Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 559a23f1-8bbf-427c-898a-b389648c996a
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Guidance for Changes During Construction for New Nuclear Power Plants Being Constructed Under a Combined License Referencing a Certified Design Under 10 CFR Part 52 + HISTORY - HISTORY 04/2020 – DG-1321 , Proposed Revision 0
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1934/ML19340B290.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.237
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of when a licensee may begin construction of facility SSCs pursuant to a COL in accordance with a change to or departure from the design of the facility as described in the FSAR, as updated, including Tier 2 of the plant-specific DCD. Basis for the Changes in Guidance As explained above and in the final Statement of Considerations for the 1999 rule amending 10 CFR 50.59, for operating plant licenses issued under 10 CFR Part 50, “implementation” of a change to the design of an SSC described in the FSAR begins when the licensee uses the SSC in facility operations. Installation and testing of the SSC, as changed, is not considered “implementation” unless the installation or testing itself would violate a TS or would require an amendment under the criteria of 10 CFR 50.59(c)(2). The NRC staff has determined that licensees may construct or implement changes to an SSC in a plant that is under construction under 10 CFR Part 52 before the NRC has made a final determination on a license amendment subject to specified limitations, similar to the installation and testing of a change to an SSC in an operating plant under Part 50. For an operating plant under 10 CFR Part 50, the NRC must approve an amendment before the licensee may declare the SSC operable or place the SSC in use in the facility. For plants under construction under 10 CFR Part 52, the determination comparable to placing the SSC in use in facility operations (“operability” for SSCs controlled by TS) for a 10 CFR Part 50 facility occurs when the licensee notifies the NRC pursuant to 10 CFR 52.99(c)(1) that the prescribed inspections, tests, and analyses for that SSC have been performed and that the prescribed acceptance criteria have been met. Similar to an operating facility in which a system is not operable while it is out of service for maintenance and testing, there are no immediate nuclear safety consequences for a new facility if facility construction has not been completed and fuel has not been