(a) This subpart sets forth the requirements and procedures applicable to Commission issuance of rules granting standard design certifications for nuclear power facilities separate from the filing of an application for a construction permit or combined license for such a facility.
(b)
(1) Any person may seek a standard design certification for an essentially complete nuclear power plant design which is an evolutionary change from light water reactor designs of plants which have been licensed and in commercial operation before April 18, 1989.
(2) Any person may also seek a standard design certification for a nuclear power plant design which differs significantly from the light water reactor designs described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section or uses simplified, inherent, passive, or other innovative means to accomplish its safety functions.
(a) This subpart applies to a person that requests a standard design certification from the NRC separately from an application for a combined license filed under subpart C of this part for a nuclear power facility. An applicant for a combined license may reference a standard design certification.
(b) Subpart E of this part governs the NRC staff review and approval of a standard design. Subpart E may be used independently of the provisions in this subpart.
(c) Subpart F of this part governs the issuance of licenses to manufacture nuclear power reactors to be installed and operated at sites not identified in the manufacturing license application. Subpart F may be used independently of the provisions in this subpart. However, an applicant for a manufacturing license under subpart F may reference a design certification.
[72 FR 49517, Aug. 28, 2007, as amended at 84 FR 63568, Nov. 18, 2019]
(a) An application for design certification may be filed notwithstanding the fact that an application for a construction permit, combined license, or manufacturing license for such a facility has not been filed.
(b) The application must comply with the applicable filing requirements of §§ 52.3 and §§ 2.811 through 2.819 of this chapter.
(c) The fees associated with the review of an application for the initial issuance or renewal of a standard design certification are set forth in 10 CFR part 170.
The application must contain all of the information required by 10 CFR 50.33(a) through (c) and (j).
The application must contain a level of design information sufficient to enable the Commission to judge the applicant's proposed means of assuring that construction conforms to the design and to reach a final conclusion on all safety questions associated with the design before the certification is granted. The information submitted for a design certification must include performance requirements and design information sufficiently detailed to permit the preparation of acceptance and inspection requirements by the NRC, and procurement specifications and construction and installation specifications by an applicant. The Commission will require, before design certification, that information normally contained in certain procurement specifications and construction and installation specifications be completed and available for audit if the information is necessary for the Commission to make its safety determination.
(a) The application must contain a final safety analysis report (FSAR) that describes the facility, presents the design bases and the limits on its operation, and presents a safety analysis of the structures, systems, and components and of the facility as a whole, and must include the following information:
(1) The site parameters postulated for the design, and an analysis and evaluation of the design in terms of those site parameters;
(2) A description and analysis of the structures, systems, and components (SSCs) of the facility, with emphasis upon performance requirements, the bases, with technical justification therefor, upon which these requirements have been established, and the evaluations required to show that safety functions will be accomplished. It is expected that the standard plant will reflect through its design, construction, and operation an extremely low probability for accidents that could result in the release of significant quantities of radioactive fission products. The description shall be sufficient to permit understanding of the system designs and their relationship to the safety evaluations. Such items as the reactor core, reactor coolant system, instrumentation and control systems, electrical systems, containment system, other engineered safety features, auxiliary and emergency systems, power conversion systems, radioactive waste handling systems, and fuel handling systems shall be discussed insofar as they are pertinent. The following power reactor design characteristics will be taken into consideration by the Commission:
(i) Intended use of the reactor including the proposed maximum power level and the nature and inventory of contained radioactive materials;
(ii) The extent to which generally accepted engineering standards are applied to the design of the reactor;
(iii) The extent to which the reactor incorporates unique, unusual or enhanced safety features having a significant bearing on the probability or consequences of accidental release of radioactive materials; and
(iv) The safety features that are to be engineered into the facility and those barriers that must be breached as a result of an accident before a release of radioactive material to the environment can occur. Special attention must be directed to plant design features intended to mitigate the radiological consequences of accidents. In performing this assessment, an applicant shall assume a fission product release[3] from the core into the containment assuming that the facility is operated at the ultimate power level contemplated. The applicant shall perform an evaluation and analysis of the postulated fission product release, using the expected demonstrable containment leak rate and any fission product cleanup systems intended to mitigate the consequences of the accidents, together with applicable postulated site parameters, including site meteorology, to evaluate the offsite radiological consequences. The evaluation must determine that:
