Resolution of Generic Safety Issues: Item B-64: Decommissioning of Reactors (Rev. 2) ( NUREG-0933, Main Report with Supplements 1–35 )
DESCRIPTION
Decommissioning is defined as the orderly retirement of a nuclear facility from service and the safe disposition of the remaining radioactivity. 10 CFR 50.82 provides the regulations that govern the termination of licenses. The NRC may require information from a licensee to demonstrate that the methods and procedures to be used for decontamination and for disposal of radioactive materials will provide reasonable assurance that the dismantling and disposal will not adversely affect public health and safety. 10 CFR 50.33(f) requires that OL applicants show that they possess (or have reasonable assurance of obtaining) funds necessary to cover the estimated costs of permanently shutting down their plants and maintaining them in a safe condition. Methods and procedures considered acceptable to the staff for termination of licenses were delineated in Regulatory Guide 1.86.85 This NUREG-04713 item was established to address development of additional guidance on decommissioning.
CONCLUSION
At the time this issue was first evaluated, the staff had decommissioning rule amendments under development (See References 167, 172, 197, and 1568). Technical evaluations had been completed182,277 and a draft rulemaking environmental impact statement had been prepared in January 1981. The staff had also prepared proposed rule amendments193 that were intended to ensure that decommissioning of all licensed facilities would be accomplished in a safe and timely manner and that adequate licensee funds would be available for this purpose. Based on the status of the proposed rule amendments, this issue was considered nearly-resolved and resolution was pursued.
Following Commission comments on the draft rule amendments submitted by the staff in SECY-87-309,1569 the final rule amendments were resubmitted in SECY-88-941570 and later issued1364; the FEIS173 was published in August 1988. Following issuance of the amendments, the staff proceeded to develop an SRP11 Section for use in its review of licensee decommissioning plans. However, this effort was superseded in July 1994 with a proposed revision to the rule. This proposed revision was submitted to the Commission in SECY-94-1791571 following which an SRM1572 outlining staff actions was issued. Thus, based on the issuance of the rule amendments in 1988, this issue was RESOLVED1574 and new requirements were issued. Consideration of a license renewal period of 20 years would not affect the resolution.
REFERENCES
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