Regulatory guides are issued to describe and make available to the public such information as methods acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the NRC’s

regulations, techniques used by the staff in evaluating specific problems or postulated accidents, and data needed by the NRC staff in its review of applications for permits and

licenses. Regulatory guides are not substitutes for regulations, and compliance with them is not required. Methods and solutions different from those set out in the guides will

be acceptable if they provide a basis for the findings requisite to the issuance or continuance of a permit or license by the Commission.

This guide was issued after consideration of comments received from the public. Comments and suggestions for improvements in these guides are encouraged at all times, and

guides will be revised, as appropriate, to accommodate comments and to reflect new information or experience. Written comments may be submitted to the Rules and Directives

Branch, ADM, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. 

Regulatory guides are issued in ten broad divisions: 1, Power Reactors; 2, Research and Test Reactors; 3, Fuels and Materials Facilities; 4, Environmental and Siting; 5, Materials

and Plant Protection; 6, Products; 7, Transportation; 8, Occupational Health; 9, Antitrust and Financial Review; and 10, General. 

Single copies of regulatory guides (which may be reproduced) may be obtained free of charge by writing the Distribution Services Section, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555-0001, or by fax to (301)415-2289, or by email to DISTRIBUTION@NRC.GOV. Electronic copies of this guide are available on the internet at NRC’s home

page at <WWW.NRC.GOV> in the Reference Library under Regulatory Guides and through the Electronic Reading Room, as Accession Number ML003701137, along with other

recently issued guides, at the same web site.

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

July 2000 

REGULATORY

GUIDE

 OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH

REGULATORY GUIDE 1.184

(Draft was DG-1067)

DECOMMISSIONING OF NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS

A. INTRODUCTION

Decommissioning means permanently removing a nuclear facility from service and reducing radioactive

material on the licensed site to levels that would permit termination of the NRC license. On June 27, 1988, the

NRC issued general requirements on decommissioning that contained technical and financial criteria and dealt

with planning needs, timing, funding mechanisms, and environmental review requirements (53 FR 24018). These

requirements were codified in 10 CFR 50.75, 50.82, 51.53, and 51.95.

On July 29, 1996, a final rule amending the regulations on decommissioning procedures was published in

the Federal Register (61 FR 39278). The rule amended 10 CFR Part 2, “Rules of Practice for Domestic

Licensing Proceedings and Issuance of Orders”; Part 50, “Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization

Facilities”; and Part 51, “Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory

Functions.” This rule clarified the regulations for decommissioning nuclear power facilities. The rule reflects the

experience and knowledge gained during actual facility decommissionings, industry- and government-sponsored

workshops, and conferences on decommissioning. The rule clarifies ambiguities in the previous regulations,

reduces unnecessary requirements, provides additional flexibility, and codifies procedures and terminology that

have been used on a case-by-case basis. In addition, the rule increases the opportunities for the public to

become informed about a licensee’s decommissioning activities. The 1996 rule is designed to establish a level of

NRC oversight commensurate with the level of NRC-regulated activities expected during decommissioning.

The 1996 rule extends the use of 10 CFR 50.59, “Changes, Tests, and Experiments,” to allow

licensees to make changes to facilities undergoing decommissioning using the process described in 10 CFR
1.184-2

50.59. Prior to the rule of July 29, 1996, decommissioning activities were authorized only if they were

consistent with an NRC-approved decommissioning plan. Significant deviations from the

decommissioning plan required prior approval from the NRC staff.

To facilitate understanding of the decommissioning process, the NRC staff has divided the

decommissioning activities for power reactors into three phases. The first phase of decommission-ing

includes the initial activities, starting on the effective date of permanent cessation of operations and

encompassing the activities before the licensee either places the power reactor in a storage mode or

begins major decommissioning activities. The second phase encompasses activities during the storage

period or during major decommissioning activities (i.e., decontamination and dismantlement), or some

combination of the two. The third phase consists of the rest of the activities the licensee undertakes to

terminate the license. The amendments to 10 CFR Parts 2 and 51 in the rule pertain to this third phase

of decommissioning. 

The “Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) on Decommissioning of Nuclear

Facilities,” NUREG-0586 (Ref. 1), evaluates the environmental impact of three methods for

decommissioning. The supplemental information to the 1988 decommissioning rule (53 FR 24019) also

discusses the three decommissioning methods. A short summary of the three methods follows.

DECON: The equipment, structures, and portions of the facility and site that contain radioactive

contaminants are removed or decontaminated to a level that permits termination of the license

after cessation of operations. The GEIS found DECON to be an acceptable decommissioning

method.

SAFSTOR: The facility is placed in a safe stable condition and maintained in that state until it is

subsequently decontaminated and dismantled to levels that permit license termination. During

SAFSTOR, a facility is left intact, but the fuel has been removed from the reactor vessel and

radioactive liquids have been drained from systems and components and then processed. 

Radioactive decay occurs during the SAFSTOR period, thus reducing the levels of radioactivity

in and on the material and potentially the quantity of material that must be disposed of during

decontamination and dismantlement. The GEIS found SAFSTOR to be an acceptable

decommissioning method.

ENTOMB: ENTOMB involves encasing radioactive structures, systems, and components in a

structurally long-lived substance, such as concrete. The entombed structure is appropriately

maintained, and continued surveillance is carried out until the radioactivity decays to a level that

permits termination of the license. Because most power reactors will have radionuclides in

concentrations exceeding the limits for unrestricted use even after 100 years, this option will

generally not be feasible. However, this option might be acceptable for reactor facilities that can

demonstrate that radionuclide levels will decay to unrestricted use levels in about 100 years. If

the ENTOMB method is used, the provisions in Subpart E of 10 CFR Part 20 related to

unrestricted or restricted use still apply.
1.184-3

The NRC recognizes that some combination of the first two methods would also be accept-able. 

For example, the licensee could conduct a partial decontamination of the plant followed by a storage

period, followed by the completion of the decontamination and dismantlement.

The revised regulations require power reactor licensees that were engaged in decommis-sioning

at the time the 1996 rule became effective to convert to and comply with the rule. All licensees are

required to comply with the decommissioning procedures specified in the rule, and no "grandfathering"

considerations are applicable.

This regulatory guide, in conjunction with others, describes methods and procedures that are

acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing the requirements of the 1996 rule that relate to the initial

activities and the major phases of the decommissioning process. This regulatory guide will not contain

guidance on the license termination process. Guidance on the requirements in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(9), on

the license termination plan, is provided in Regulatory Guide 1.179, “Standard Format and Content of

License Termination Plans for Nuclear Power Reactors” (Ref. 3), and related information was published

for public comment in December 1998 in a Draft Standard Review Plan, Draft NUREG-1700 (Ref. 4). 

This regulatory guide does not contain guidance on the management or funding for the storage of spent

reactor fuel during the decommis-sioning period. Requirements for the storage and management of spent

fuel during the decommis-sioning period (before the spent fuel is transferred to the Secretary of Energy),

and for financial assurance, are separate from site decommissioning activities and are contained in 10

CFR 50.54(bb). Requirements for the licensing of independent storage of spent nuclear fuel at a facility

are likewise separate from site decommissioning activities and are addressed in 10 CFR Part 72,

“Licensing Requirements for the Independent Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive

Waste.” This regulatory guide does not address the shipment or disposal of low-level, high-level, or

greater-than-Class-C waste, which are covered in 10 CFR Part 71 (shipment) and 10 CFR Parts 60

and 61 (disposal).

This regulatory guide applies only to power reactor licensees. The regulations for nonpower reactor licensees are given in 10 CFR 50.82(b). The NRC staff discusses the procedures for

decommissioning non-power reactors in NUREG-1537, "Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing

Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors" (Ref. 2), which will be updated to reflect the

changes in the regulation in a future revision.

The information collections referenced in this regulatory guide are covered by the requirements of

10 CFR Parts 50 and 51, which were approved by the Office of Management and Budget, approval

numbers 3150-0011 and 3150-0021. If a means used to impose an information collection does not

display a currently valid OMB control number, the NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is

not required to respond to, the information collection.

B. DISCUSSION

Reactors that are permanently shut down and have no fuel in the reactor vessel present a

significantly different risk to public health and safety. The July 29, 1996, decommissioning rule 
1.184-4

specifies applicable requirements for such facilities by eliminating, revising, or extending operating

reactor requirements commensurate with their importance to safety.
1.184-5

Figure 1 

Decommissioning activities (those activities that occur in support of decommissioning as defined

in 10 CFR 50.2) for power reactors may be divided into three phases: (1) initial activities, (2) major

decommissioning and storage activities, and (3) license termination activities. Figure 1 is a general

timeline for the decommissioning of power facilities, emphasizing the activities occurring during the first

two phases of decommissioning. 

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(i), a licensee who has determined to permanently cease

operations is required to submit written certification to the NRC within 30 days of the decision or

requirement to permanently cease operations. The certification must state the date the licensee

permanently ceased, or will cease, power generation operations (see 10 CFR 50.4(b)(8)). Once the fuel

has been permanently removed from the reactor vessel to the spent fuel pool in conformance with the

facility’s technical specifications, and a certification of this event has been received and docketed by the

NRC (see 10 CFR 50.4(b)(9) and 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(ii)), the Part 50 license will no longer authorize

operation of the reactor or allow the movement of fuel into the reactor vessel (see 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2)). 
1.184-6

This would entitle the licensee to a fee reduction and would eliminate the obligation to adhere to certain

regulatory requirements needed only during reactor operation. 

For power reactor licensees, 10 CFR 50.82(a)(3) states that decommissioning must be

completed within 60 years of permanent cessation of operations. Completion of decommissioning

beyond 60 years will be approved by the NRC only when necessary to protect public health and safety. 

The “Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) on Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities,”

NUREG-0586 (Ref. 1), describes alternative methods for decommissioning (DECON, SAFSTOR, and

ENTOMB) and the environmental impacts associated with decommis-sioning of reactors. The licensee

may elect to use a combination of DECON and SAFSTOR, such as a partial decontamination of the

facility before a storage period followed by the completion of the decontamination. During the

decommissioning process, the licensee must comply with all other applicable rules and regulations. 

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(4)(i), prior to or within 2 years following permanent

cessation of operations, the licensee is required to submit a post-shutdown decommissioning activities

report (PSDAR). The PSDAR would be prepared in accordance with the guidelines provided in the

Regulatory Guide 1.185, “Standard Format and Content for Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities

Report” (Ref. 5). The PSDAR will include a description of the licensee’s planned decommissioning

activities, with a schedule for the accomplishment of signifi-cant milestones and an estimate of expected

costs. The licensee will also evaluate the environ-mental impacts associated with the site-specific

decommissioning activities. If the postulated impacts have already been considered in previously

approved environmental assessments and environmental impact statements, the licensee will document

this in the PSDAR. The analysis of the specific environmental impacts associated with the

decommissioning activities need not be included in the PSDAR. If environmental impacts are identified

that have not been considered in existing environmental assessments, the licensee must address the

environmental impacts regarding the activities and must submit a supplement to the environmental report

relating to the additional impacts. See 10 CFR 50.82(a)(6)(ii) and 51.53(b).

Although activities in support of decommissioning may occur, no major decommissioning

activities (as defined in 10 CFR 50.2) may be performed until 90 days after the NRC receives the

PSDAR. The purpose of the 90-day period is to allow sufficient time for the NRC staff to examine the

PSDAR, to publish notification of receipt of the PSDAR in the Federal Register, to hold a public

meeting in the vicinity of the facility to discuss the licensee’s plans for decommis-sioning, and to conduct

any necessary safety inspections prior to the initiation of major decommis-sioning activities.

Ninety days after the NRC receives the PSDAR, and after certification of permanent cessation of

operations and permanent removal of fuel from the reactor vessel, the licensee could begin to perform

major decommissioning activities without specific NRC approval using the process described in 10 CFR

50.59. Major decommissioning activities are defined in 10 CFR 50.2 as "any activity that results in

permanent removal of major radioactive components, permanently modifies the structure of the

containment, or results in dismantling components for shipment containing greater than class C waste . . .

." Major radioactive components are defined in 10 CFR 50.2 as "the reactor vessel and internals, steam

generators, pressurizers, large bore reactor coolant system piping, and other large components that are

radioactive to a comparable degree."
1.184-7

The regulation 10 CFR 50.82(a)(6) states that the licensee must not perform any

decommissioning activity that (1) forecloses release of the site for possible unrestricted use, (2) results in

any significant environmental impact not previously reviewed, or (3) results in there no longer being

reasonable assurance that adequate funds will be available for decommissioning. The NRC staff will,

during 50.59 inspections, evaluate the licensee’s procedures for ensuring that these three restrictions are

part of the screening criteria for changes made to the facility.

An application for termination of a Part 50 license must include a license termination plan. The

license termination plan must be a supplement to the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), or equivalent,

and must be submitted at least 2 years prior to the expected termination of the license as scheduled in the

PSDAR. Regulatory guidance on the license termination process was developed and issued in January

1999 as Regulatory Guide 1.179, “Standard Format and Content of License Termination Plans for

Nuclear Power Reactors” (Ref. 3), and further information is being developed in a draft Standard

Review Plan, Draft NUREG-1700, which was published for comment in December 1998 (Ref. 4).

Part 50 does not require a licensee to submit a preliminary decommissioning plan. However,

10 CFR 50.75(f)(2) does require the licensee to submit, 5 years prior to the projected end of operation,

a preliminary cost estimate for decommissioning, including an up-to-date assessment of major factors that

could affect the cost of decommissioning.

The decommissioning rule of July 1999 changes the licensee's ability to access the trust funds set

aside for radiological decommissioning required by 10 CFR 50.75. The licensee's ability to use these

funds is dependent on reaching certain milestones in the decommissioning process. This limitation on the

accessibility of the decommissioning funds is designed to ensure there are always sufficient trust funds

available to place the facility in a safe, stable condition that ultimately leads to decommissioning and

license termination. The licensee may use up to 23 percent of the amount (specified in 10 CFR 50.75) of

the decommissioning trust funds for decommissioning activities prior to submitting a site-specific

decommissioning cost estimate. Included in this 23 percent is an initial 3 percent that can be used by the

licensee, even prior to permanent cessation of operation, for planning the decommissioning. The

remaining 20 percent may be used for actual decommissioning or readying the facility for long-term

storage. This 20 percent may be used only after the licensee has submitted the certifications specified by

10 CFR 50.82(a)(1) and after the 90-day period following the submission of the PSDAR. The

remaining decommissioning trust funds would be available for decommissioning activities after the licensee

submits a site-specific decommissioning cost estimate to the NRC. Section 50.82 requires the licensee

to submit the site-specific cost estimate no later than 2 years after permanent cessation of operation. 

Information in NUREG/CR-0672, "Technology, Safety and Costs of Decommissioning a

Reference Boiling Water Reactor Power Station" (including Addenda 1 through 4) (Ref. 6);

NUREG/CR-0130, "Technology, Safety and Costs of Decommissioning a Reference Pressurized Water

Reactor Power Station" (including Addenda 1 through 4) (Ref. 7); NUREG/CR-5884, “Revised

Analysis of Decommissioning for the Reference Pressurized Water Reactor Power Station” (Ref. 8); and

NUREG/CR-6174, “Revised Analysis of Decommissioning for the Reference Boiling Water Reactor

Power Station” (Ref. 9), may be helpful in developing the site-specific cost estimate.
1.184-8

The staff recognizes that during planning for decommissioning it is necessary to consider activities

leading to license termination and the storage of spent fuel; therefore, the staff’s interpretation of the

appropriate use of these planning funds will permit planning for all issues related to the decommissioning

of the facility. The staff also recognizes that many licensees have chosen to accumulate funding for spent

fuel maintenance and storage (as required by 10 CFR 50.54(bb)) as part of the decommissioning trust

fund. However, the amounts set aside for radiological decommissioning as required by 10 CFR 50.75

should not be used for the maintenance and storage of spent fuel in the spent fuel pool, or for the design

or construction of spent fuel dry storage facilities, or for other activities not directly related to the

long-term storage, radiological decontamination or dismantlement of the facility, or decontamination of

the site.

C. REGULATORY POSITION

1. APPLICABILITY

This regulatory guide applies to all power reactor licensees, including those who have submitted a

decommissioning plan for approval or who possess an NRC-approved decommissioning plan on the

effective date of the amendment, August 28, 1996. The approved decommissioning plan and the

associated environmental review are considered to be the PSDAR submittal. If a licensee has submitted

a decommissioning plan and the staff has not taken final action on the plan, the staff will deem the

decommissioning plan to be the PSDAR submittal. 

2. CERTIFICATION OF PERMANENT CESSATION OF OPERATIONS

As stated in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(i), when a licensee has determined to permanently cease

operations, the licensee must submit a written certification to the NRC within 30 days of that

determination. Note that the rule requires submission of the certification within 30 days of the

determination to cease operations, rather than within 30 days of facility shutdown. The NRC considers

that the 30-day clock starts on the day the licensee publicly announces the date the facility will

permanently cease operations. When the facility has been shut down for a period of time, the date of

permanent cessation of operations would correspond to the day the decision is made not to return to

power generation operations. If an order is issued by the NRC to permanently cease operations, the

certification would be required within 30 days of the effective date of the order. 

According to 10 CFR 50.4(b)(8), the certification must state the date on which power generation

operations have permanently ceased, or will permanently cease, and the signed and notarized certification

must be submitted by the licensee to the Document Control Desk, Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555-0001. This certification will be deemed to have already been submitted for

licensees whose licenses were permanently modified before the effective date of the rule to allow

possession, but not operation of the facility, as stated in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(iii).
1.184-9

Following submission of the certification for permanent cessation of operations, the facility license

continues in effect beyond the expiration date until the NRC notifies the licensee in writing that the license

has been terminated (10 CFR 50.51(b)). No amendment to extend the expiration date of the license is

required for a permanently shutdown facility.

Receipt by the NRC of the certification of permanent cessation of operation will be viewed as a

commitment by the licensee to cease operations on that date. Following submission of the certification of

permanent cessation of operations, or at any time during the decommissioning process, if the licensee

desires to again operate the facility, the licensee must notify the NRC of its intentions in writing. 

Approval to return the facility to operation would be handled on a case-bycase basis, and the approval would depend on the facility status at the time of the request to re-authorize

operation.

3. CERTIFICATION OF PERMANENT REMOVAL OF FUEL

Once the licensee has permanently removed the fuel from the reactor vessel, 10 CFR

50.82(a)(1)(ii) requires the licensee to submit written certification to the NRC, consistent with the

requirements given in 10 CFR 50.4(b)(9), stating the date the fuel was permanently removed from the

reactor vessel and stating the disposition of the fuel. For example, the licensee should state whether the

spent fuel was transferred to another Part 50 licensee, or placed in the facility's spent fuel pool, or stored

in an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI). This certification should be signed and

notarized, and the original submitted to the Document Control Desk, Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555-0001. 

Although the certification for permanent cessation of operation can be submitted before the

facility has ceased operation, the certification of permanent removal of fuel can only be submitted after all

the fuel has been removed from the reactor. In 10 CFR 50.2, permanent fuel removal for a nuclear

power reactor facility is defined as "a certification by the licensee to the NRC that it has permanently

removed all fuel assemblies from the reactor vessel."

This certification will be deemed to have already been submitted for licensees whose licenses

were permanently modified before the effective date of the rule to allow for possession, but not

operation, of the facility, as stated in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(iii). 

There are no requirements on the duration between the decision to permanently cease operations

and the certification of permanent fuel removal. However, until the certification of permanent fuel

removal has been received by the NRC, the licensee will not qualify for the removal of those regulatory

requirements that are no longer necessary to protect public health and safety as a result of the

non-operational status of the facility or for a reduction in the fees required by 10 CFR 171.15.

The NRC staff expects to receive the certification to permanently cease operations before the

certification of permanent fuel removal, although it would also be acceptable to the NRC staff to receive

a combined certification, for instance, if the core had been off-loaded before the decision was made to

permanently cease operations. According to 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), upon docketing of both the
1.184-10

certifications for permanent cessation of operations and permanent removal of fuel from the reactor

vessel, or when a legally effective order to permanently cease operations has come into effect, the 10

CFR Part 50 license no longer authorizes the operation of the reactor or placement of fuel into the

reactor vessel.

4. POST-SHUTDOWN DECOMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES REPORT

Prior to or within 2 years after permanent cessation of operations, the licensee is required by

10 CFR 50.82(a)(4)(i) to submit a Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report (PSDAR) to the

NRC and to send a copy to the affected States. It is suggested the affected States should include those

within 8 kilometers [5 miles] of the facility. The purpose of notifying the affected States is to actively

involve the States in the decommissioning process if they choose to participate. 

The PSDAR may be submitted before cessation of operations or at the declaration of cessation

of operations. Submission of the PSDAR before cessation of operations would minimize any delay in

major decommissioning activities caused by a 90-day waiting period specified in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(5)

and discussed in Issue 6 of 61 FR 39278. For example, if a licensee chose to provide a PSDAR to the

NRC and the affected States 1 year prior to the permanent cessation of operations, the NRC staff

docketed the PSDAR and held a public meeting, and the 90-day period elapsed, major decommissioning

activities could begin immediately after reactor shutdown and defueling provided the certifications

required by 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(i) and 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(ii) had been submitted to the NRC.

For a multi-reactor site, the PSDAR could address the activities for all the reactors at the site if

decommissioning of each will be undertaken at the same time.

According to 10 CFR 50.82(a)(4)(i), the PSDAR will include a description of the planned

decommissioning activities, a schedule for the completion of these activities, an estimate of expected

costs, and a discussion that provides the reasons for concluding that the environmental impacts

associated with the site-specific decommissioning activities will be bounded by appropriate, previously

issued environmental impact statements. These could include site-specific environmental assessments or

environmental impact statements and the “Final Generic Environ-mental Impact Statement (GEIS) on

Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities,” NUREG-0586 (Ref. 1). Licensees who did not perform an

environmental review for initial licensing, or who do not have a Final Environmental Impact Statement

issued by the NRC, and do not have an adequate environmental assessment, may need to submit an

environmental report for their decommissioning activities before major decommissioning activities may

occur.

Regulatory Guide 1.185, “Standard Format and Content for Post-shutdown Decommis-sioning

Activities Report” (Ref. 5), provides guidance on the contents of the PSDAR, with examples of

appropriate levels of detail for the document, including the bases for the estimation of the expected cost. 

Any background information or analyses required for the discussion of environmental impacts should be

documented and made available for onsite inspection by the NRC. A licensee will not be allowed to

proceed with major decommissioning activities if there is an environmental impact that is not bounded by

a previously issued environmental assessment or impact statement, that is, if the environmental
1.184-11

consequences of a particular decommissioning activity are expected to be greater than the consequences

predicted in previously issued environ-mental assessments. The licensee would be required to submit an

update to the environmental report to provide an assessment of the environmental impacts of the

particular decommissioning activity. The NRC staff would review the environmental report and prepare

an environmental assessment or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) of the action.

The NRC will determine whether the licensee’s PSDAR contains the information required by the

regulation. Although NRC review and approval of the PSDAR is not required, if the NRC determines

that the information provided by the licensee in the PSDAR does not comply with the requirements in 10

CFR 50.82(a)(4)(i), the NRC will inform the licensee in writing of the additional information required by

the regulations before the NRC staff holds the PSDAR public meeting and major decommissioning

activities are begun. If the NRC does not notify the licensee of any deficiencies to the PSDAR, the

licensee may initiate major decommissioning activities 90 days after the NRC receives the PSDAR and

after certification of permanent cessation of operations and permanent removal of fuel from the reactor

vessel.

A number of factors could cause the NRC to find the PSDAR deficient. These factors are

directly related to the topics to be included in the contents of the PSDAR, as discussed above. The

NRC could find the PSDAR deficient if the licensee's plan for decommissioning could not be completed

as described (for example, if the plan called for an immediate decontamination and dismantlement of the

facility and there were no waste disposal facilities available for the facility to use). The NRC could find

the PSDAR deficient if the schedule included a decommissioning process that could not be completed

within 60 years of the permanent cessation of operations (as required by 10 CFR 50.82(a)(3)) unless it

were shown that this action is necessary to protect public health and safety; if so, approval would be

made on a case-by-case basis). Factors that should be considered for an extended decommissioning

process include the unavailability of low-level waste disposal capacity and other site-specific factors

affecting the licensee's capability to carry out decommissioning in the given time period, including the

presence of other operating nuclear facilities at the site. The NRC could find the PSDAR deficient if the

licensee's decommissioning plan, as presented in the PSDAR, included a decommissioning process that

obviously could not be completed for the estimated cost (the NRC staff will base this decision on the

generic guidelines and on previous facility decommissioning costs) or if the estimated cost is below the

guidelines given in 10 CFR 50.75(c). The NRC would also find a PSDAR deficient if it included

activities that would endanger the health and safety of the public by being outside the NRC's health and

safety regulations or would result in a major detrimental impact to the environment that is not bounded by

the current environmental impact statements.

5. PUBLIC MEETING

The NRC will place a notice of receipt of the PSDAR in the Federal Register and make the

PSDAR available for public comment on their web site, <WWW.NRC.GOV> , through the Electronic

Reading Room, and in the Public Document Room. The NRC will also schedule a public meeting, in the

vicinity of the licensee's facility, pursuant to the requirements in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(4)(ii). To the extent

possible, the public meeting should be held within 90 days of the NRC’s receipt of the licensee's PSDAR

submittal. Normally, the meeting will be held at least 30 days before the 90-day period ends. A notice
1.184-12

of this public meeting will be published by the NRC in the Federal Register and in a place or places

readily available to individuals in the vicinity of the site, such as a local newspaper. The notice will

provide the date, time, and location of the meeting, as well as a brief description of the purpose of the

meeting. 

The public meeting will be informational and is expected to be chaired by a local official. During

the public meeting, the licensee will be invited to present its plans for decommissioning. NRC staff will

discuss the regulatory process to be followed for decommissioning the facility. A representative from

each affected State will be offered the opportunity to discuss any State regulations or oversight roles. 

Other representatives from the affected States, local officials, and the general public will be invited to

comment on the licensee's PSDAR. Comments received by the NRC staff on the PSDAR will be

addressed at the public meeting, and a question and answer period will follow the presentations. A

written transcript of the meeting will be prepared and made available to the public through the Electronic

Reading Room and in the Public Document Room.

6. INITIAL ACTIVITIES

The licensee may not perform any major decommissioning activities, as defined in 10 CFR 50.2,

until 90 days after the date the NRC receives the licensee's PSDAR submittal and until the certifications

of permanent cessation of operations and permanent removal of fuel from the reactor vessel have been

submitted, as stated in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(5). The NRC staff may use this 90-day period to conduct any

pre-decommissioning inspections necessary to verify that the licensee's programs and controls are

adequate to ensure that decommissioning activities are conducted safely and the environment is

protected. After 90 days, the licensee may proceed with major decommissioning activities allowed under

10 CFR 50.82 unless the NRC formally notifies the licensee of any deficiency in the PSDAR within the

initial 90-day period.

Licensees may opt to submit the PSDAR before permanent cessation of operations or permanent

removal of fuel to minimize any delay in decommissioning activities resulting from the 90-day waiting

period. However, the certifications for permanent cessation of operations and permanent removal of fuel

must be submitted before major decommissioning activities can be initiated.

7. MAJOR DECOMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES

As long as fuel remains in the reactor core, facility modifications pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 must

be consistent with continued facility operation. Once the licensee certifies that the facility has permanently

ceased operation and the fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor vessel and the 90-day

period has passed, decontamination and dismantlement under the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59 and 50.82

may commence. In addition, as stated in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(6), licensees of permanently shutdown

reactors may not perform any decommissioning activities that would foreclose the release of the site for

possible unrestricted use, would result in significant environmental impacts that have not previously been

reviewed, or would result in there no longer being reasonable assurance that adequate funding is available

for decommissioning.
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8. TECHNICAL REGULATIONS

The July 1996 regulation explicitly extends requirements for specific parts of the technical

specifications that will cover decommissioning activities. Technical specifications (as discussed in

10 CFR 50.36) will be developed on a case-by-case basis. The licensee will review the operational

technical specifications and determine which specifications are no longer applicable and which should

remain in force. The licensee will make the appropriate submittals to request changes to the technical

specifications as required by the regulations. 

Technical specifications on effluent releases will be required as specified in 10 CFR 50.36a. In

addition to technical specifications that require compliance with the applicable provisions of

10 CFR 20.1301, technical specifications would be developed that would require that operating

procedures for the control of effluents be established and followed as given in 10 CFR 50.34a(c) and

that the radioactive waste system, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.34a(a), be maintained and used. The licensee

is required by 10 CFR 50.36a(a)(1) to retain these operating procedures as a record until the NRC

terminates the license. The licensee is required to keep all superseded revisions to the procedures for 3

years from the date they were superseded. 

Licensees will still be required by 10 CFR 50.36a(a)(2) to submit an annual report to the NRC

that specifies the quantity of each of the principal radionuclides released to unrestricted areas in liquid and

gaseous effluents during the previous 12 months, including any other information that may be required by

the NRC to estimate maximum potential annual radiation doses to the public resulting from effluent

releases. 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 the design objectives for

the facility when it was operating, the report must specifically address the reasons for this variation. The

NRC will use these reports, along with additional information, to require the licensee to take actions the

NRC deems appropriate. Licensees may continue to use the values set out in Appendix I, “Numerical

Guides for Design Objectives and Limiting Conditions for Operation To Meet the Criterion ‘As Low As

Is Reasonably Achievable’ for Radioactive Material in Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor

Effluents,” to 10 CFR Part 50, which provides numerical guidance for meeting the requirements for

radioactive materials in effluents released to unrestricted areas. 

Other requirements for the licensee during the period of major decommissioning activities include

the following:

8.1 The Maintenance Rule 

The maintenance rule, 10 CFR 50.65, “Requirements for Monitoring the Effectiveness of

Maintenance at Nuclear Power Plants,” requires monitoring the performance or condition of structures,

systems, or components (SSCs). For licensees who have submitted the certifications for cessation of

operation and for permanent fuel removal specified in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1), this section applies only to

the extent the licensee monitors the performance or condition of the SSCs associated with the storage,

control, and maintenance of spent fuel in a safe condition and in a manner sufficient to provide reasonable

assurance that such SSCs are capable of fulfilling their intended functions (see 10 CFR 50.65(a)(1)).
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8.2 Maintenance of the Final Safety Analysis Report

The Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), or other comparable document, provides a licensing

basis document for the evaluation of licensee activities under 10 CFR 50.59. This licensing basis will

have to be updated to cover decommissioning activities. According to 10 CFR 50.71(e)(4), subsequent

revisions updating the licensing basis must be filed with the NRC at least every 24 months by nuclear

power facilities that have submitted certifications for permanently ceasing operations and for permanent

removal of fuel.

Specific sections of the FSAR that should continue to be updated periodically include the

following. 

8.2.1 Facility Description

The facility status will be described at the time the facility is shut down, before any

decommissioning or dismantlement activities occur. Only the descriptions of those facility SSCs that are

included in the technical specifications or that directly affect the safe storage of irradiated fuel should be

updated in detail. However, during decommissioning, general updates to the FSAR to reflect the current

condition of SSCs that were in the operating plant version of the FSAR are needed to maintain an overall

understanding of the configuation basis of the plant as systems are decontaminated, inactivated,

moth-balled for later use, or reconfigured to support changes to their previous functions. Even though

SSCs may no longer have a safety function, there is an overall safety benefit to document the status or

design function of these SSCs while the plant is in a decommissioning phase. For example, a cooling

water system may no longer be required to provide a safety-related heat sink. However, if the system

continues to be functional, it is entirely possible that by operating the wrong valve, or by system fault or

breakage, or misalignment of interfaces to this system, such accidents as flooding, personnel injury, or

flushing of potentially radioactive material into an uncontaminated location could result. As a minimum,

the FSAR should be maintained at a level of detail that provides status of all the operating licensing-basis

SSCs until the systems are no longer mechanically or electrically active, no longer radioactively

contaminated, have no fluid content or other materials that require special handling considerations, or

have been physically removed during the dismantlement process.

8.2.2 Licensee Organization

The FSAR or comparable document should include a description of the licensee's corporate and

site organization during decommissioning. The structure, functions, and responsibilities of the onsite

organization established to decommission the facility should be described. 

8.2.3 Radioactive Waste Management

The scope remains the same as the current FSAR requirements.

8.2.4 Radiation Protection

The scope remains the same as the current FSAR requirements.

8.2.5 Conduct of Operations

The scope remains the same as the current FSAR requirements.
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8.2.6 Site Characteristics

Any sections of the FSAR that could affect the safe storage of fuel or could directly affect the

design basis of the facility should be updated.

8.2.7 Accident Analysis

Any new or different design-basis accidents identified during a 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation of a

planned change should be evaluated and included if appropriate (for example, consideration of accidents

involving a newly installed gas pipeline). Conversely, as decommissioning progresses, any design-basis

accidents that are no longer possible may be removed from the FSAR or comparable document (e.g.,

the design basis of a facility that has transferred its spent fuel from the spent fuel pool to an ISFSI would

be significantly changed and the FSAR should reflect this). 

8.3 Fire Protection Requirements

The fire protection requirements of 10 CFR 50.48(f) have been revised to require licensees who

have certified the permanent cessation of operations and the removal of fuel from the reactor vessel to

maintain a fire protection program to address the potential for fires that could cause the release or spread

of radioactive materials, which could result in a radiological hazard. The current regulations do not

contain requirements for decommissioning plants to ensure the safe shutdown of the facility.

The fire protection regulation, 10 CFR 50.48(f)(2), requires licensees to assess the fire

protection program on a regular basis and revise it, as needed, throughout the various stages of facility

decommissioning. However, 10 CFR 50.48(f)(3) also permits the licensee to make changes to the fire

protection program without NRC approval if these changes do not reduce the effectiveness of fire

protection for facilities, systems, and equipment that could result in a radiological hazard, taking into

account the conditions and activities of decommissioning at the facility. The objectives of the fire

protection program, delineated in 10 CFR 50.48(f)(1), are to (1) reasonably prevent such fires from

occurring, (2) rapidly detect, control, and extinguish fires that could result in a radiological hazard, and

(3) minimize the risk of fire-induced radiological hazards to the public, environment, and plant personnel. 

Additional regulatory guidance is being developed and was issued for public comment in Draft

Regulatory Guide DG-1069, “Fire Protection Program for Nuclear Power Plants During

Decommissioning and Permanent Shutdown,” which was published in July 1998 (Ref. 10).

8.4 Actions by Certified Fuel Handlers

According to 10 CFR 50.54(y), either a certified fuel handler or a licensed senior operator may

take reasonable actions that may depart from a license condition or technical specification in an emergency

(upon NRC's review and approval of a licensee's certified fuel handler training program). This applies only

to nuclear power reactor licensees that have certified that they have ceased operations and permanently

removed the fuel from the reactor vessel.
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9. ELIMINATED REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

From the time the certifications of permanent cessation of operations and permanent removal of

fuel from the reactor vessel are submitted to the NRC, the Part 50 license no longer authorizes the

operation of the reactor or emplacement of the fuel into the reactor vessel (10 CFR 50.82(a)(2)). This

nonoperating status also provides the basis for removing regulatory requirements that are no longer

necessary to protect public health and safety at the facility. Regulatory require-ments that would no longer

be applicable include the following.

C Combustible gas control requirements (10 CFR 50.44)

C Emergency core cooling systems acceptance criteria (10 CFR 50.46, Appendix K to

10 CFR Part 50)

C Environmental qualification of electrical equipment (10 CFR 50.49)

C Containment leakage testing (10 CFR 50.54(o), Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50)

C Fracture prevention measures (10 CFR 50.60, Appendix G and H to 10 CFR Part 50)

C Fracture toughness requirements for protection against pressurized thermal shock events

(10 CFR 50.61)

C Anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) requirements (10 CFR 50.62)

Notifying the NRC of the termination of these programs is not required. 

10. CHANGES TO THE PSDAR

Following submission of the PSDAR, and after the 90-day waiting period, the licensee may begin

major decommissioning activities provided the actions comply with the requirements in

10 CFR 50.82(a)(5) and (6) as discussed in Issue 7 of 61 FR 39278. However, 10 CFR 50.82(a)(7)

requires the licensee to notify the NRC, in writing with a copy sent to the affected States, before

performing any decommissioning activity that is not consistent with or could be considered to be a change

from the actions or schedules described in the PSDAR. The PSDAR and any written notification of

changes required of a licensee will be used by the NRC staff to schedule inspections and provide

regulatory oversight of decommissioning activities. Changes that would significantly increase the

decommissioning costs would also require notification of the NRC with a copy sent to the affected States.

Changes to the PSDAR should be handled as follows. Changes in major milestones, scheduling,

resources, or environmental impacts not bounded by environmental impact statements or assessments, or

by the GEIS on decommissioning (NUREG-0586) (Ref. 1), or the GEIS in “Generic Environmental

Impact Statement in Support of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License Termination of

NRC-Licensed Nuclear Facilities” (NUREG-1496) (Ref. 11), require written notification to the NRC. 

The licensee’s milestone schedule will be used by the NRC staff to schedule NRC inspections of licensee

activities, as necessary, to provide assurance that decommissioning is being conducted safely and in

accordance with regulatory requirements. Examples of changes in activities and schedule include, but are

not limited to, changing from long-term storage to active dismantlement, changing the method used to

remove the reactor vessel or steam generators from cutting and segmenting to intact removal, and changing

the schedule to affect major milestones of any duration. Examples of significant increases in cost
1.184-17

associated with decommissioning the facility would include a new estimated cost greater than 20 percent

above the site-specific cost estimate or the PSDAR cost estimate, or a 25-percent increase in cost above

a milestone estimate. The significant increase in cost would require written notification to the NRC. 

Environmental impacts requiring written notification to the NRC would include any environmental impact

outside the scope of the Final Environmental Statement for the facility (as supplemented), any site-specific

environmental assessments, or the GEISs on decommissioning or radiological criteria for license

termination.

If the licensee's PSDAR was formerly an NRC-approved decommissioning plan and does not

address dismantlement in sufficient detail (only addresses long-term storage of the facility), the licensee

should submit an update before initiating major decommissioning activities. 

Written notifications to the NRC made under 10 CFR 50.82(a)(7) do not require the 90-day

waiting period prior to initiation of activities. The staff would not normally require a public meeting to

discuss the proposed changes.

11. USE OF FUNDS

For a power reactor facility that is not prematurely shut down and is nearing the expiration of the

license, a licensee must submit, at or about 5 years prior to the projected end of operations, a preliminary

decommissioning cost estimate that includes an up-to-date assessment of the major factors that could

affect the cost to decommission (10 CFR 50.75(f)(2)). For prematurely shutdown facilities, the cost

estimate required by the PSDAR can either be a site-specific cost estimate or a cost estimate that relies on

generic industry estimates. Licensees must submit a site-specific decommissioning cost estimate within 2

years after permanent cessation of operations if such an estimate has not previously been submitted (10

CFR 50.82(a)(8)(iii)).

The use of decommissioning trust funds is covered in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(8). Although many

licensees have chosen to accumulate funding for spent fuel maintenance and storage (as required by 10

CFR 50.54(bb)) as part of the same trust fund that is used for decommissioning, the references in this

regulatory guide to the “decommissioning trust fund” include only those amounts set aside for radiological

decommissioning as required by 10 CFR 50.75. The amounts of the decommissioning trust funds that can

be used by the licensee are controlled during the initial phase of decommissioning in order to provide

reasonable assurance that adequate funding will remain to decommission the facility. Expenditures from

the decommissioning trust fund are allowed for decommissioning as currently defined in 10 CFR 50.2. 

The expenditures should not reduce the value of the decommissioning trust fund to below the amount

necessary to place and maintain the reactor in safe storage. The withdrawals from the trust fund should

not adversely affect the licensee’s ability to fully fund the decommissioning trust; funds must be available to

ultimately release the site and terminate the license.

The licensee is allowed, in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(8)(ii), to use 3 percent of the generic amount of the

decommissioning funds specified in 10 CFR 50.75 for decommissioning planning, including

decommissioning planning that occurs even while a facility is still operating. Expenditures made or

committed prior to the effective date of the rule (August 28, 1996) are excluded from the percent
1.184-18

limitation. Appropriate activities for the use of the initial 3 percent of the decommissioning funds include

engineering designs, work package preparation, and licensing activities. Activities that would not be

considered appropriate uses for these planning funds include decontamination, draining of systems,

removal of filters, projects designed to demonstrate the feasibility of a particular decommissioning activity,

or the decontamination of a building that is no longer required and would ultimately have to be

decontaminated before license termination.

After the licensee has submitted the certifications required by 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1), and 90 days

after the NRC has received the PSDAR, the licensee may use an additional 20 percent of the

decommissioning funds prescribed in 10 CFR 50.75. The withdrawals may not be allowed to adversely

affect the licensee's ability to fully fund the decommissioning trust; the availability of funds to ultimately

release the site and terminate the license must be ensured.

The licensee is prohibited from using the remaining 77 percent of the generic decommissioning

funds until a site-specific decommissioning cost estimate is submitted to the NRC. This estimate must be

submitted within 2 years following permanent cessation of operations (10 CFR 50.82(a)(8)(iii)). 

Site-specific cost estimates should include an outline of the expected costs for activities specified in the

PSDAR. As an example of the appropriate level of detail, the licensee would be expected to include costs

for radiological decommissioning (planning, large-component removal, decontamination activities,

low-level radioactive waste disposal, final radiological survey, and decommissioning finance costs).

Site-specific cost estimates may be provided sooner than 2 years after permanent cessation of

operations. For facilities that submitted a preliminary cost estimate about 5 years before the projected end

of operations, the licensee could expand and update the preliminary cost estimate and submit it as the

site-specific cost estimate. The site-specific cost estimate could also be submitted with the PSDAR. If

submitted with the PSDAR, it should be appropriately identified as a site-specific cost estimate. This

approach would eliminate the 23 percent holdpoint for spending the decommissioning funds. Licensees

who plan to begin major decommissioning activities shortly after permanent cessation of operations should

consider an early submission of the site-specific cost estimates with the PSDAR.

If the licensee's PSDAR specifies a delayed completion of decommissioning, the licensee must

provide a means of adjusting cost estimates and associated funding levels over the storage or surveillance

period to ensure that the appropriate amount of funding will be available to terminate the license (10 CFR

50.82(a)(8)(iv)). Additional guidance is being developed for decommissioning cost estimates. This

guidance will specify the level of detail required for the financial plan to adjust cost estimates and

associated funding levels.

D. IMPLEMENTATION

The purpose of this section is to provide information to licensees regarding the NRC staff's plans

for using this regulatory guide. 
1.184-19

Except in those cases in which a licensee proposes an acceptable alternative method for complying

with the specified portions of the NRC's regulations, the methods described in this regulatory guide that

reflects public comments will be used by the NRC staff in the evaluation of decommissioning activities

before the licensee submits its license termination plan.

REFERENCES

1. USNRC, “Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Decommissioning of Nuclear

Facilities,” NUREG-0586, August 1988.

2. USNRC, “Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power

Reactors,” NUREG-1537, February 1996.

3. USNRC, “Standard Format and Content of License Termination Plans for Nuclear Power

Reactors,” Regulatory Guide 1.179, January 1999.

4. USNRC, “Standard Review Plan for Evaluating Nuclear Power Reactor License Termination

Plans,” Draft for Comment. Draft NUREG-1700, December 1998.

5. USNRC, “Standard Format and Content for Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report,”

Regulatory Guide 1.185, July 2000. 

6. H.D. Oak et al., “Technology, Safety and Costs of Decommissioning a Reference Boiling Water

Reactor Power Station,” NUREG/CR-0672 (Prepared for the U.S. NRC by Pacific Northwest

Laboratory, Richland, Washington), June 1980 (Addendum 1, July 1983; Addendum 2,

September 1984; Addendum 3, July 1988; Addendum 4, December 1990).

7. R.I. Smith, G.J. Konzek, and W.E. Kennedy, Jr., “Technology, Safety and Costs of

Decommissioning a Reference Pressurized Water Reactor Power Station,” NUREG/CR-0130

(Prepared for the U.S. NRC by Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington), June 1978 

(Addendum 1, July 1979; Addendum 2, July 1983; Addendum 3, September 1984; Addendum

4, July 1988).

8. G.J. Konzek et al., “Revised Analysis of Decommissioning for the Reference Pressurized Water

Reactor Power Station,” NUREG/CR-5884 (Prepared for the U.S. NRC by Pacific Northwest

Laboratory, Richland, Washington), November 1995.

NOTE: Copies of NUREGs are available at current rates from the U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 37082, Washington,

DC 20402-9328 (telephone (202)512-1800); or from the National Technical Information Service by writing NTIS at 5285 Port Royal

Road, Springfield, VA 22161; (telephone (703)487-4650; <http://www.ntis.gov/ordernow>. Copies are available for inspection or

copying for a fee from the NRC Public Document Room at 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC; the PDR’s mailing address is Mail

Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555; telephone (202)634-3273 or (800)397-4209; fax (202)634-3343; email is PDR@NRC.GOV.
1.184-20

Single copies of regulatory guides, both active and draft, and draft NUREG documents may be obtained free of charge by writing the

Reproduction and Distribution Services Section, OCIO, USNRC, Washington, DC 20555-0001, or by fax to (301)415-2289, or by

email to <DISTRIBUTION@NRC.GOV>. Active guides may also be purchased from the National Technical Information Service

on a standing order basis. Details on this service may be obtained by writing NTIS, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161;

telephone (703)487-4650; online <http://www.ntis.gov/ordernow>. Copies of active and draft guides are available for inspection or

copying for a fee from the NRC Public Document Room at 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC; the PDR’s mailing address is Mail

Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555; telephone (202)634-3273 or (800)397-4209; fax (202)634-3343; email <PDR@NRC.GOV>.

9. R.I. Smith et al., “Revised Analyses of Decommissioning for the Reference Boiling Water Reactor

Power Station,” NUREG/CR-6174 (Prepared for the U.S. NRC by Pacific Northwest National

Laboratory, Richland, Washington), July 1996. 

10. USNRC, “Fire Protection Program for Nuclear Power Plants During Decommissioning and

Permanent Shutdown,” Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1069, July 1998.

11. USNRC, “Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Support of Rulemaking on Radiological

Criteria for License Termination of NRC-Licensed Nuclear Facilities,” NUREG-1496, Volume 1,

July 1997.
1.184-21

REGULATORY ANALYSIS

A separate regulatory analysis was not prepared for this regulatory guide. The regulatory analysis

prepared for the amendments to Parts 2, 50, and 51, “Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Reactors,”

which was issued on July 29, 1996 (61 FR 39278), provides the regulatory basis for this guide and

examines the costs and benefits of the rule as implemented by the guide. A copy of this regulatory analysis

is available for inspection or copying for a fee in the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW.,

Washington, DC; the PDR’s mailing address is Mail Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555; telephone

(202)634-3273; fax (202)634-3343.