Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 3e914c02-41b3-4c0b-9c94-7e4a07215354
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Guidance on Making Changes to Emergency Plans for Nuclear Power Reactors (Rev. 1)
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1505/ML15054A370.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.219
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
s or lengthen the time it takes to staff and activate emergency response facilities (ERFs) could affect the NRC’s reasonable assurance determination and would require prior NRC staff approval. Minor administrative changes, such as updating a telephone number in a notification procedure, would not warrant prior NRC staff review. Between these extremes is a range of possible changes for which the licensee is required to perform and document a detailed, objective evaluation. c. The change process under 10 CFR 50.54(q) does not establish whether a proposed change would affect reasonable assurance determinations; the change process establishes only whether the licensee has the authority to carry out the proposed change without prior NRC approval. The change process uses the characteristic “reduction in effectiveness” to exclude from the requirement to seek prior NRC approval those changes that would not reduce effectiveness. Because these changes would not reduce the effectiveness of the licensee’s plan, the NRC expects the changes to have a minimal effect on the agency’s reasonable assurance determination. A licensee’s determination that the proposed change would reduce the effectiveness of its plan requires an NRC evaluation of the effect of the change on the reasonable assurance determination. A licensee’s determination that a proposed change would reduce the effectiveness of the emergency plan does not mean that the licensee could not or would not carry out appropriate protective measures to protect public health and safety during an accident, but that prior NRC review is required. As described in Regulatory Position 5.3, the licensee would submit a license amendment application in accordance with 10 CFR 50.90 for prior NRC approval of a change that it believes will reduce the effectiveness of its emergency plan. Based on its review, the NRC may conclude that the changes (1) do not reduce the effectiveness of the plan, (2) do reduce the effectiveness of