: 5790355
Those wishing to present oral comments are asked to pre-register by June 22, 2020, by contacting Ms. Antoinette Walker-Smith via e-mail at: Antoinette.Walker-Smith@nrc.
The draft EIS can be found on the NRC public webpage for the Holtec CISF license application at https://www.nrc.gov/waste/
NRC to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Westinghouse Fuel Fabrication Facility License Renewal
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-030 June 5, 2020
CONTACT: David McIntyre, 301-415-0532
NRC to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Westinghouse Fuel Fabrication Facility License Renewal
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement regarding the Westinghouse application to renew its NRC license for its Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility in South Carolina. The plant produces nuclear fuel assemblies for use in commercial nuclear power reactors.
On Oct. 28, 2019, the NRC published for public comment a draft Environmental Assessment related to Westinghouse’s request to renew the facility’s operating license for an additional 40 years. This type of assessment can result in a finding of no significant impact or a determination to prepare an EIS. In March 2020, the NRC received new data collected by Westinghouse during ongoing site investigations. Based on the NRC’s independent evaluation of the new data as part of the EA process, the NRC decided it could no longer conclude that renewal of the license would result in a finding of no significant impact. As a result, the NRC will proceed with an EIS.
The NRC will initiate the EIS process by publishing in the Federal Register a notice of intent to prepare an EIS.
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION EMERGENCY SIREN TEST SCHEDULE FOR JUNE 4
Contact: | Dave Marcheskie
Three Mile Island Generating Station
717-579-0229
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION EMERGENCY SIREN TEST SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 4
Sirens to sound for three minutes at 12:15 p.m.
LONDONDERRY TWP, Pa (June 2, 2020) — Exelon Generation will conduct its semi-annual, full volume test of the emergency warning sirens surrounding Three Mile Island (TMI) Generating Station on June 4 at approximately 12:15 p.m. This is one of two semi-annual tests performed each year.
The emergency warning siren system consists of 96 sirens located in parts of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties within a 10-mile radius of TMI. The sirens are not a signal to evacuate, but a warning to tune to a local emergency alert broadcast television or radio station. County emergency management authorities activate the sirens, which can be used in the event of any emergency, including severe weather.
Although TMI Unit 1 permanently shut down on September 20, 2019, the siren system must remain in operation in accordance with local, state and federal emergency planning requirements until certain emergency procedures and processes are no longer in place. Those procedures are expected to be discontinued in accordance with federal regulator oversight.
Summary of recent meeting re: Beaver Valley potential license amendment request on steam generator tube inspections
SUMMARY OF MAY 26, 2020, TELECONFERENCE WITH ENERGY HARBOR NUCLEAR CORP. TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST RELATED TO STEAM GENERATOR TUBE SLEEVE INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE (EPID L-2020-LRM-0048)
ADAMS Accession No.: ML20148M385
ML20148M385.pdf
ADAMS Accession No.: ML20148M385
ML20148M385.pdf
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 - Notification of Conduct of a Fire Protection Team Inspection
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 - Notification of Conduct of a Fire Protection Team Inspection
ADAMS Accession No. ML20149K449
SUSQ.pdf
ADAMS Accession No. ML20149K449
SUSQ.pdf
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