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	NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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No. 99-69

April 8, 1999

NRC DELETES REPORTING REQUIREMENT ON LOADING OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL STORAGE INSTALLATIONS

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is amending its regulations to eliminate what has been determined to be an unnecessary reporting requirement related to the loading of commercial nuclear power plant spent fuel into independent storage installations.

The regulations previously required licensees to submit a report summarizing the results of preoperational testing 30 days before loading. The purpose of this requirement was to give the NRC sufficient time to inspect a licensee's preparations for a new facility and, if necessary, to require changes or other actions before the spent fuel loading took place. The regulations did not require NRC approval of the 30-day report.

However, experience has shown that the NRC does not need such a report because NRC staff representatives are on site during the preoperational testing and evaluate it as it occurs. Agency inspectors review licensees' normal, abnormal and emergency operating procedures and observe their implementation during preoperational testing. The agency has determined, therefore, that neither a preoperational test report nor a 30-day hold period is required in order to complete its inspection activities.