98-13508. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station; Receipt of Petition for Director's Decision Under 10 CFR 2.206

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 98 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 28015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13508]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-271]


Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, Vermont Yankee Nuclear 
Power Station; Receipt of Petition for Director's Decision Under 10 CFR 
2.206

    Notice is hereby given that by Petition dated April 9, 1998, Mr. 
Michael J. Daley, on behalf of the New England Coalition on Nuclear 
Pollution, Inc. (or Petitioner), requested that the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) take immediate action with regard to the 
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station. The Petitioner requests that the 
NRC issue an order requiring that the licensee's administrative limits, 
which preclude Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station from operating with 
a torus water temperature above 80  deg.F or with service water 
injection temperature greater than 50  deg.F, shall remain in force 
until certain conditions are met. The requested conditions include a 
complete reconstitution of the licensing basis for the maximum torus 
water temperature, submittal to the NRC of a technical specifications 
amendment request establishing the correct maximum torus water 
temperature, and completion of NRC review of the amendment request.
    As the basis for this request, the Petitioner states that the 
licensee has been unable to demonstrate an ability to either justify 
the operational limits for the maximum torus water temperature or 
maintain operations within existing administrative limits (torus water 
temperature is critical to the proper functioning of the containment). 
The Petitioner also states that the NRC must move from a ``wait and 
see'' posture to active intervention, with immediate imposition of the 
order as a necessary first step.
    The request is being treated pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 of the 
Commission's regulations. The request has been referred to the Director 
of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. As provided by Sec. 2.206, 
appropriate action will be taken on this petition within a reasonable 
time.
    By letter dated May 13, 1998, the Director denied Petitioner's 
request for immediate action at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station.
    A copy of the petition is available for inspection at the 
Commission's Public Document Room at 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, 
DC. 20555-0001 and at the local public document room located at Brooks 
Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301.

    Dated at Rockville, MD, this 13th day of May, 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Samuel J. Collins,
Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-13508 Filed 5-20-98; 8:45 am]
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