10 CFR Part 50, Domestic
Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
06/29/2022
Requested
Previously Approved
03/31/2025
03/31/2025
42,196
42,218
3,636,646
3,641,926
273,447
273,472
FINAL RULE - APPROVAL OF INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS CODE
EDITIONS The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending
its regulations to incorporate by reference the 2019 Edition of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel
Code, Section III, Division 1, and Section XI, Division 1, and the
2020 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants, Division 1: OM
Code: Section IST, for nuclear power plants. The NRC is also
incorporating by reference the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers OM Code Case OMN-28, “Alternative Valve Position
Verification Approach to Satisfy ISTC-3700 for Valves Not
Susceptible to Stem-Disk Separation”; the 2011 Addenda to ASME
NQA‒1‒2008, “Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility
Applications” (ASME NQA‒1b‒2011); and the 2012 and 2015 Editions of
ASME NQA‒1, “Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility
Applications.” This action is in accordance with the NRC’s policy
to periodically update the regulations to incorporate by reference
new editions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Codes
and is intended to maintain the safety of nuclear power plants and
to make NRC activities more effective and efficient.
The final rule will decrease
the burden for 10 CFR Part 50 from 3,641,926 hours and 42,218
responses to 3,636,646 hours and 42,196 responses, a reduction of
5,280 hours and 22 responses. This will result in an estimated
reduction of 240 hours per response. The final rule incorporates by
reference OM and BPV Codes from ASME as described above, which
reduces the burden on industry and the NRC by a reduction in
alternative requests submitted and reviewed as a result of aspects
of plant operation covered by these codes. A recent review of Code
alternative requests submitted to the NRC over the last 5 year span
found that submittals ranged from a few pages to several hundred
pages, with an average of approximately 32 pages. However, the
burden hours have been reduced as requests have become less complex
to review over time. Therefore, the NRC estimates that a request
requires an average of 150 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
for estimated burden is 230 hours per request. In the same manner,
the NRC estimates that the total burden to perform the technical
review (including resolving technical issues), document the
evaluation, and respond to the licensee’s request is 115 hours per
request. Following the implementation phase, the industry will see
a reduced burden for the aspects of plant operation covered by the
codes in the final rule.
$65,512,656
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Caylee Kenny 301
415-7150
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.
10 CFR Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities