Framatome Richland extension of criticality validation methodology and minimum margin of subcriticality to enrichments up to 20 wt% U-235 (Amendment 19): NRC fuel-cycle amendment review for Framatome, Inc. — issued. Sourced dates and schedule.
Background: NRC reactor licensing process, explained · The ADVANCE Act, explained: what changed and where the NRC stands
Current state
| Type | Fuel-cycle amendment |
| Outcome | Issued |
| Applicant | Framatome, Inc. |
| Facility | Framatome Fuel Fabrication Facility, Richland, Washington |
| Docket | 70-1257 |
| Submitted | 2023-05-17 |
| Docketed (accepted for review) | — |
| NRC planned schedule | — |
| NRC target date | — |
| Final safety evaluation | — |
| Decision | 2023-11-27 |
| Review time (docketed → decision) | — |
| Submitted → decision | 6.4 mo |
| NRC-reported review duration | — |
| NRC-reported resources vs estimate | — |
Review time is measured in average months from the date the NRC docketed the application to the decision. The NRC's own reported durations may measure to the final safety evaluation instead.
Notes
Methods-only amendment (did not raise the possession/enrichment limit); enabling step for later >5 wt% amendments. Acceptance date not found in documents read. Supplemented Oct. 18, 2023. Fully pre-ADVANCE Act. Licence/permit: SNM-1227.
Timeline
- 2023-05-17 — Application received: “The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed your submittal dated May 17, 2023 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS] Accession No. ML23137A396), requesting to amend license number special nuclear material (SNM)-1227” (source)
- 2023-11-27 — Issued: “On November 27, 2023, the NRC approved a LAR submitted by Framatome, Inc. to extend its validation methodology and the minimum margin of subcriticality to include enrichments up to 20 weight-percent uranium-235 (ML23313A077).” (source)
The timeline is append-only: corrections are added as new entries. See the NNN Data License Terms for reuse of the event history.
NNN coverage
About Framatome Richland fuel plant
- NRC clears Framatome Richland for TRISO fuel work 2026-07-28
- X-energy and Centrus sign HALEU deal for Xe-100 2026-08-07
- TRISO fuel, explained 2026-07-26
About Framatome
- PNNL RFI for NNSA seeks U-10Mo fuel maker for five research reactors 2026-10-11
- HALEU, explained: the fuel advanced reactors need 2026-08-27
- France authorises Gravelines site work for two EPR2 reactors 2026-08-27
- Core Analysis: The license path is the product now 2026-07-10
- Natrium, explained: TerraPower's reactor with a built-in battery 2026-07-09
Related reviews
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