{"abstract":"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Bulletin (BL) 2003-01 to all holders of operating licenses for pressurized-water reactors (PWRs), except those who have permanently ceased operations and have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor vessel. The bulletin informs PWR licensees of the results of NRC-sponsored research which identified the potential susceptibility of recirculation sump screens to debris blockage in the event of a high- energy line break requiring recirculation operation of the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) or containment spray system (CSS), and of the potential for debris blockage of flowpaths necessary for system recirculation operation and containment drainage. In light of these potentially adverse effects of debris blockage, the bulletin requests that licensees confirm their compliance with section 50.46(b)(5) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 50.46(b)(5)) concerning long term ECCS performance, and other existing applicable regulatory requirements, or describe any compensatory measures implemented to reduce the potential risk due to post-accident debris blockage as evaluations to determine compliance proceed.","action":"Notice of issuance.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION","name":"Nuclear Regulatory Commission","id":383,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/nuclear-regulatory-commission","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/383","parent_id":null,"slug":"nuclear-regulatory-commission"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2003/06/16/03-15121.html","cfr_references":[],"citation":"68 FR 35741","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"The bulletin was issued on June 9, 2003.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"03-15121","effective_on":null,"end_page":35741,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2003/06/16/03-15121.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/06/16/03-15121/potential-impact-of-debris-blockage-on-emergency-sump-recirculation-at-pressurized-water-reactors","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/03-15121?publication_date=2003-06-16","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2003-06-16/03-15121/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":1,"page_views":{"count":20,"last_updated":"2026-10-23 04:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2003-06-16/pdf/03-15121.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"2003-06-16","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2003/06/16/03-15121.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{},"regulation_id_numbers":[],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":null,"signing_date":null,"start_page":35741,"subtype":null,"title":"Potential Impact of Debris Blockage on Emergency Sump Recirculation at Pressurized-Water Reactors","toc_doc":"Debris blockage; potential impact on emergency sump recirculation at pressurized-water reactors","toc_subject":"Reports and guidance documents; availability, etc.:","topics":[],"type":"Notice","volume":68}