[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21009-21011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-10479]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265]
Commonwealth Edison Co.; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of
Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses, Proposed No Significant
Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos.
DPR-29 and DPR-30 issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd, the
licensee) for operation of the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units
1 and 2, located in Rock Island County, Illinois.
The proposed amendments would change the Technical Specifications
by: (1) Revising the low pressure value at which the High Pressure
Coolant Injection (HPCI) and Reactor Core Isolation Cooling (RCIC)
systems can be tested to 150 psig, and (2) to test these systems
against a system head corresponding to reactor vessel pressure when
steam is supplied to the turbines at 920 psig to 1005 psig for high
pressure testing and 150 psig to 325 psig for low pressure testing.
Before issuance of the proposed license amendments, the Commission
will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (the Act) and the Commission's regulations.
The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment
request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the
Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of
the facility in accordance with the proposed amendments would not (1)
involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new
or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated;
or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As
required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of
the issue of no significant hazards consideration, which is presented
below:
(1) Involve a significant increase in the probability or
consequences of an accident previously evaluated because:
The proposed changes revise the testing requirements for the low
pressure HPCI and RCIC systems, and as such do not affect any
accident precursors or initiators. Therefore, the proposed changes
do not increase the probability of any previously evaluated
accident.
Similarly, the proposed changes implement testing requirements
which will [[Page 21010]] reduce unnecessary strain on the HPCI and
RCIC systems during testing, and provide added assurance that the
HPCI and RCIC will perform their design functions throughout the
entire operating pressure range of the equipment. Therefore, the
proposed changes enhance the ability of the HPCI and RCIC systems
and equipment to mitigate the consequences of an accident.
(2) Create the possibility of a new or different kind of
accident from any accident previously evaluated because:
The proposed changes do not modify the HPCI or RCIC design or
reduce the capability of the systems to perform their design
function. The proposed changes will implement testing requirements
which will reduce unnecessary strain on the HPCI and RCIC systems
during testing, and provide added assurance that the systems are
capable of performing their design functions throughout the entire
operating pressure range of the equipment. As such, the proposed
changes are more conservative than the current requirements. Since
the design basis of the HPCI or RCIC system is not changed, there is
no possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any
previously evaluated.
(3) Involve a significant reduction in the margin of safety
because:
The proposed changes implement testing requirements which will
reduce unnecessary strain on the HPCI and RCIC systems during
testing, and provide added assurance that the HPCI and RCIC systems
will perform their design functions throughout the entire operating
pressure range of the equipment. The proposed changes will not
reduce the availability and capability of the HPCI and RCIC systems
to mitigate the consequences of an accident. The proposed changes do
not involve a relaxation of the criteria used to establish safety
limits, a relaxation of the bases for limiting safety settings, or a
relaxation of the bases for limiting conditions of operation.
Therefore the proposed changes do not impact the margin of safety.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on
this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are
satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed
determination. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of
publication of this notice will be considered in making any final
determination.
Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendments until the
expiration of the 30-day notice period. However, should circumstances
change during the notice period such that failure to act in a timely
way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility,
the Commission may issue the license amendments before the expiration
of the 30-day notice period, provided that its final determination is
that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. The
final determination will consider all public and State comments
received. Should the Commission take this action, it will publish in
the Federal Register a notice of issuance and provide for opportunity
for a hearing after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to
take this action will occur very infrequently.
Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Rules Review and
Directives Branch, Division of Freedom of Information and Publications
Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555, and should cite the publication date and page
number of this Federal Register notice. Written comments may also be
delivered to Room 6D22, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays.
Copies of written comments received may be examined at the NRC Public
Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to
intervene is discussed below.
By May 30, 1995, the licensee may file a request for a hearing with
respect to issuance of the amendments to the subject facility operating
license and any person whose interest may be affected by this
proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding
must file a written request for a hearing and a petition for leave to
intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene
shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules of Practice
for Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR part 2. Interested
persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714 which is
available at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room located at the Dixon Public Library, 221 Hennepin Avenue,
Dixon, Illinois. If a request for a hearing or petition for leave to
intervene is filed by the above date, the Commission or an Atomic
Safety and Licensing Board, designated by the Commission or by the
Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on
the request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the designated Atomic
Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of hearing or an
appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 2.714, a petition for leave to intervene
shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in
the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of
the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons
why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the
following factors: (1) The nature of the petitioner's right under the
Act to be made party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of
the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be
entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition
should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of
the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person
who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been
admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of
the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy
the specificity requirements described above.
Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to
the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions
which are sought to be litigated in the matter. Each contention must
consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be
raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a
brief explanation of the bases of the contention and a concise
statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the
contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the
contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references
to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those
facts or expert opinion. Petitioner must provide sufficient information
to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material
issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within
the scope of the amendments under consideration. The contention must be
one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A
petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these
requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be
permitted to participate as a party.
Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding,
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene,
and have the opportunity to [[Page 21011]] participate fully in the
conduct of the hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence
and cross-examine witnesses.
If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The
final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves
no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the
amendments and make them immediately effective, notwithstanding the
request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance
of the amendment.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a
significant hazards consideration, any hearing held would take place
before the issuance of any amendments.
A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must
be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Docketing and Services
Branch, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public Document Room,
the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, by the above
date. Where petitions are filed during the last 10 days of the notice
period, it is requested that the petitioner promptly so inform the
Commission by a toll-free telephone call to Western Union at 1-(800)
248-5100 (in Missouri 1-(800) 342-6700). The Western Union operator
should be given Datagram Identification Number N1023 and the following
message addressed to Mr. Robert A. Capra: petitioner's name and
telephone number, date petition was mailed, plant name, and publication
date and page number of this Federal Register notice. A copy of the
petition should also be sent to the Office of the General Counsel, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, and to Michael I.
Miller, Esquire, Sidley and Austin, One First National Plaza, Chicago,
Illinois 60603, attorney for the licensee.
Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended
petitions supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not
be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding
officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the
petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the
factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714(a)(1)(i)-(v) and 2.714(d).
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application for amendments dated April 10, 1995, which is available for
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room located at the Dixon Public Library, 221 Hennepin Avenue,
Dixon, Illinois.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of April 1995.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert M. Pulsifer,
Project Manager, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-10479 Filed 4-27-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
