Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an early site permit issued under this subpart may be valid for not less than 10, nor more than 20 years from the date of issuance.
An early site permit continues to be valid beyond the date of expiration in any proceeding on a construction permit application or a combined license application that references the early site permit and is docketed before the date of expiration of the early site permit, or, if a timely application for renewal of the permit has been docketed, before the Commission has determined whether to renew the permit.
An applicant for a construction permit or combined license may, at its own risk, reference in its application a site for which an early site permit application has been docketed but not granted.
Upon issuance of a construction permit or combined license, a referenced early site permit is subsumed, to the extent referenced, into the construction permit or combined license.