(a)(1) Each applicant for a license authorizing operation of a production or utilization facility shall include in his application proposed technical specifications in accordance with the requirements of this section. A summary statement of the bases or reasons for such specifications, other than those covering administrative controls, shall also be included in the application, but shall not become part of the technical specifications.
(1) Each applicant for a license authorizing operation of a production or utilization facility shall include in his application proposed technical specifications in accordance with the requirements of this section. A summary statement of the bases or reasons for such specifications, other than those covering administrative controls, shall also be included in the application, but shall not become part of the technical specifications.
(a)(2) Each applicant for a design certification or manufacturing license under part 52 of this chapter shall include in its application proposed generic technical specifications in accordance with the requirements of this section for the portion of the plant that is within the scope of the design certification or manufacturing license application.
(2) Each applicant for a design certification or manufacturing license under part 52 of this chapter shall include in its application proposed generic technical specifications in accordance with the requirements of this section for the portion of the plant that is within the scope of the design certification or manufacturing license application.
(b) Each license authorizing operation of a production or utilization facility of a type described in Sec. 50.21 or Sec. 50.22 will include technical specifications. The technical specifications will be derived from the analyses and evaluation included in the safety analysis report, and amendments thereto, submitted pursuant to Sec. 50.34. The Commission may include such additional technical specifications as the Commission finds appropriate.
(c) Technical specifications will include items in the following categories:
(1) Safety limits, limiting safety system settings, and limiting control settings. (i)(A) Safety limits for nuclear reactors are limits upon important process variables that are found to be necessary to reasonably protect the integrity of certain of the physical barriers that guard against the uncontrolled release of radioactivity. If any safety limit is exceeded, the reactor must be shut down. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. Operation must not be resumed until authorized by the Commission. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the reactor, except for nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22 of this part. For these reactors, the licensee shall notify the Commission as required by Sec. 50.72 and submit a Licensee Event Report to the Commission as required by Sec. 50.73. Licensees in these cases shall retain the records of the review for a period of three years following issuance of a Licensee Event Report.
(i)(A) Safety limits for nuclear reactors are limits upon important process variables that are found to be necessary to reasonably protect the integrity of certain of the physical barriers that guard against the uncontrolled release of radioactivity. If any safety limit is exceeded, the reactor must be shut down. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. Operation must not be resumed until authorized by the Commission. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the reactor, except for nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22 of this part. For these reactors, the licensee shall notify the Commission as required by Sec. 50.72 and submit a Licensee Event Report to the Commission as required by Sec. 50.73. Licensees in these cases shall retain the records of the review for a period of three years following issuance of a Licensee Event Report.
(A) Safety limits for nuclear reactors are limits upon important process variables that are found to be necessary to reasonably protect the integrity of certain of the physical barriers that guard against the uncontrolled release of radioactivity. If any safety limit is exceeded, the reactor must be shut down. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. Operation must not be resumed until authorized by the Commission. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the reactor, except for nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22 of this part. For these reactors, the licensee shall notify the Commission as required by Sec. 50.72 and submit a Licensee Event Report to the Commission as required by Sec. 50.73. Licensees in these cases shall retain the records of the review for a period of three years following issuance of a Licensee Event Report.
(B) Safety limits for fuel reprocessing plants are those bounds within which the process variables must be maintained for adequate control of the operation and that must not be exceeded in order to protect the integrity of the physical system that is designed to guard against the uncontrolled release or radioactivity. If any safety limit for a fuel reprocessing plant is exceeded, corrective action must be taken as stated in the technical specification or the affected part of the process, or the entire process if required, must be shut down, unless this action would further reduce the margin of safety. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. If a portion of the process or the entire process has been shutdown, operation must not be resumed until authorized by the Commission. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the plant.