(A) An individual located at any point on the boundary of the exclusion area for any 2-hour period following the onset of the postulated fission product release, would not receive a radiation dose in excess of 25 rem[4] total effective dose equivalent (TEDE);
(B) An individual located at any point on the outer boundary of the low population zone, who is exposed to the radioactive cloud resulting from the postulated fission product release (during the entire period of its passage) would not receive a radiation dose in excess of 25 rem TEDE;
(3) The design of the facility including:
(i) The principal design criteria for the facility. Appendix A to 10 CFR part 50, general design criteria (GDC), establishes minimum requirements for the principal design criteria for water-cooled nuclear power plants similar in design and location to plants for which construction permits have previously been issued by the Commission and provides guidance to applicants in establishing principal design criteria for other types of nuclear power units;
(ii) The design bases and the relation of the design bases to the principal design criteria;
(iii) Information relative to materials of construction, general arrangement, and approximate dimensions, sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that the design will conform to the design bases with an adequate margin for safety;
(4) An analysis and evaluation of the design and performance of structures, systems, and components with the objective of assessing the risk to public health and safety resulting from operation of the facility and including determination of the margins of safety during normal operations and transient conditions anticipated during the life of the facility, and the adequacy of structures, systems, and components provided for the prevention of accidents and the mitigation of the consequences of accidents. Analysis and evaluation of emergency core cooling system (ECCS) cooling performance and the need for high-point vents following postulated loss-of-coolant accidents shall be performed in accordance with the requirements of §§ 50.46 and 50.46a of this chapter;
(5) The kinds and quantities of radioactive materials expected to be produced in the operation and the means for controlling and limiting radioactive effluents and radiation exposures within the limits set forth in part 20 of this chapter;
(6) The information required by § 20.1406 of this chapter;
(7) The technical qualifications of the applicant to engage in the proposed activities in accordance with the regulations in this chapter;
(8) The information necessary to demonstrate compliance with any technically relevant portions of the Three Mile Island requirements set forth in 10 CFR 50.34(f), except paragraphs (f)(1)(xii), (f)(2)(ix), and (f)(3)(v);
(9) For applications for light-water-cooled nuclear power plants, an evaluation of the standard plant design against the Standard Review Plan (SRP) revision in effect 6 months before the docket date of the application. The evaluation required by this section shall include an identification and description of all differences in design features, analytical techniques, and procedural measures proposed for the design and those corresponding features, techniques, and measures given in the SRP acceptance criteria. Where a difference exists, the evaluation shall discuss how the proposed alternative provides an acceptable method of complying with the Commission's regulations, or portions thereof, that underlie the corresponding SRP acceptance criteria. The SRP is not a substitute for the regulations, and compliance is not a requirement.
(10) The information with respect to the design of equipment to maintain control over radioactive materials in gaseous and liquid effluents produced during normal reactor operations described in 10 CFR 50.34a(e);
(11) Proposed technical specifications prepared in accordance with the requirements of §§ 50.36 and 50.36a of this chapter;
(12) An analysis and description of the equipment and systems for combustible gas control as required by 10 CFR 50.44;
(13) The list of electric equipment important to safety that is required by 10 CFR 50.49(d);
(14) A description of protection provided against pressurized thermal shock events, including projected values of the reference temperature for reactor vessel beltline materials as defined in 10 CFR 50.60 and 50.61;
(15) Information demonstrating how the applicant will comply with requirements for reduction of risk from anticipated transients without scram events in § 50.62;
(16) A coping analysis, and any design features necessary to address station blackout, as required by 10 CFR 50.63;
(17) Information demonstrating how the applicant will comply with requirements for criticality accidents in § 50.68(b)(2)-(b)(4);
(18) A description and analysis of the fire protection design features for the standard plant necessary to comply with 10 CFR part 50, appendix A, GDC 3, and § 50.48 of this chapter;
(19) A description of the quality assurance program applied to the design of the structures, systems, and components of the facility. Appendix B to 10 CFR part 50, “Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants,” sets forth the requirements for quality assurance programs for nuclear power plants. The description of the quality assurance program for a nuclear power plant shall include a discussion of how the applicable requirements of appendix B to 10 CFR part 50 were satisfied;
(20) The information necessary to demonstrate that the standard plant complies with the earthquake engineering criteria in 10 CFR part 50, appendix S;
(21) Proposed technical resolutions of those Unresolved Safety Issues and medium- and high-priority generic safety issues which are identified in the version of NUREG-0933 current on the date up to 6 months before the docket date of the application and which are technically relevant to the design;
(22) The information necessary to demonstrate how operating experience insights have been incorporated into the plant design;
(23) For light-water reactor designs, a description and analysis of design features for the prevention and mitigation of severe accidents, e.g., challenges to containment integrity caused by core-concrete interaction, steam explosion, high-pressure core melt ejection, hydrogen combustion, and containment bypass;
(24) A representative conceptual design for those portions of the plant for which the application does not seek certification, to aid the NRC in its review of the FSAR and to permit assessment of the adequacy of the interface requirements in paragraph (a)(25) of this section;
(25) The interface requirements to be met by those portions of the plant for which the application does not seek certification. These requirements must be sufficiently detailed to allow completion of the FSAR;
(26) Justification that compliance with the interface requirements of paragraph (a)(25) of this section is verifiable through inspections, tests, or analyses. The method to be used for verification of interface requirements must be included as part of the proposed ITAAC required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section; and
(27) A description of the design-specific probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and its results.
(28) For applications for standard design certifications which are subject to 10 CFR 50.150(a), the information required by 10 CFR 50.150(b).
(b) The application must also contain:
(1) The proposed inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria that are necessary and sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that, if the inspections, tests, and analyses are performed and the acceptance criteria met, a facility that incorporates the design certification has been constructed and will be operated in conformity with the design certification, the provisions of the Act, and the Commission's rules and regulations; and
(2) An environmental report as required by 10 CFR 51.55.
(c) This paragraph applies, according to its provisions, to particular applications:
(1) An application for certification of a nuclear power reactor design that is an evolutionary change from light-water reactor designs of plants that have been licensed and in commercial operation before April 18, 1989, must provide an essentially complete nuclear power plant design except for site-specific elements such as the service water intake structure and the ultimate heat sink;
(2) An application for certification of a nuclear power reactor design that differs significantly from the light-water reactor designs described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section or uses simplified, inherent, passive, or other innovative means to accomplish its safety functions must provide an essentially complete nuclear power reactor design except for site-specific elements such as the service water intake structure and the ultimate heat sink, and must meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50.43(e); and
(3) An application for certification of a modular nuclear power reactor design must describe and analyze the possible operating configurations of the reactor modules with common systems, interface requirements, and system interactions. The final safety analysis must also account for differences among the configurations, including any restrictions that will be necessary during the construction and startup of a given module to ensure the safe operation of any module already operating.
(d) Each applicant for a standard design certification under this part shall protect Safeguards Information against unauthorized disclosure in accordance with the requirements in §§ 73.21 and 73.22 of this chapter, as applicable.
[72 FR 49517, Aug. 28, 2007, as amended at 73 FR 63571, Oct. 24, 2008; 74 FR 28147, June 12, 2009]
Applications filed under this subpart will be reviewed for compliance with the standards set out in 10 CFR parts 20, 50 and its appendices, 51, 73, and 100.
(a) A standard design certification is a rule that will be issued in accordance with the provisions of subpart H of 10 CFR part 2, as supplemented by the provisions of this section. The Commission shall initiate the rulemaking after an application has been filed under § 52.45 and shall specify the procedures to be used for the rulemaking. The notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register must provide an opportunity for the submission of comments on the proposed design certification rule. If, at the time a proposed design certification rule is published in the Federal Register under this paragraph (a), the Commission decides that a legislative hearing should be held, the information required by 10 CFR 2.1502(c) must be included in the Federal Register document for the proposed design certification.
(b) Following the submission of comments on the proposed design certification rule, the Commission may, at its discretion, hold a legislative hearing under the procedures in subpart O of part 2 of this chapter. The Commission shall publish a document in the Federal Register of its decision to hold a legislative hearing. The document shall contain the information specified in paragraph (c) of this section, and specify whether the Commission or a presiding officer will conduct the legislative hearing.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in 10 CFR 2.390 to the contrary, proprietary information will be protected in the same manner and to the same extent as proprietary information submitted in connection with applications for licenses, provided that the design certification shall be published in Chapter I of this title.
