NRC TAKES ACTION ON JAPAN NEAR-TERM TASK FORCE

SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has directed the agency’s staff to begin immediately 

implementing seven safety recommendations from the NRC’s Near-Term Task Force on lessons 

learned from the reactor accident at Fukushima. The seven recommendations are among 12 

comprehensive safety recommendations presented by the Task Force to the Commission in July.

“I am pleased that the Commission has taken this first step in responding to and 

implementing the safety recommendations of the Task Force,” said NRC Chairman Gregory B. 

Jaczko. “My colleagues and I expect that within five years, and significantly sooner in some cases, 

the staff will have enhanced our already robust safety standards by carrying out these 

recommendations.”

The NRC staff reviewed the Task Force’s July 12 report and provided a proposal to the 

Commission that selected the seven recommendations as most appropriate for immediate action. 

The recommendations cover issues including the loss of all A/C electrical power at a reactor (also 

called “station blackout”), reviews of seismic and flooding hazards, emergency equipment and plant 

staff training.

In keeping with the agency’s regulatory actions over the past few years, such as mitigation 

strategy requirements, the Commission called on the staff to utilize performance-based standards in 

any new or revised regulations wherever possible. Performance-based requirements specify the 

objective or result to be attained, rather than prescribing to licensees how the objective or result is to 

be attained.

For the recommendation calling for a new station blackout rule, the Commission set a goal 

of completing the rulemaking process by April 2014. 

“The station blackout rulemaking is an achievable goal,” said Chairman Jaczko. “It will, 

however, be complicated by the Commission’s direction to initiate the rulemaking through an 

advance notice of rulemaking, rather than as a proposed rule. This will add an extra step to the 

process. Nevertheless, addressing station blackout is a high priority, and I will do my best to lead 

the staff in accomplishing this effort.”

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

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No. 11-202 October 20, 2011
In its reports to the Commission in September, and again in early October, the staff endorsed 

virtually all of the Task Force’s recommendations. The October staff review also proposed 

additional steps beyond the Task Force recommendations, which touch on safety issues such as 

spent fuel storage and emergency planning. The remaining Task Force recommendations, along 

with the additional recommendations, are currently pending with the Commission.

The Commission’s memo to the staff is available on the NRC’s website.

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