Acceptability of Plant Performance for Severe Accidents; Scope of Consideration in Safety Regulations

Résumé

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is withdrawing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking that outlined alternative approaches to generic regulation addressing the challenges from severe accidents for future light water reactors. The Commission has decided that a rule change to provide generic requirements for performance during postulated severe accidents is not warranted at this time. The basis for this decision is that a purpose for the rule was to provide guidance for future designs and to facilitate then ongoing design certification rulemaking. With all current design certification rulemaking either complete or nearing completion and future applicants not foreseen, expenditure of the resources to promulgate the rule is not warranted.