The eRulemaking Program

03/05/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/05/2026 07:20

Exemption: Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC; Big Rock Point Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-155 and 72-43; NRC-2026-1025]

Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC; Big Rock Point Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Exemption

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice; issuance.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an exemption to Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC, (HDI), for Big Rock Point (BRP) independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI). The exemption allows BRP ISFSI to deviate from the requirements in Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1026, Amendment No. 4, appendix A, technical specifications (TS) for the FuelSolutions TM Storage System, section 5.3.4, "Radioactive Effluent Control Program," subsection 5.3.4.3, related to the timing of submission for its Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report (ARERR).

DATES:

The exemption was issued on February 17, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2026-1025 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly available information related to this document using any of the following methods:

• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2026-1025. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Bridget Curran; telephone: 301-415-1003; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.

• NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select "Begin ADAMS Public Search." For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, at 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in this document.

• NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tilda Liu, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 404-997-4730, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The NRC issued an exemption (ADAMS Package Accession No. ML26030A152) to Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC, (HDI) for the BRP ISFSI. The exemption granted provides relief from the 60-day requirement so that the annual effluent release report for the BRP ISFSI may be submitted on or before May 1, rather than prior to March 1, of each year. The granted exemption only changes the due date and not the content of the information that the licensee would provide in the annual report.

HDI submitted this request to the NRC for an exemption from title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 72.212 (a)(2), (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4), (B)(5)(i), (b)(11), and 72.214 for BRP ISFSI Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report (ARERR), by letter dated June 30, 2025 (ADAMS Accession No. ML25181A014). The exemption request sought to allow BRP ISFSI to deviate from the requirements in CoC No. 1026, Amendment No. 4, appendix A, TS for the FuelSolutions TM Storage System, section 5.3.4, "Radioactive Effluent Control Program," subsection 5.3.4.3, related to the timing of submission for its ARERR. In its June 30, 2025 letter, HDI requested relief regarding the 60-day reporting requirement, so that the annual liquid and gaseous effluent release report for the BRP ISFSI be incorporated into, and submitted with, the BRP plant site ARERR on or before May 1, rather than prior to March 1, of each year to align with the submittal of its ARERR as required by the BRP Plant Renewed Facility Operating License, DPR-6, Defueled Technical Specifications (ADAMS Accession No. ML26028A232) section 6.0, "Administrative Controls," section 6.6.3, "Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report."

Based on the staff's evaluation, the NRC has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, "Specific Exemptions," the exemption is authorized by law, will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security, and is otherwise in the public interest. Accordingly, the NRC granted HDI an exemption that allows the annual effluent release report for the BRP ISFSI to be submitted on or before May 1 each year.

Dated: March 2, 2026.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Kristina Banovac,
Acting Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2026-04327 Filed 3-4-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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