Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 12d6ebda-d515-49c2-b332-a2a2ef5aba3d
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
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
e requirement to obtain a license amendment before implementing a change that involves a change to a technical specification (TS) or meets one of the criteria in 10 CFR 50.59(c)(2). In response to the comment, the Commission, in the Statement of Considerations for the 1999 10 CFR 50.59 final rule, discussed the timing of “implementation” of a change to the facility under 10 CFR 50.59 vis-à-vis the issuance of an amendment authorizing the proposed change. The Statement of Considerations indicated that a holder of an operating license may install and test a change requiring an amendment under 10 CFR 50.59(c)(2) before the amendment is granted, provided that such installation and testing of the change does not violate a TS or DG-1321, Page 5 otherwise meet one of the 10 CFR 50.59(c)(2) criteria for prior approval. The Commission indicated that it did not consider the design change “implemented” until the licensee used the re-designed SSC in facility operations, and that the licensee could do this only if the NRC had already granted an amendment authorizing use of the SSC as redesigned. In addition, the Commission clarified that such installation and testing of a change before receiving NRC approval is at the licensee’s own risk. This means that if the Commission did not grant the requested amendment, the licensee must modify the facility to conform to the description in the FSAR, as updated, before resuming operation of the SSC. The Commission did not amend 10 CFR Part 52 in 1999 to conform to the 1999 amendments to 10 CFR 50.59 because the Commission anticipated other future rule changes for 10 CFR Part 52 based on an ongoing lessons-learned review. The Commission indicated it would consider proposed changes to 10 CFR Part 52, including the “implementation” of changes subject to amendments, in an integrated fashion. The Commission did modify the Section VIII.B.5 “50.59-like change process” in the 2006 AP1000 design certification rule (10 CFR Part