Notice2026-03373
Agency Information Collection Extension
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 20, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentEnergy Information Administration
Abstract
DOE submitted an information collection request for extension as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension of its Form GC-859 Nuclear Fuel Data Survey, OMB Control Number 1901-0287. Form GC-859 collects data on spent nuclear fuel from all utilities that operate commercial nuclear reactors and from all others that possess irradiated fuel from commercial nuclear reactors.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 34 (Friday, February 20, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 34 (Friday, February 20, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8212-8213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03373]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Extension
AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: DOE submitted an information collection request for extension
as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information
collection requests a three-year extension of its Form GC-859 Nuclear
Fuel Data Survey, OMB Control Number 1901-0287. Form GC-859 collects
data on spent nuclear fuel from all utilities that operate commercial
nuclear reactors and from all others that possess irradiated fuel from
commercial nuclear reactors.
DATES: Comments on this information collection must be received no
later than March 23, 2026. If you anticipate any difficulties in
submitting comments by the deadline, contact the person listed in
ADDRESSES section of this notice as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by OMB control number
1901-0287, by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f8bfbbc0cdc1d5beaab6d5bb9795959d968c8bb888969694d69f978e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e8afabd0ddd1c5aebaa6c5ab8785858d869c9ba898868684c68f879e">[email protected]</span></a>. Include the OMB
control number listed in the subject line of the message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you need additional information,
contact Debra Coaxum, EIA Clearance Officer, at (202) 586-7876. The
current and proposed Form GC-859 and instructions are available on
EIA's website at <a href="https://www.eia.gov/survey/#gc-859">https://www.eia.gov/survey/#gc-859</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request
contains:
(1) OMB No.: 1901-0287;
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Nuclear Fuel Data Survey;
(3) Type of Request: Three-year extension with changes;
(4) Purpose: The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101
et seq.) required that DOE enter into Standard Contracts with all
generators or owners of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste of domestic origin. Form GC-859 (formerly Form RW-859) originated
from an appendix to this Standard Contract.
Form GC-859 Nuclear Fuel Data Survey collects information on
nuclear fuel use and spent fuel discharges from all utilities that
operate commercial nuclear reactors and from all others that possess
irradiated fuel from commercial nuclear reactors. The data collection
provides stakeholders with detailed information concerning the spent
nuclear fuel generated by the respondents (commercial utility
generators of spent nuclear fuel and other owners of spent nuclear fuel
within the U.S.).
Data collected from the survey are used by personnel from DOE
Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), DOE Office of Environmental Management
(EM), and the national laboratories to meet their research objectives
of developing a range of options and supporting analyses that
facilitate informed choices about how best to manage spent nuclear fuel
(SNF);
(4a) Proposed Changes to Information Collection:
<bullet> Clarified instructions, definitions, and tables based on
the feedback
[[Page 8213]]
received from the last survey collection. This lessens the burden on
respondents by avoiding unnecessary need for clarifications.
<bullet> Section B.2: Reactor License Data. Section B.2 is being
discontinued because the license status and other data is publicly
available on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's website. Section B.2
now indicates ``Discontinued'' to preserve the subsection numbering in
Section B.
<bullet> Section C.1.1: Data on Discharged Fuel Assemblies and Non-
Fuel Components Integral to the Assembly--Addition of an optional data
field for Assembly-Average Initial Enrichment. The form currently
includes a data field only for Maximum Planar-Average Initial
Enrichment. Assembly-Average Initial Enrichment is critical for
evaluating decay heat and dose rates, while Maximum Planar-Average
Initial Enrichment accounts for axial and radial variations in
enrichment, essential for criticality safety assessments. Having data
for both enrichment values allows DOE to apply the appropriately
conservative parameter to each discipline--maximum planar-average for
criticality, assembly-average for shielding and thermal--thus reducing
unnecessary conservativism and uncertainty while maintaining safety
margins which enables DOE to have the information necessary for
effective planning of future spent nuclear fuel transport and storage
while maintaining compliance with thermal, radiological, and
criticality safety requirements.
<bullet> Reinstating section C.2: Projected Assembly Discharges.
DOE paused collection of projected assembly discharge data in section
C.2 starting with the survey covering the July 1, 2013-December 31,
2017 period. However, reinstating this section is now necessary to
provide insight on planned changes in reactor operations, particularly
power uprates and the introduction of high-assay low-enriched uranium
fuel. These developments will directly impact spent fuel
characteristics, including enrichment levels and burnup rates. By
collecting data on projected assembly discharges, DOE can ensure that
it has the necessary information to manage and plan spent fuel storage,
disposal strategies, and infrastructure investments in light of these
anticipated changes. Section C.2 includes improvements for clarity of
data requested.
<bullet> Non-Fuel Components (NFC). The 3 NFC columns in Table
C.1.1 will be removed (NFC, NFC Identifier, and Estimated Total Weight)
and added to the D.3.3 (Assemblies in Dry Storage) table. The NFC
stored in the pool is already captured in Section E: Non-Fuel Data and
the text was modified in E.2: Non-Fuel Components--Integral to an
Assembly. This change was made to simplify the reporting of non-fuel
components in the spent fuel pool. For these components, DOE does not
require tracking of their current location in the spent fuel pool, only
the tentative amount of hardware delivered to DOE. This reduces the
burden on respondents by not requiring them to track and report the
location of hardware components in the pool.
<bullet> D.3.3: Assemblies in Dry Storage. An additional column for
Damaged Fuel Canister (DFC) will be added to the D.3.3 table. This
eases the burden on respondents because this change improves clarity by
avoiding confusion between a single assembly canister in section C.3.1
and a DFC reported in D.3.3. Additionally, it enhances clarity during
canister unloading, ensuring it is clear which assemblies are damaged
and whether additional hardware is present in the cask. This
information is also used to verify compliance with the Certificate of
Compliance when accepting the cask for transportation.
<bullet> Appendix C: Reactor and Spent Fuel Storage Site
Identification Codes. Appendix C has been updated to remove numeric ID
numbers for reactors or storage locations. These have been replaced
with easily recognizable names, consistent with the choices in the web-
application. Pools that no longer exist or that are no longer planned
for storage have been removed from the list. Appendix C has been
renamed to Reactor or Facility and Spent Fuel Storage Site. The form
has been revised to remove references to numeric IDs, so the form now
contains only user friendly, easily recognizable names.
<bullet> Appendix E: Fuel Assembly Type Codes. Appendix E has been
modified to include codes submitted on the 2023 data collection that
were not already on the list and to remove codes that are not in use,
for the convenience of the respondents.
(5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 126;
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 42;
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 3,707;
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: The
information is maintained in the normal course of business. The cost of
the burden hours is estimated to be $352,128 (3,707 burden hours times
$94.99 per hour). DOE estimates that respondents will have no
additional costs associated with the surveys other than the burden
hours and the maintenance of the information during the normal course
of business.
Comments are invited on whether or not: (a) The proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of agency
functions, including whether the information will have a practical
utility; (b) DOE's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used, is accurate; (c) DOE can improve the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information it will collect; and (d) DOE can minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, such as
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Statutory Authority: Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy
Administration Act of 1974, Public Law 93-275, codified as 15 U.S. C.
772(b) and the DOE Organization Act of 1977, Public Law 95-91, codified
at 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq., The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982
codified at 42 U.S.C. 10222 et seq.
Signed in Washington, DC, on February 17, 2026.
Debra Coaxum,
Acting Director, Office of Statistical Methods and Research, U.S.
Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-03373 Filed 2-19-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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