(ii)(A) Limiting safety system settings for nuclear reactors are settings for automatic protective devices related to those variables having significant safety functions. Where a limiting safety system setting is specified for a variable on which a safety limit has been placed, the setting must be so chosen that automatic protective action will correct the abnormal situation before a safety limit is exceeded. If, during operation, it is determined that the automatic safety system does not function as required, the licensee shall take appropriate action, which may include shutting down the reactor. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the reactor except for nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22 of this part. For these reactors, the licensee shall notify the Commission as required by Sec. 50.72 and submit a Licensee Event Report to the Commission as required by Sec. 50.73. Licensees in these cases shall retain the records of the review for a period of three years following issuance of a Licensee Event Report.
(A) Limiting safety system settings for nuclear reactors are settings for automatic protective devices related to those variables having significant safety functions. Where a limiting safety system setting is specified for a variable on which a safety limit has been placed, the setting must be so chosen that automatic protective action will correct the abnormal situation before a safety limit is exceeded. If, during operation, it is determined that the automatic safety system does not function as required, the licensee shall take appropriate action, which may include shutting down the reactor. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the reactor except for nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22 of this part. For these reactors, the licensee shall notify the Commission as required by Sec. 50.72 and submit a Licensee Event Report to the Commission as required by Sec. 50.73. Licensees in these cases shall retain the records of the review for a period of three years following issuance of a Licensee Event Report.
(B) Limiting control settings for fuel reprocessing plants are settings for automatic alarm or protective devices related to those variables having significant safety functions. Where a limiting control setting is specified for a variable on which a safety limit has been placed, the setting must be so chosen that protective action, either automatic or manual, will correct the abnormal situation before a safety limit is exceeded. If, during operation, the automatic alarm or protective devices do not function as required, the licensee shall take appropriate action to maintain the variables within the limiting control-setting values and to repair promptly the automatic devices or to shut down the affected part of the process and, if required, to shut down the entire process for repair of automatic devices. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the plant.
(2) Limiting conditions for operation. (i) Limiting conditions for operation are the lowest functional capability or performance levels of equipment required for safe operation of the facility. When a limiting condition for operation of a nuclear reactor is not met, the licensee shall shut down the reactor or follow any remedial action permitted by the technical specifications until the condition can be met. When a limiting condition for operation of any process step in the system of a fuel reprocessing plant is not met, the licensee shall shut down that part of the operation or follow any remedial action permitted by the technical specifications until the condition can be met. In the case of a nuclear reactor not licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22 of this part or fuel reprocessing plant, the licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the nuclear reactor or the fuel reprocessing plant. In the case of nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22, the licensee shall notify the Commission if required by Sec. 50.72 and shall submit a Licensee Event Report to the Commission as required by Sec. 50.73. In this case, licensees shall retain records associated with preparation of a Licensee Event Report for a period of three years following issuance of the report. For events which do not require a Licensee Event Report, the licensee shall retain each record as required by the technical specifications.
(i) Limiting conditions for operation are the lowest functional capability or performance levels of equipment required for safe operation of the facility. When a limiting condition for operation of a nuclear reactor is not met, the licensee shall shut down the reactor or follow any remedial action permitted by the technical specifications until the condition can be met. When a limiting condition for operation of any process step in the system of a fuel reprocessing plant is not met, the licensee shall shut down that part of the operation or follow any remedial action permitted by the technical specifications until the condition can be met. In the case of a nuclear reactor not licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22 of this part or fuel reprocessing plant, the licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. The licensee shall retain the record of the results of each review until the Commission terminates the license for the nuclear reactor or the fuel reprocessing plant. In the case of nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) or Sec. 50.22, the licensee shall notify the Commission if required by Sec. 50.72 and shall submit a Licensee Event Report to the Commission as required by Sec. 50.73. In this case, licensees shall retain records associated with preparation of a Licensee Event Report for a period of three years following issuance of the report. For events which do not require a Licensee Event Report, the licensee shall retain each record as required by the technical specifications.
(ii) A technical specification limiting condition for operation of a nuclear reactor must be established for each item meeting one or more of the following criteria:
(A) Criterion 1. Installed instrumentation that is used to detect, and indicate in the control room, a significant abnormal degradation of the reactor coolant pressure boundary.
