NRC Grants Exemption to Duke Energy Progress from Annual Amendment Requirement for H.B. Robinson Nuclear Plant License Renewal

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an exemption on its own initiative to Duke Energy Progress, LLC (Duke) regarding the subsequent license renewal (SLR) application for H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2 (Robinson), which holds Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-23. Under normal NRC regulations, license renewal applicants are required to submit annual amendments to their renewal application identifying any changes to the current licensing basis (CLB) that materially affect the application content. These amendments must be filed at least 3 months before the scheduled completion of the NRC's review. The granted exemption relieves Duke Energy Progress from this ongoing obligation. As a result, Duke is no longer required to submit such annual amendments to its subsequent license renewal application for the Robinson plant while the NRC reviews that application. This exemption was issued proactively by the NRC itself, not in response to a request from Duke Energy, suggesting the agency determined the standard amendment requirement was unnecessary or impractical in the context of this particular subsequent renewal review.

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