ML021760103
| ML021760103 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Comanche Peak  |
| Issue date: | 07/25/2002 |
| From: | Ruland W NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4 |
| To: | Nicely J US Dept of Transportation, Federal Aviation Admin (FAA) |
| References | |
| Download: ML021760103 (4) | |
Text
July 25, 2002 Mr. J. Michael Nicely, Manager Texas Airports Development Office Federal Aviation Administration U.S. Department of Transportation Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0650
Dear Mr. Nicely:
I am responding to your letter dated June 10, 2002, to Mr. Ellis Merschoff, Regional Administrator for the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRCs) Region IV office in Arlington, Texas, which is available under the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML021750575. Your letter requests our review of a proposed airport in the vicinity of the Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station (CPSES) in Glen Rose, Texas. You also provided additional background information to me in a telephone conversation on July 23, 2002.
When reviewing a license application for a nuclear power plant, the NRC considers hazards to the plant due to man-made activities in its vicinity, including aircraft. The regulatory basis is reflected in the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 100, "Reactor Site Criteria." Specific review guidance is provided in NRCs NUREG-0800, "Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants,"
Sections 2.2.1-2.2.2, Identification of Potential Hazards in Site Vicinity, Section 2.2.3, Evaluation of Potential Accidents, and Section 3.5.1.6, Aircraft Hazards. Using our process, we typically consider factors such as airport and airway proximity, traffic density, crash frequencies, and types of aircraft. If the hazard is found to be unacceptably high, the site may not be approved for a license. In such an event, one option for an applicant is to provide sufficient design features such that the hazard is reduced to an acceptable level.
In the case of CPSES, the licensee evaluated the probability of accidental aircraft crashes at CPSES during the original licensing safety review for the facility. However, as indicated in Section 2.2.2.5.2 of the CPSES Final Safety Analysis Report, an aircraft crash was not a part of the design basis for CPSES, in part, due to the absence of nearby airports.
Subsequent to the issuance of a nuclear power plant operating license, if the conditions in the vicinity of a plant change such that there is a potential for a significant increase in a previously analyzed hazard, the licensee must perform a safety reassessment. This may occur, for example, if aircraft activity was found to change substantially from what had been analyzed previously.
It is our understanding that the Federal Aviation Administration, in accordance with 14 CFR Part 157.7 and after consultation with interested persons, will issue a determination to the airport proponent regarding considerations such as the safety of persons and property on the ground. In this regard, as indicated above, the proximity of the proposed airport to CPSES is such that its construction would put the plant in an unanalyzed condition with respect to aircraft hazards. Specifically, the NRC staff anticipates that construction of the proposed airport would result in the licensee performing a safety reassessment for CPSES, in accordance with NUREG-0800, Section 3.5.1.6, since the location of the proposed airport is well within five miles
Mr. J. M. Nicely of the plant. The licensee would be required to determine the significance of the hazard. If the licensee determines that there is a significant hazard, it is possible that measures involving plant modifications could be significant and/or impractical.
Enclosed with this response is our letter to the CPSES licensee, TXU Energy, informing them of the proposed airport and the need for reassessment of the issue of an aircraft hazard, should the proposed airport actually be constructed. It is important to note that the current aircraft hazard assessment assumptions and methodology, incorporated in NUREG-0800, only reflects accidental impacts. Post-September 11th, the NRC has been engaged in a reassessment to evaluate the vulnerabilities and potential effects of intentional commercial aircraft impact upon a nuclear facility. The results of this effort might lead to a reassessment of the NRCs requirements regarding protection from the effects of aircraft impacts.
We hope that the above information will be helpful in making your determination with respect to the effect that the existing CPSES facility would have on the airport proposal. If you have any further questions about the NRCs role in assessing the proposed airport, please feel free to call David H. Jaffe, Senior Project Manager, directly at 301-415-1439 or toll free at 1-800-368-5642, extension 1439.
Sincerely,
/RA/
William Ruland, Director Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-445 and 50-446
Enclosure:
Letter to TXU Energy cc: See next page
Mr. J. M. Nicely of the plant. The licensee would be required to determine the significance of the hazard. If the licensee determines that there is a significant hazard, it is possible that measures involving plant modifications could be significant and/or impractical.
Enclosed with this response is our letter to the CPSES licensee, TXU Energy, informing them of the proposed airport and the need for reassessment of the issue of an aircraft hazard, should the proposed airport actually be constructed. It is important to note that the current aircraft hazard assessment assumptions and methodology, incorporated in NUREG-0800, only reflects accidental impacts. Post-September 11th, the NRC has been engaged in a reassessment to evaluate the vulnerabilities and potential effects of intentional commercial aircraft impact upon a nuclear facility. The results of this effort might lead to a reassessment of the NRCs requirements regarding protection from the effects of aircraft impacts.
We hope that the above information will be helpful in making your determination with respect to the effect that the existing CPSES facility would have on the airport proposal. If you have any further questions about the NRCs role in assessing the proposed airport, please feel free to call David H. Jaffe, Senior Project Manager, directly at 301-415-1439 or toll free at 1-800-368-5642, extension 1439.
Sincerely,
/RA/
William Ruland, Director Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-445 and 50-446
Enclosure:
Letter to TXU Energy cc: See next page Distribution PUBLIC LCox (LCC)
PDIV-1 Reading MRubin RidsNrrOd (SCollins/JJohnson)
AMadison RidsNrrAdpt (BSheron/JTsao)
JHannon RidsNrrDlpmLpdiv (WRuland)
RidsOgcRp RidsNrrDlpmLpdiv1 (RGramm)
RidsAcrsAcnwMail Center RidsNrrLADJohnson RidsRegion4MailCenter (WJohnson)
RidsNrrPMDJaffe MJohnson Package: ML021760168 Adams: ML021760103
Enclosure:
- See previous concurrence
- Per Email dated 07/19/2002 OFFICE PDIV-1/PM PDIV-1/LA SPSB Region IV NAME DJaffe DJaffe for DJohnson MRubin*
WJohnson**
DATE 7/25/02 7/25/02 7/12/02 7/19/02 OFFICE PDIV-1/PM*
OGC PDIV/D NAME RGramm LChandler* (nlo)
WRuland DATE 7/23/02 7/12/02 7/25/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station cc:
Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. O. Box 2159 Glen Rose, TX 76403-2159 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011 Mr. Roger D. Walker Regulatory Affairs Manager TXU Generation Company LP P. O. Box 1002 Glen Rose, TX 76043 George L. Edgar, Esq.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius 1800 M Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-5869 Honorable Dale McPherson County Judge P. O. Box 851 Glen Rose, TX 76043 Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Director Office of the Governor P. O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711 Arthur C. Tate, Director Division of Compliance & Inspection Bureau of Radiation Control Texas Department of Health 1100 West 49th Street Austin, TX 78756-3189 Brian Almon Public Utility Commission William B. Travis Building P. O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701-3326 Susan M. Jablonski Office of Permitting, Remediation and Registration Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission MC-122 P. O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 Mr. C. Lance Terry Senior Vice President
& Principal Nuclear Officer TXU Energy ATTN: Regulatory Affairs P. O. Box 1002 Glen Rose, TX 76043 Representative A. Wohlgemuth 201 W. Ellison Street Suite 201 Burleson, TX 76028