The Commission shall refer a copy of the application to the ACRS. The ACRS shall report on those portions of the application which concern safety.
(a) After conducting a rulemaking proceeding under § 52.51 on an application for a standard design certification and receiving the report to be submitted by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards under § 52.53, the Commission may issue a standard design certification in the form of a rule for the design which is the subject of the application, if the Commission determines that:
(1) The application meets the applicable standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act and the Commission's regulations;
(2) Notifications, if any, to other agencies or bodies have been duly made;
(3) There is reasonable assurance that the standard design conforms with the provisions of the Act, and the Commission's regulations;
(4) The applicant is technically qualified;
(5) The proposed inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria are necessary and sufficient, within the scope of the standard design, to provide reasonable assurance that, if the inspections, tests, and analyses are performed and the acceptance criteria met, the facility has been constructed and will be operated in accordance with the design certification, the provisions of the Act, and the Commission's regulations;
(6) Issuance of the standard design certification will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public;
(7) The findings required by subpart A of part 51 of this chapter have been made; and
(8) The applicant has implemented the quality assurance program described or referenced in the safety analysis report.
(b) The design certification rule must specify the site parameters, design characteristics, and any additional requirements and restrictions of the design certification rule.
(c) After the Commission has adopted a final design certification rule, the applicant shall not permit any individual to have access to or any facility to possess restricted data or classified National Security Information until the individual and/or facility has been approved for access under the provisions of 10 CFR parts 25 and/or 95, as applicable.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a standard design certification issued under this subpart is valid for 15 years from the date of issuance.
(b) A standard design certification continues to be valid beyond the date of expiration in any proceeding on an application for a combined license or an operating license that references the standard design certification and is docketed either before the date of expiration of the certification, or, if a timely application for renewal of the certification has been filed, before the Commission has determined whether to renew the certification. A design certification also continues to be valid beyond the date of expiration in any hearing held under § 52.103 before operation begins under a combined license that references the design certification.
(c) An applicant for a construction permit or a combined license may, at its own risk, reference in its application a design for which a design certification application has been docketed but not granted.
(a) Not less than 12 nor more than 36 months before the expiration of the initial 15-year period, or any later renewal period, any person may apply for renewal of the certification. An application for renewal must contain all information necessary to bring up to date the information and data contained in the previous application. The Commission will require, before renewal of certification, that information normally contained in certain procurement specifications and construction and installation specifications be completed and available for audit if this information is necessary for the Commission to make its safety determination. Notice and comment procedures must be used for a rulemaking proceeding on the application for renewal. The Commission, in its discretion, may require the use of additional procedures in individual renewal proceedings.
(b) A design certification, either original or renewed, for which a timely application for renewal has been filed remains in effect until the Commission has determined whether to renew the certification. If the certification is not renewed, it continues to be valid in certain proceedings, in accordance with the provisions of § 52.55.
(c) The Commission shall refer a copy of the application for renewal to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). The ACRS shall report on those portions of the application which concern safety and shall apply the criteria set forth in § 52.59.
(a) The Commission shall issue a rule granting the renewal if the design, either as originally certified or as modified during the rulemaking on the renewal, complies with the Atomic Energy Act and the Commission's regulations applicable and in effect at the time the certification was issued, provided, however, that the first time the Commission issues a rule granting the renewal for a standard design certification in effect on July 13, 2009, the Commission shall, in addition, find that the renewed design complies with the applicable requirements of 10 CFR 50.150.
(b) The Commission may impose other requirements if it determines that:
(1) They are necessary for adequate protection to public health and safety or common defense and security;
(2) They are necessary for compliance with the Commission's regulations and orders applicable and in effect at the time the design certification was issued; or
(3) There is a substantial increase in overall protection of the public health and safety or the common defense and security to be derived from the new requirements, and the direct and indirect costs of implementing those requirements are justified in view of this increased protection.
