ML12209A144
| ML12209A144 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/30/2012 |
| From: | David Skeen Japan Lessons-Learned Division |
| To: | Heymer A Nuclear Energy Institute |
| Laura R, NRR/JLD 301-415-1937 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML12209A144 (3) | |
Text
July 30, 2012 Mr. Adrian P. Heymer, Executive Director Strategic Programs Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I St NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708
SUBJECT:
ENDORSEMENT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPING SEISMIC HAZARD INFORMATION REQUESTED IN THE 50.54(F)
LETTER DATED MARCH 12, 2012
Dear Mr. Heymer:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to the Nuclear Energy Institutes (NEIs) letter of July 26, 2012, Approach for Developing Seismic Hazard Information requested in 50.54(f) Letter Dated March 12, 2012,(hereafter, NEI guidance document). This NEI guidance document can be viewed in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML12209A066. On March 12, 2011, as part of its response to the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant caused by the March 11, 2011, Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the NRC issued requests for information to all operating power reactor licensees and holders of construction permits in the United States to perform a reevaluation of each facilitys seismic hazard. The reevaluation will provide the NRC with the information necessary to determine whether additional regulatory actions are required.
The information request asked each licensee or construction permit holder to develop a ground motion response spectrum (GMRS) for its site for comparison with the existing seismic design basis for the plant. For plants where the GMRS exceeds the existing seismic design basis, the licensee has been requested to perform a further risk evaluation to determine the effect of the higher seismic hazard on the plant. The GMRS is developed by combining seismic source models, seismic ground motion models, and incorporating the effects of the local site geology.
At public meetings on June 14 and July 24, 2012, the NRC met with NEI and other industry representatives to discuss two issues with regard to incorporating the effects of the local site geology into the development of the GMRS. These two issues are the methodology to be used to develop the local site response and the control point elevation beneath the site at which the GMRS is to be developed. NEI has developed generically applicable guidance that licensees or construction permit holders would be able to use in the performance of their seismic hazard reevaluation, including the incorporation of the local site response. The NRC staff would like to acknowledge that this document was the product of significant interaction between the NRC, NEI, and other stakeholders at public meetings.
The NRC staff has reviewed the NEI guidance document and concludes that responses to the Requested Actions and Required Response in Enclosure 1 of the 50.54(f) letter prepared using this guidance will be responsive to that request. The NRC continues to expect plants in the Central and Eastern United States to meet the 18 month deadline in the 50.54(f) letter. If you, or your staff, have additional questions, please contact myself or Mr. Christopher Gratton at 301-415-1055, or by email at Christopher.Gratton@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
David L. Skeen, Director Japan Lessons-Learned Project Directorate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation cc: E. Leeds M. Johnson R. Taylor
- Concurrence via e-mail OFFICE NRR/JLD/PMB NRR/DORL NRO/DSEA NRO/DSEA NAME RLaura SRohrer (RLaura for)
CMunson NChokshi*
DATE 07/30/2012 07/30/2012 07/30/2012 07/30/2012 OFFICE NRR/JLD/PMB OGC*
NRR/JLD NAME RPascarelli MPierce (NLO)
DSkeen (RTaylor for)
DATE 07/30/2012 07/30/2012 07/30/2012