94-8549. Proposed Generic Letter Titled ``Mark I and Mark II Steel Containments;'' Decision Not To Issue

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8549]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 11, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 

Proposed Generic Letter Titled ``Mark I and Mark II Steel 
Containments;'' Decision Not To Issue

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of decision not to issue a proposed generic letter.

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SUMMARY: On November 21, 1992, the NRC published a proposed generic 
letter in the Federal Register (57 FR 54860) for public comment. The 
proposed generic letter recommended actions to be taken by licensees of 
operating boiling-water reactor plants with Mark I and Mark II steel 
containments to implement certain inservice inspection procedures that 
would prevent a potential inadvertent loss of containment integrity and 
maintain continued conformity with their licensing bases. The comment 
period for this proposed generic letter expired on December 21, 1992. 
Comments were received from eleven organizations; six from nuclear 
utilities, two from industry groups, two from architect/engineering 
companies, and one from a citizens group. Only the citizens group 
supported the issuance of the proposed generic letter. As an 
alternative to the proposed generic letter, the two industry groups, 
the Nuclear Management and Resources Council (NUMARC) and the Boiling 
Water Reactor Owners' Group (BWROG), proposed a model containment 
inspection program (CIP) which they believe to be cost effective and to 
be able to resolve the concerns of the NRC staff. The six nuclear 
utilities and two architect/engineering companies indicated their 
support for the CIP. Concurrent with the proposal of the CIP, the 
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has developed 
containment inspection criteria that the NRC will consider for 
implementation through the rulemaking process. The NRC staff has 
determined that the concerns with Mark I and Mark II containment 
inspections will be best addressed within the context of any NRC 
rulemaking on the ASME containment inspection criteria. Therefore, the 
NRC has decided not to issue the proposed generic letter.

DATES: Not applicable.

ADDRESSES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
C.P. Tan [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NUMARC and BWROG CIP is also addressed 
in a NRC letter to Mr. Lesley A. England, BWROG Chairman, dated 
February 3, 1994. This letter is available in the Public Document Room 
under accession number 9402090256.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 4th day of April 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Andrew J. Kugler,
Acting Chief, Generic Communications Branch, Division of Operating 
Reactor Support, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-8549 Filed 4-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M