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Generic Milestone Schedules of Requested Activities of the Commission

Section 102(c) of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) requires the NRC to develop performance metrics and milestone schedules for "requested activities of the Commission."  Section 3(10) of NEIMA defines "requested activities of the Commission" to include:

(A) "the processing of applications for—
(i) design certifications or approvals; (ii) licenses; (iii) permits; (iv) license amendments;
(v) license renewals; (vi) certificates of compliance; and (vii) power uprates;" and
(B) "any other activity requested by a licensee or applicant."

NEIMA also establishes certain reporting requirements for the NRC in the event the NRC issues a final safety evaluation for a requested activity of the Commission later than the NRC established milestone schedule date.  NEIMA required the NRC to develop the performance metrics and milestone schedules by July 13, 2019.  The table below provides the NRC's generic milestone schedules for requested activities of the Commission that involve the issuance of a final safety evaluation.

Please note that the milestones appearing here are generic.  The NRC staff will work with each licensee or applicant to establish a specific schedule for each request, which may be shorter or longer than the generic milestone schedule based on the specific needs of the licensee or applicant and the staff's resources.

Generic Milestone Schedules of Requested Activities of the Commission that Involve the Issuance of a Final Safety Evaluation to be Tracked and Reported According to the NEIMA Requirements

Activity Type Generic Milestone to Issue Final Safety Evaluation1
Design Certifications and Standard Design Approvals (including Topical Reports 2 required to support the application and submitted in parallel or earlier than the application) Light Water Power Reactor (LWR) – Part 52 42 months
Non-LWR – Part 52 36 months

Licenses

(including Topical Reports2 required to support the application and submitted in parallel or earlier than the application)

 Uranium Recovery – Part 40 36 months
Fuel Cycle Facilities – Parts 40 and 70 36 months
Operating (LWR) – Part 50 42 months
Operating (Non-power production or utilization facility (NPUF) or Non-LWR) – Part 50 36 months
Combined 3 (LWR or non-LWR referencing a certified design) – Part 52 30 months
Combined3 (LWR not referencing a certified design) – Part 52 42 months
Combined3 (non-LWR not referencing a certified design) – Part 52 36 months
Manufacturing (LWR or non-LWR referencing a certified design) – Part 52 30 months
Manufacturing (non-LWR not referencing a certified design) – Part 52 36 months
Manufacturing (LWR not referencing a certified design) – Part 52 42 months
Permits and Authorizations Construction Permit – Part 50 36 months
Limited Work Authorization – Parts 50 and 52 36 months
Early Site Permit – Part 52 24 months
License Amendments
(including power uprates)		 Decommissioning – Parts 30, 40, 50 and 70 24 months
Uranium Recovery – Part 40 12 months
Fuel Cycle Facilities – Parts 40 and 70 24 months
Construction Permit – Part 50 24 months
Operating (all) – Part 50 24 months
Early Site Permit – Part 52 24 months
Design Certification – Part 52 24 months
Combined3 (under construction) – Part 52 9 months
Combined3 (operating or not under construction) – Part 52 24 months
License Renewals Uranium Recovery - Part 40 36 months
Fuel Cycle Facilities – Parts 40 and 70 24 months
Operating (NPUF and non-LWR) – Part 50 36 months
Operating (LWR) and Combined (LWR) – Parts 50, 52, and 54 18 months
Early Site Permits – Part 52 18 months
Design Certification – Part 52 18 months
Manufacturing - Part 52 18 months
Other Activities    
Certificates of Compliance:
New, Amendment, or Renewal		 Transportation – Part 71 36 months
Storage – Part 72 36 months
Topical Reports2 Permit (LWR, non-LWR, or NPUF not supporting a permit or amendment) – Part 50 24 months
Operating (LWR, non-LWR, or NPUF not supporting an initial license) – Part 50 24 months
Design Certifications (LWR or non-LWR not supporting a design certification or amendment) – Part 52 24 months
Combined3 (LWR or non-LWR not supporting a COL or amendment) – Part 52 24 months

License Expansions

(e.g., new site)

 Uranium Recovery – Part 40 36 months
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation: New, Amendment, or Renewal Storage – Parts 50, 52 and 72 36 months
Exemptions All Parts of 10 CFR 24 months
Code Reliefs Operating – Part 50 24 months
Combined3 (under construction) – Part 52 9 months
Combined3 (operating or not under construction) – Part 52 24 months
License Transfers Permit - Part 50 24 months
Operating – Part 50 24 months
Manufacturing – Part 52 24 months
Early Site Permit – Part 52 24 months
Combined3 – Part 52 24 months

1 Time it takes generically to issue a final safety evaluation for each activity after acceptance review is completed.

2 These milestone schedules are only applicable to topical reports submitted by licensees or applicants (i.e., persons or entities that either hold a current license or have a license application under NRC review).  These milestone schedules do not apply to topical reports submitted by vendors, owners groups, other industry representatives, or pre-applicants.

3 Combined means Combined License which is an NRC-issued license that authorizes a licensee to construct and (with certain specified conditions) operate a nuclear power plant at a specific site, in accordance with established laws and regulations.

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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Friday, September 10, 2021