[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3849]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 22, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-305]
Wisconsin Public Service Corp., et. al.; Kewaunee Nuclear Power
Plant
Exemption
I
The Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Wisconsin Power and Light
Company, and Madison Gas and Electric Company (the licensee), are the
holders of Facility Operating License No. DPR-43 which authorizes
operation of the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP). The licensee
provides, among other things, that it is subject to all rules,
regulations, and orders of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the
Commission) now and hereafter in effect.
The facility consists of a pressurized water reactor located at the
licensee's site in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.
II
In a letter dated November 16, 1993, the licensee applied for a
partial exemption from the Commission's regulations. The subject
exemption is from the requirements of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix J,
Section III.D.1.(a). This Section requires, in part, that ``. . . a set
of three Type A tests shall be performed at approximately equal
intervals during each 10-year service period. The third test of each
set shall be conducted when the plant is shutdown for the 10-year plant
inservice inspection.'' The licensee proposes to perform the three Type
A tests at approximately equal intervals within each 10-year period,
with the third test of each set conducted as close as practical to the
end of the 10-year period. However, there would be no required
connection between the Appendix J 10-year interval and the inservice
inspection 10-year interval. Kewaunee's 10-year Appendix J interval
ends in 1994 and the third Type A test is scheduled for the 1994
refueling outage.
The 10-year plant inservice inspection (ISI) is the series of
inspections performed every 10 years in accordance with Section XI of
the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and Addenda as required by 10
CFR 50.55a. The licensee performs the ISI volumetric, surface and
visual examinations of components and system pressure tests in
accordance with 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) throughout the 10-year inspection
interval. The major portion of this effort is presently being performed
every 12 months during the refueling outages. Kewaunee's second 10-year
ISI interval ends in June 1994. Kewaunee is scheduled to complete the
second 10-year ISI program during the spring of 1995, as allowed by
section XI IWA 2400(c). The reactor vessel inspection during the 1995
refueling outage will complete the second 10-year ISI program. Kewaunee
is also scheduled to begin the third 10-year program during the 1995
refueling outage. As a result, the completion of the second 10-year ISI
program will occur in 1995 and the 10-year Appendix J interval will end
in the spring of 1994.
There is no benefit to be gained by the coupling requirement cited
above in that elements of the ISI program are conducted throughout each
10-year cycle rather than during a refueling outage at the end of the
10-year cycle. Consequently, the subject coupling requirement offers no
benefit either to safety or to the economical operation of the
facility.
Moreover, each of these two surveillance tests (i.e., the Type A
tests and the 10-year ISI program) is independent of the other and
provides assurances of different plant characteristics. The Type A test
assures the required leak-tightness to demonstrate compliance with the
guidelines of 10 CFR part 100. The 10-year ISI program provides
assurance of the integrity of the structures, systems, and components
in compliance with 10 CFR 50.55a. There is no safety-related concern
necessitating their coupling in the same refueling outage. Accordingly,
the staff finds that application of the regulation is not necessary to
achieve the underlying purpose of the rule.
On this basis, the staff finds that the licensee has demonstrated
that there are special circumstances present as required by 10 CFR
50.12(a)(2). Further, the staff also finds that the uncoupling of the
Type A tests from the 10-year ISI program will not present an undue
risk to the public health and safety.
III
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR
50.12, this exemption as described in Section II is authorized by law
and will not endanger life or property or the common defense and
security and is otherwise in the public interest and hereby grants the
exemption with respect to the requirements of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix
J, Paragraph III.D.1.(a). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has
determined that the granting of this exemption will have no significant
impact on the environment (59 FR 1037).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of February 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Jack W. Roe,
Director, Division of Reactor Projects--III/IV/V, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-3849 Filed 2-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
