§ 53.1520 Issuance of amendment.
(a) In determining whether an amendment to a license will be issued to the applicant, the Commission will be guided by the considerations which govern the issuance of initial licenses to the extent applicable and appropriate. If the application is for amendment of an OL or COL and involves the material alteration of a commercial nuclear plant, a construction permit (CP) will be issued before the issuance of the amendment to the license, provided however, that if the application involves a material alteration to a manufactured reactor under this part before its installation at a site, or a COL before the date that the Commission makes the finding under § 53.1452(g), no application for or issuance of a CP is required. If the amendment involves a significant hazards consideration, the Commission will give notice of its proposed action—
(1) Under § 2.105 of this chapter before acting thereon; and
(2) As soon as practicable after the application has been docketed.
(b) The Commission will be particularly sensitive to a license amendment request that involves irreversible consequences (such as one that permits a significant increase in the amount of effluents or radiation emitted by a commercial nuclear plant).
(c) The Commission may make a final determination, under the procedures in § 53.1515, that a proposed amendment to an OL or a COL for a commercial nuclear plant under this part involves no significant hazards consideration, if operation of the plant in accordance with the proposed amendment would not—
(1) Involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or
(2) Create the possibility of a new or different kind of an accident from any accident previously evaluated; or
(3) Involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.