PR-179 NRC Certifies Two Standardized Reactor Designs

[kmq@cosmail1.ctd.ornl.gov (Kim McMahan)]

Can anyone summarize how these two designs differ from current BWR/PWR designs?

Thanks,
Kim McMahan
kmq@ornl.gov

------- Forwarded Message
           United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                     Office of Public Affairs
                       Washington, DC 20555
              Phone 301-415-8200   Fax 301-415-2234
                       Internet:opa@nrc.gov
                                 


No. 96-179                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                              (Friday, December 6, 1996)    



           NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION CERTIFIES TWO
                   STANDARDIZED REACTOR DESIGNS

     The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved rules that
will certify two evolutionary reactor designs, the ASEA Brown
Boveri-Combustion Engineering System 80+ and General Electric
Nuclear Energy's Advanced Boiling Water Reactor.

     In an affirmation vote today, the Commission appproved with
some changes proposed regulations submitted by the staff earlier
this year.  The NRC staff will now prepare rules which are
expected to be published in the Federal Register early next year.

     In the past, reactor designs were generally approved by the
NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation as part of the
licensing process for a specific plant rather than by rulemaking. 
The new process gives industry an option to seek approval by
rulemaking for a generic reactor design.

     Use of a standardized reactor design would permit a utility
to apply for a combined license in place of the historical two-step process
involving separate proceedings at both the
construction permit and operating license stages. 

     The Advanced Boiling Reactor and the System 80+ designs are
for nuclear power facilities which would be capable of producing
about 1300 megawatts of electricity, slightly more power than the
largest reactors in use by industry today.

     Designs for the two plants were received by the NRC in 1987
and NRC staff completed its technical review in 1994, issuing
Final Design Approvals.  On April 7, 1995, NRC published two
proposed rules for certification of the U.S. Advanced Boiling
Water Reactor and the System 80+ designs, and the environmental
assessments for each design.  NRC invited public comment on the
proposed rules and environmental assessments, and provided an
opportunity to request an informal hearing before an Atomic
Safety & Licensing Board.

     In addition, NRC conducted a series of public meetings for
the purpose of clarifying the provisions of the rules and
affording the public opportunity for comments.  The official
comment period ended August 7, 1995 and NRC did not receive any
requests for an informal hearing or comments on the environmental
assessments.                                           



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