[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 50695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24869]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265]
Exelon Generation Company, LLC and Midamerican Energy Company,
Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2; Revocation of
Exemptions
1.0 Background
Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGC, the licensee), is the holder
of Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-29 and DPR-30, which authorize
operation of the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2 (Quad
Cities). The licenses provide, among other things, that the facility is
subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC, or the Commission) now or hereafter in
effect.
The facility consists of two boiling water reactors located in Rock
Island County, Illinois.
2.0 Request/Action
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Sec. 50.48,
10 CFR part 50, Appendix A, Criterion 3, and 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix
R, establish requirements and design criteria for fire protection at
operating nuclear power plants. Exemptions from certain of these
regulations had previously been granted for Quad Cities. These
exemptions are described as: (1) An exemption which allows fuse pulling
to preclude operation of the reactor relief valves; (2) an exemption
which allows for a lack of emergency lighting for suppression pool
level instrumentation; (3) an exemption which allows a lack of
suppression in the vicinity of electrical equipment; (4) an exemption
which allows a lack of 3-hour fire barriers in fire zones 1.1.1.1 (Unit
1) and 1.1.2.1 (Unit 2); (5) an exemption which allows a lack of 3-hour
fire barriers between redundant residual heat removal trains in the
reactor building and turbine building (Units 1 and 2); (6) an exemption
which allows for a lack of 3-hour fire barriers between equivalent fire
area 23-1 (8.2.8.D) and the northern and central zone groups; (7) an
exemption which allows for a lack of 3-hour fire barriers for certain
4-kV bus duct penetrations; (8) an exemption which allows a lack of 3-
hour-rated dampers in certain standby gas treatment and reactor
building ventilation ducts; and (9) an exemption which allows a lack of
complete detection and suppression throughout the reactor building
(Units 1 and 2).
The licensee evaluated the above exemptions using the NRC's
guidance and concluded that the exemptions are no longer needed.
Therefore, by adopting the letters dated June 2 and August 3, 2000,
from the predecessor licensee of the facility, the Commonwealth Edison
Company (ComEd), as supplemented by letters dated May 23 and September
18, 2001, the licensee requested revocation of the above exemptions. By
letter dated February 7, 2001, EGC assumed responsibility for all
pending NRC actions that were requested by ComEd.
3.0 Discussion
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, the Commission may, upon application by
any interested person or upon its own initiative, grant exemptions from
the requirements of 10 CFR part 50 when (1) the exemptions are
authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to public health or
safety, and are consistent with the common defense and security; and
(2) when special circumstances are present. On June 23, 1983, July 21,
1988, and February 25, 1991, the NRC granted the above exemptions from
the technical requirements of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, Section III.G
or III.J, related to fire protection of safe shutdown capability or
emergency lighting, respectively.
Through analysis or plant modification, the licensee has shown that
the above exemptions are no longer required. The staff examined the
licensee's rationale to support the exemption revocation requests. The
staff concluded that the proposed revocations are acceptable because
the licensee had established compliance with 10 CFR part 50, Appendix
R, for these items.
The staff has prepared a safety evaluation describing its rationale
in granting the requested exemption revocations. The safety evaluation
may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document
Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first
floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be
accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Library component on
the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic Reading Room).
Therefore, the staff concludes that the subject exemptions from the
requirements of the regulations in 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, are no
longer required.
4.0 Conclusion
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that the exemptions
granted June 23, 1983, July 21, 1988, and February 25, 1991, related to
(1) fuse pulling to preclude operation of the reactor relief valves;
(2) a lack of emergency lighting for suppression pool level
instrumentation; (3) a lack of suppression in the vicinity of
electrical equipment; (4) a lack of 3-hour fire barriers in fire zones
1.1.1.1 (Unit 1) and 1.1.2.1 (Unit 2); (5) a lack of 3-hour fire
barriers between redundant residual heat removal trains in the reactor
building and turbine building (Units 1 and 2); (6) a lack of 3-hour
fire barriers between equivalent fire area 23-1 (8.2.8.D) and the
northern and central zone groups; (7) a lack of 3-hour fire barriers
for certain 4-kV bus duct penetrations; (8) a lack of 3-hour-rated
dampers in certain standby gas treatment and reactor building
ventilation ducts; and (9) a lack of complete detection and suppression
throughout the reactor building (Units 1 and 2), are hereby revoked.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the
revocation of these exemptions will not have a significant effect on
the quality of the human environment (66 FR 49218).
This exemption revocation is effective upon issuance.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of September 2001.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John A. Zwolinski,
Director, Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-24869 Filed 10-3-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P