IR 05000321/1996010

Discusses Insp Repts 50-321/96-10 & 50-366/96-10 Issued on 960830.Exercise of Enforcement Discretion Authorized & Noncited Violation Withdrawn

ML20202D989
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	11/26/1997
From:	Reyes L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Sumner H SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING CO.
References
50-321-96-10, 50-366-96-10, EA-94-534, NUDOCS 9712050213
Download: ML20202D989 (5)

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l November 26, 1997 l

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EA 97-534 f Southern Nuclear Operating Company. Inc. l ATTN: Mr. H. L. Sumner. Jr. ~

Vice President. Hatch Plant  ;

Nuclear Operations P.O. Box 1295  :

Rinningham. AL 35201 l SUBJECT: EXERCISE OF ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION-(NRC INTEGRATED INSPECTION REPORT NOS. 50-321/96-10 AND 50-366/96 10) ,

Dear Mr. Sumner:

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This refers to the inspection at your Hatch reactor facilities described in !

the subject Inspection Report issued on August 30. 1996. As a result of that :

inspection, a non cited violation (NCV 50 321, 366/96-10-06) was issued for ,

your failure to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24. * Criticality Accident t Requirements". The non cited violation-was for failure to have in place ,

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either a criticality monitoring system for storage and handling of new (non.

irradiated) fuel or an NRC approved exemption to the requirement.

10 CFR 70,24 reqcires that each licensee authorized to possess more than a small amount of s)ecial nuclear material (SNM) maintain in each area in which such material is landled, used. or stored a criticality monitoring system which will energize clearly audible alarm signals if accidental criticality occurs. The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that. if a criticality were to occur during the handling of SNM. perscnnel would be alerted to that fact and would take appropriate action.

Most nuclear power plant licensees were granted exem)tions from 10 CFR 70.24 during the construction of their plants as part of t1e Part 70 license issued to permit the receipt of the initial core. Generally, these exemptions were not explicitly-renewed when the Part 50 operating license was issued, which contained the combined Part 50 and Part 70 authority In August 1981, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), in the course of reviewing the operating licenses for its Browns Ferry facilities noted that the exemption to 10 CFR 70.24 that had been granted during the construction phase had not been explicitly granted in the operating license. By letters dated August 11.

1981. and August 31,-1987. TVA requested an exemption from 10 CFR 70.24. On May 11. 1988.- NRC informed TVA that "the previously issued exemptions are

- still in effect even though the specific provisions of the Part 70 licenses were not incorporated into the Part 50 license." Notwithstanding the correspondence with TVA, the NRC has determined that. in cases where a

. licensee received the exemption as part of the Part 70 license issued during (

.the construction phase, both the Part 70 and Part 50 licenses should be examined to determine the status of the exemption. The NRC view now is that 9 unless a licensee's licensing basis specifies otherwise an exemption expires o[ E E 1 g lQ AcI

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with the expiration of the Part 70 license. The NRC intends to amend 10 CFR 70.24 to provide for administrative controls in lieu of criticality monitors.

Thus, as described in the inspection report, your facility was in violation of i 10 CfR 70.24. Numerous other facilities have similar circumstances. The NRC ,

has reconsidered this violation and concluded based on the information discussed above that, although a violation did exist, it is appropriate to exercise enforcement discretion for Violations involving Special Circumstances in accardance with Section Vil B.6 of the " General Statement of Policy and Procedures for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy). NUREG 1600. The bases for exercising this discretion are the lack of safety significance of the failure to meet 10 CFR 70.24: the failure of the NRC staff to recognize the need for an exemption during the licensing process: the prior NRC position on this matter documented in its letter of May 11. 1988, to TVA concerning the lack of a need for an exemption for the Browns Ferry plant: and finally, the NRC's intention to amend 10 CFR 70.24 through rulemaking to provide for administrative controls in lieu of criticality monitors.

Therefore. I have been authorized after consultation with the Director. Office of Enforcement, to exercise enforcement discretion and withdraw the non cited violation. ,

No response to this letter is required, in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice." a copy of this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (POR),

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Sincerely

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(Original signed by Luis A. Reyes)

Luis A. Reyes Regional Administrator Docket Nos.: 50 321 and 50 366 License Nos.: DPR 57 and NPF-5 cc:  ;

J. D. Woodard Executive Vice President

, Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Inc. ,

P. 0. Box 1295

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Birmingham, AL 35201-1295 Mr. P. H. Wells General Manager. Hatch Southern Nuclear Operating Co. Inc.

U.S. Highway 1 North P. O. Box 2010

. Baxley, GA 31515 cc cont'd: (See Page 3)

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SNC 3 cc: Continued

D. H. Crowe er Licensing - Hatch Manafiern Sout Nuclear Operating Co.. Inc.

P. O. Box 1295 Birmingham. AL 35201-1295 *

Ernest L. Blake. Esq.

Shawi Pittman Potts and Trowbridge 2300 N Street. NW Washington. D. C. 20037 Charles H. Badger Office of Planning and Budget Room 610 270 Washington Street. SW Atlanta, GA 30334 Harold Reheis. Director Department of Natural Resources 205 Butler Street. SE. Suite 1252 Atlanta, GA 30334

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Thomas Hill. Manager i Radioactive Materials Program Department of Natural Resources 4244 International Parkway Suite 114 Atlanta, GA 30354 Chairman Appling County Commissioners County Courthouse Baxley. GA 31513 R. D. Barker Program Manager Fossil-8 Nuclear Operations Oglethor)e Power Corporation 2100 E. Exchange Place Tucker GA 30085-1349 Charles A. Patrizia. Esa.

Paul. Hastings. Janofsky & Walker

--10th Floor 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington. D, C. 20004-9500.

cc cont'd: (See Page 4)

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cc: Continued  :

Steven M. Jackson Senior Engineer - Power Supply '

Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia 1470 Riveredge Parkway IN  :

Atlanta, GA 30328-4684

)istribution: '

1. Le. NRR J. Lieberman. OE B. Sunners. OE:EA File (2 letterhead)

P. H. Skinner. RIl ,

R. P Carrion. RII '

W. P. Kleinsorge. Ril N. E. Ernstes, Ril -

PUBLIC NRC Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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11030 Hatch Parkway North Baxicy GA 31513

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE

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SNC 4 s cc: Continued l

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Steven M. Jackson Senior Engineer Power Supply Municipal Electric Au+.hority of Georgia t 1470 Riveredge Parkway NW , Atlanta GA 30328 /684

 )ist ributio_0:

1. Le. NRR P. H. Skinner. Ril R. P. Carrion. Ril W. P. Kleinsorge. RII M. E. Ernstes. Ril PUBLIC NRC Senior Resident inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission 11030 Hatch Parkway North Baxley. GA 31513 M 3,&wy N NW os ):E h% k (2.14rM) f

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