OMB files this comment in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.11(c). This OMB action is not an approval to conduct or sponsor an information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This action has no effect on any current approvals. If OMB has assigned this ICR a new OMB Control Number, the OMB Control Number will not appear in the active inventory. For future submissions of this information collection, reference the OMB Control Number provided. In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is withholding approval at this time. Prior to publication of the final rule, the agency must submit to OMB a summary of all comments related to the information collection contained in the proposed rule and the agency response. The agency should clearly indicate any changes made to the information collection as a result of these comments.
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
06/30/2021
36 Months From Approved
06/30/2021
43,623
0
43,623
3,708,530
0
3,708,530
269,617
0
269,617
This proposed rule is the latest in a series of rulemakings to amend the NRCâs regulations to incorporate by reference revised and updated ASME Codes for nuclear power plants. The number of operating nuclear power plants has decreased and the NRC has increased its estimate of the burden associated with developing alternative requests. Overall, the reporting burden for § 50.55a has decreased.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment on the potential impact of the information collections contained in this proposed rule and on the following issues:
The current Part 50 annual burden is 43,623 responses and 3,708,530 hours. The proposed rule reduces the annual number of responses by 53 and the annual burden hours on industry by a total of 12,640 hours.
The change in burden is due to a decrease in the number of operating nuclear power plants from 99 plants now to 95 plants at the end of the expected clearance period in 2021, contributing to the estimated decrease in the estimated number of alternative and relief requests being submitted.
The proposed rule incorporates by reference OM and BPV codes and code cases from ASME, described above, which reduce the burden on industry and the NRC by a reduction in relief and alternative requests submitted and reviewed as a result of aspects of plant operation covered by these codes and code cases. A recent review of Code alternate requests submitted to the NRC over a 5 year span identified that submittals ranged from a few pages to several hundred pages with an average of approximately 32 pages with average technical complexity. Therefore, the NRC estimates that a Code Case submittal requires an average of 300 hours of effort to develop the technical justification and an additional 80 hours to perform research, review, approve, process, and submit the document to the NRC for use of alternatives under 10 CFR 50.55a(z). Therefore, the total estimated burden is determined to be 380 hours per alternative.
The proposed rule adds procedural updates to HDPE joints and testing, defect mitigation by modification, and steam generator weld inspections, which add burden to the industry. The removal of steam generator and pressurizer weld inspection requirements result in a reduction in burden from the inspections currently required.
Overall, the proposed rule will result in an annualized industry burden reduction of 10338 hours in the first three years (3446 annualized hours) to implement the changes that revise the procedures to the new ASME standards. The annual, recurring changes resulting from the final rule represent an overall decrease in burden of 157 hours. Following the implementation phase, the industry will see a reduced burden for the aspects of plant operation covered by the code cases in the proposed rule.
$63,787,844
No
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
James O'Driscoll 301 425-1325
Reginfo record details
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Proposed Rule Supporting Statement for ASME 2015-2017.docx
10 CFR Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities