[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27737]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: November 9, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-317 and 50-318]
Baltimore Gas & Electric Co., Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant,
Unit Nos. 1 and 2; Exemption
I
The Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BG&E/licensee) is the
holder of Facility Operation License Nos. DPR-53 and DPR-69, which
authorizes operation of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit
Nos. 1 and 2 (the facilities), respectively. The license provides,
among other things, that the facilities are subject to all rules,
regulations and Orders of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the
Commission) now or hereafter in effect.
The facilities are pressurized water reactors located at the
licensee's site in Calvert County, Maryland.
The licensee is implementing upgrades to the existing safety-
related emergency diesel generators (EDGs) to increase their load
capacity. The first part of this effort was to upgrade Unit 1 EDG No.
11 during the previous Unit 1 refueling outage (RFO-11). The second
part of the EDG upgrade project is to upgrade Unit 2 EDG No. 21 during
the upcoming Unit 2 refueling outage (RFO-10). RFO-10 is scheduled to
commence on March 17, 1995, and to be completed in late May 1995. To
support this second portion of the upgrades, the licensee has
identified one temporary exemption required at this time. The exemption
is specified below.
II
The Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A,
General Criterion-2 (GDC-2), requires that: Structures, systems, and
components important to safety shall be designed to withstand the
effects of natural phenomena such as * * * tornadoes, * * * without
loss of capability to perform their safety functions.
The licensee has requested the temporary exemption from GDC-2
because of the planned upgrade of the Unit 2 EDG No. 21. The effort
will require temporary removal of a steel missile door which will
expose portions of the support systems of EDG Nos. 11 and 12. These
EDGs are required to be operable to support the operation of Unit No. 1
and the shutdown or refueling of Unit No. 2. These EDGs require
protection from the potential effects of postulated missiles generated
by natural phenomena. The licensee indicates that the steel missile
door will be removed 4 times during RFO-10. The licensee estimates that
each of the missile door removals will last for about 24 hours which
will result in a total removal time of about 100 hours during the
scheduled 65 day outage.
The licensee is providing compensatory action to assure the safe
operation of Unit No. 1 and refueling of Unit No. 2 for the short
periods of time during which the steel missile door will be removed. To
encompass all severe weather conditions as defined in the plant site
Emergency Response Plan Implementing Procedures 3.0, Attachment 17, a
concerted effort will be made to reinstall the missile door if a
tornado or hurricane watch is issued or if sustained winds are
predicted to be greater than 50 miles/hour at the site. The only factor
which would impede the reinstallation of the missile door would be to
ensure the safety of the individuals performing the reinstallation.
Considering the existing design features and compensatory measure
proposed by the licensee, the likelihood of damage to the exposed EDG
support systems from postulated missiles generated by natural phenomena
is minimal for the short periods of time that the protective door will
be removed. Also, based on the compensatory measure provided,
reasonable assurance exists that the ability to reinstall the missile
door will be maintained prior to any severe weather which could result
in airborne missiles. Therefore, there is reasonable assurance that the
proposed GDC-2 exemption will present no undue risk to public health
and safety.
III
The Commission has determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a), that,
special circumstances as set forth in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(v) exist. The
exemption would provide only temporary relief from the applicable
regulation (GDC-2). The exemption is requested for a specific time
period after which the facility would again be in conformance with all
the requirements of GDC-2. The licensee has made good faith efforts in
considering alternatives to the exemption request and has concluded
that the EDG upgrades can only be conducted without the subject
exemption during a period when both units are shut down.
Based on the above and on review of the licensee's submittal, as
summarized in the Safety Evaluation, dated October 28, 1994, the NRC
staff concludes that the likelihood of unacceptable damage to the
exposed portions of the operable EDGs support systems due to weather-
induced missiles during the short duration exposures occurring in the
exemption period is low.
Based on the low probability of unacceptable events, coupled with
the compensatory measure which the licensee has committed to, the NRC
staff finds the proposed exemption from GDC-2 to be acceptable.
IV
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR
50.12, the subject exemption is authorized by law, will not present an
undue risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with the
common defense and security. The Commission further determines that
special circumstances, as provided in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(v), are
present justifying the exemption; namely, that the exemption would
provide only temporary relief from the applicable regulations and that
the licensee has made good faith efforts to comply with the
regulations.
Therefore, the Commission hereby approves the following exemption:
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, may operate
without conforming to the requirements of GDC-2 as they apply to the
exposed portions of the support systems for EDG Nos. 11 and 12
providing that the compensatory measure as described herein is in place
for the period of the exemption.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that
granting the above exemption will have no significant impact on the
quality of the human environment (October 27, 1994, 58 FR 54013).
The subject Unit No. 2 EDG No. 21 upgrade GDC-2 exemption if
effective from its date of issuance through May 31, 1994.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 28th day of October, 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Steven A. Varga,
Director, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-27737 Filed 11-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