(B) Criterion 2. A process variable, design feature, or operating restriction that is an initial condition of a design basis accident or transient analysis that either assumes the failure of or presents a challenge to the integrity of a fission product barrier.
(C) Criterion 3. A structure, system, or component that is part of the primary success path and which functions or actuates to mitigate a design basis accident or transient that either assumes the failure of or presents a challenge to the integrity of a fission product barrier.
(D) Criterion 4. A structure, system, or component which operating experience or probabilistic risk assessment has shown to be significant to public health and safety.
(iii) A licensee is not required to propose to modify technical specifications that are included in any license issued before August 18, 1995, to satisfy the criteria in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section.
(3) Surveillance requirements. Surveillance requirements are requirements relating to test, calibration, or inspection to assure that the necessary quality of systems and components is maintained, that facility operation will be within safety limits, and that the limiting conditions for operation will be met.
(4) Design features. Design features to be included are those features of the facility such as materials of construction and geometric arrangements, which, if altered or modified, would have a significant effect on safety and are not covered in categories described in paragraphs (c) (1), (2), and (3) of this section.
(5) Administrative controls. Administrative controls are the provisions relating to organization and management, procedures, recordkeeping, review and audit, and reporting necessary to assure operation of the facility in a safe manner. Each licensee shall submit any reports to the Commission pursuant to approved technical specifications as specified in Sec. 50.4.
(6) Decommissioning. This paragraph applies only to nuclear power reactor facilities that have submitted the certifications required by Sec. 50.82(a)(1) and to non-power reactor facilities which are not authorized to operate. Technical specifications involving safety limits, limiting safety system settings, and limiting control system settings; limiting conditions for operation; surveillance requirements; design features; and administrative controls will be developed on a case-by-case basis.
(7) Initial notification. Reports made to the Commission by licensees in response to the requirements of this section must be made as follows:
(i) Licensees that have an installed Emergency Notification System shall make the initial notification to the NRC Operations Center in accordance with Sec. 50.72 of this part.
(ii) All other licensees shall make the initial notification by telephone to the Administrator of the appropriate NRC Regional Office listed in appendix D, part 20, of this chapter.
(8) Written Reports. Licensees for nuclear power reactors licensed under Sec. 50.21(b) and Sec. 50.22 of this part shall submit written reports to the Commission in accordance with Sec. 50.73 of this part for events described in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section. For all licensees, the Commission may require Special Reports as appropriate.
(d)(1) This section shall not be deemed to modify the technical specifications included in any license issued prior to January 16, 1969. A license in which technical specifications have not been designated shall be deemed to include the entire safety analysis report as technical specifications.
(1) This section shall not be deemed to modify the technical specifications included in any license issued prior to January 16, 1969. A license in which technical specifications have not been designated shall be deemed to include the entire safety analysis report as technical specifications.
(2) An applicant for a license authorizing operation of a production or utilization facility to whom a construction permit has been issued prior to January 16, 1969, may submit technical specifications in accordance with this section, or in accordance with the requirements of this part in effect prior to January 16, 1969.
(3) At the initiative of the Commission or the licensee, any license may be amended to include technical specifications of the scope and content which would be required if a new license were being issued.
(e) The provisions of this section apply to each nuclear reactor licensee whose authority to operate the reactor has been removed by license amendment, order, or regulation. [33 FR 18612, Dec. 17, 1968, as amended at 48 FR 33860, July 26, 1983; 51 FR 40308, Nov. 6, 1986; 53 FR 19249, May 27, 1988; 60 FR 36959, July 19, 1995; 61 FR 39299, July 29, 1996; 72 FR 49493, Aug. 28, 2007; 73 FR 54932, Sept. 24, 2008] Sec. 50.36a Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear powerreactors.
