Approval of American Society of Mechanical Engineers Unconditioned Code Cases

Document 2026-01494 is a Final Rule published by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the Federal Register on January 27, 2026, with an effective date of January 26, 2026. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of January 26, 2026, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2025. This direct final rule amended the regulations to incorporate by reference a regulatory guide that approved unconditioned code cases published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. This action allows nuclear power plant applicants and licensees to use the code cases as voluntary alternatives to engineering standards for nuclear power plant components. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/27/2026-01494/approval-of-american-society-of-mechanical-engineers-unconditioned-code-cases.

No. Document 2026-01494 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.