(a) Kinds of records—1) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the applicant or licensee must maintain as permanent project records in addition to those required in part 125 of this chapter, the following information:

(i) Engineering and geological data relating to design, construction, maintenance, repair, or modification of the project, including design memoranda and drawings, laboratory and other testing reports, geologic data (such as maps, sections, or logs of exploratory borings or trenches, foundation treatment, and excavation), plans and specifications, inspection and quality control reports, as built construction drawings, designers' operating criteria, photographs, and any other data necessary to demonstrate that construction, maintenance, repair, or modification of the project has been performed in accordance with plans and specifications;

(ii) Instrumentation observations and data collected during construction, operation, or maintenance of the project, including continuously maintained tabular records and graphs illustrating the data collected pursuant to §12.41; and

(iii) The operational and maintenance history of the project, including:

(A) The dates, times, nature, and causes of any complete or partial unscheduled shut-down, suspension of project operations, or reservoir filling restrictions related to the safety of the project or project works; and

(B) Any reports of project modifications, conditions affecting the safety of the project or project works, or deaths or serious injuries at the project.

(2) Exception. The applicant or licensee is not required to maintain as permanent project records any information specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section that was or reasonably would have been prepared before the applicant or licensee acquired control of the project and that the applicant or the licensee never acquired or reasonably could have acquired.

(b) Location of records—1) Original records. The applicant or licensee must maintain the originals of all permanent project records at a central location, such as the project site or the main business office of the applicant or licensee, secure from damage from any conceivable failure of the project works and convenient for inspection. The applicant or licensee must keep the Regional Engineer advised of the location of the permanent project records.

(2) Record copies. If the originals of the permanent project records are maintained at a central location other than the project site, the applicant or licensee must maintain at the project site copies of at least the project Exhibit G or L (design drawings), instrumentation data, and operational history that are necessary to the safe and efficient operation of the project.

(3) In accordance with the provisions of part 125 of this chapter, the applicant or licensee may maintain original records, or record copies at the project site, in microform, if appropriate equipment is readily available to view the records.

(c) Transfer of records. If the project is taken over by the United States at the end of a license term or the Commission issues a new license to a different licensee, the prior licensee must transfer the originals of all permanent project records to the custody of the administering Federal agency or department or to the new licensee.