(a) To keep releases of radioactive materials to unrestricted areas during normal conditions, including expected occurrences, as low as is reasonably achievable, each licensee of a nuclear power reactor and each applicant for a design certification or a manufacturing license will include technical specifications that, in addition to requiring compliance with applicable provisions of Sec. 20.1301 of this chapter, require that:
(1) Operating procedures developed pursuant to Sec. 50.34a(c) for the control of effluents be established and followed and that the radioactive waste system, pursuant to Sec. 50.34a, be maintained and used. The licensee shall retain the operating procedures in effect as a record until the Commission terminates the license and shall retain each superseded revision of the procedures for 3 years from the date it was superseded.
(2) Each holder of an operating license, and each holder of a combined license after the Commission has made the finding under Sec. 52.103(g) of this chapter, shall submit a report to the Commission annually that specifies the quantity of each of the principal radionuclides released to unrestricted areas in liquid and in gaseous effluents during the previous 12 months, including any other information as may be required by the Commission to estimate maximum potential annual radiation doses to the public resulting from effluent releases. The report must be submitted as specified in Sec. 50.4, and the time between submission of the reports must be no longer than 12 months. If quantities of radioactive materials released during the reporting period are significantly above design objectives, the report must cover this specifically. On the basis of these reports and any additional information the Commission may obtain from the licensee or others, the Commission may require the licensee to take action as the Commission deems appropriate.
(b) In establishing and implementing the operating procedures described in paragraph (a) of this section, the licensee shall be guided by the following considerations: Experience with the design, construction, and operation of nuclear power reactors indicates that compliance with the technical specifications described in this section will keep average annual releases of radioactive material in effluents and their resultant committed effective dose equivalents at small percentages of the dose limits specified in Sec. 20.1301 and in the license. At the same time, the licensee is permitted the flexibility of operation, compatible with considerations of health and safety, to assure that the public is provided a dependable source of power even under unusual conditions which may temporarily result in releases higher than such small percentages, but still within the limits specified in Sec. 20.1301 of this chapter and in the license. It is expected that in using this flexibility under unusual conditions, the licensee will exert its best efforts to keep levels of radioactive material in effluents as low as is reasonably achievable. The guides set out in appendix I, provide numerical guidance on limiting conditions for operation for light-water cooled nuclear power reactors to meet the requirement that radioactive materials in effluents released to unrestricted areas be kept as low as is reasonably achievable. [61 FR 39299, July 29, 1996, as amended at 72 FR 49493, Aug. 28, 2007] Sec. 50.36b Environmental conditions.
(a) Each construction permit under this part, each early site permit under part 52 of this chapter, and each combined license under part 52 of this chapter may include conditions to protect the environment during construction. These conditions are to be set out in an attachment to the permit or license, which is incorporated in and made a part of the permit or license. These conditions will be derived from information contained in the environmental report submitted pursuant to Sec. 51.50 of this chapter as analyzed and evaluated in the NRC record of decision, and will identify the obligations of the licensee in the environmental area, including, as appropriate, requirements for reporting and keeping records of environmental data, and any conditions and monitoring requirement for the protection of the nonaquatic environment.
(b) Each license authorizing operation of a production or utilization facility, including a combined license under part 52 of this chapter, and each license for a nuclear power reactor facility for which the certification of permanent cessation of operations required under Sec. 50.82(a)(1) or Sec. 52.110(a) of this chapter has been submitted, which is of a type described in Sec. 50.21(b)(2) or (3) or Sec. 50.22 or is a testing facility, may include conditions to protect the environment during operation and decommissioning. These conditions are to be set out in an attachment to the license which is incorporated in and made a part of the license. These conditions will be derived from information contained in the environmental report or the supplement to the environmental report submitted pursuant to Sec. Sec. 51.50 and 51.53 of this chapter as analyzed and evaluated in the NRC record of decision, and will identify the obligations of the licensee in the environmental area, including, as appropriate, requirements for reporting and keeping records of environmental data, and any conditions and monitoring requirement for the protection of the nonaquatic environment. [72 FR 49493, Aug. 28, 2007]