(c) In addition, the applicant for renewal may request an amendment to the design certification. The Commission shall grant the amendment request if it determines that the amendment will comply with the Atomic Energy Act and the Commission's regulations in effect at the time of renewal. If the amendment request entails such an extensive change to the design certification that an essentially new standard design is being proposed, an application for a design certification must be filed in accordance with this subpart.
(d) Denial of renewal does not bar the applicant, or another applicant, from filing a new application for certification of the design, which proposes design changes that correct the deficiencies cited in the denial of the renewal.
[72 FR 49517, Aug. 28, 2007, as amended at 74 FR 28147, June 12, 2009]
Each renewal of certification for a standard design will be for not less than 10, nor more than 15 years.
(a)
(1) Notwithstanding any provision in 10 CFR 50.109, while a standard design certification rule is in effect under §§ 52.55 or 52.61, the Commission may not modify, rescind, or impose new requirements on the certification information, whether on its own motion, or in response to a petition from any person, unless the Commission determines in a rulemaking that the change:
(i) Is necessary either to bring the certification information or the referencing plants into compliance with the Commission's regulations applicable and in effect at the time the certification was issued;
(ii) Is necessary to provide adequate protection of the public health and safety or the common defense and security;
(iii) Reduces unnecessary regulatory burden and maintains protection to public health and safety and the common defense and security;
(iv) Provides the detailed design information to be verified under those inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) which are directed at certification information (i.e., design acceptance criteria);
(v) Is necessary to correct material errors in the certification information;
(vi) Substantially increases overall safety, reliability, or security of facility design, construction, or operation, and the direct and indirect costs of implementation of the rule change are justified in view of this increased safety, reliability, or security; or
(vii) Contributes to increased standardization of the certification information.
(2)
(i) In a rulemaking under § 52.63(a)(1), except for § 52.63(a)(1)(ii), the Commission will give consideration to whether the benefits justify the costs for plants that are already licensed or for which an application for a permit or license is under consideration.
(ii) The rulemaking procedures for changes under § 52.63(a)(1) must provide for notice and opportunity for public comment.
(3) Any modification the NRC imposes on a design certification rule under paragraph (a)(1) of this section will be applied to all plants referencing the certified design, except those to which the modification has been rendered technically irrelevant by action taken under paragraphs (a)(4) or (b)(1) of this section.
(4) The Commission may not impose new requirements by plant-specific order on any part of the design of a specific plant referencing the design certification rule if that part was approved in the design certification while a design certification rule is in effect under § 52.55 or § 52.61, unless:
(i) A modification is necessary to secure compliance with the Commission's regulations applicable and in effect at the time the certification was issued, or to assure adequate protection of the public health and safety or the common defense and security; and
(ii) Special circumstances as defined in 10 CFR 52.7 are present. In addition to the factors listed in § 52.7, the Commission shall consider whether the special circumstances which § 52.7 requires to be present outweigh any decrease in safety that may result from the reduction in standardization caused by the plant-specific order.
(5) Except as provided in 10 CFR 2.335, in making the findings required for issuance of a combined license, construction permit, operating license, or manufacturing license, or for any hearing under § 52.103, the Commission shall treat as resolved those matters resolved in connection with the issuance or renewal of a design certification rule.
(b)
(1) An applicant or licensee who references a design certification rule may request an exemption from one or more elements of the certification information. The Commission may grant such a request only if it determines that the exemption will comply with the requirements of § 52.7. In addition to the factors listed in § 52.7, the Commission shall consider whether the special circumstances that § 52.7 requires to be present outweigh any decrease in safety that may result from the reduction in standardization caused by the exemption. The granting of an exemption on request of an applicant is subject to litigation in the same manner as other issues in the operating license or combined license hearing.
(2) Subject to § 50.59 of this chapter, a licensee who references a design certification rule may make departures from the design of the nuclear power facility, without prior Commission approval, unless the proposed departure involves a change to the design as described in the rule certifying the design. The licensee shall maintain records of all departures from the facility and these records must be maintained and available for audit until the date of termination of the license.
(c) The Commission will require, before granting a construction permit, combined license, operating license, or manufacturing license which references a design certification rule, that information normally contained in certain procurement specifications and construction and installation specifications be completed and available for audit if the information is necessary for the Commission to make its safety determinations, including the determination that the application is consistent with the certification information. This information may be acquired by appropriate arrangements with the design certification applicant.