ML13319A668
| ML13319A668 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Callaway  |
| Issue date: | 12/11/2013 |
| From: | Leeds E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Heflin A Union Electric Co |
| Boska J, NRR/DPR, 415-2901 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML13319A668 (3) | |
Text
Mr. Adam C. Heflin Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Union Electric Company P.O. Box 620 Fulton, MO 65251 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 December 11, 2013
SUBJECT:
CALLAWAY PLANT, UNIT 1-RELAXATION OF THE SCHEDULAR REQUIREMENTS FOR ORDER EA-12-049 "ISSUANCE OF ORDER TO MODIFY LICENSES WITH REGARD TO REQUIREMENTS FOR MITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR BEYOND DESIGN BASIS EXTERNAL EVENTS"
Dear Mr. Heflin:
By letter dated March 12, 2012 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML12054A735), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ordered Union Electric Company {the licensee) to take certain actions at Callaway Plant, Unit 1, associated with the Fukushima Near-Term Task Force Recommendations. Order EA-12-049 directed that actions be taken by licensees to develop and implement strategies to maintain or restore core cooling, reactor coolant system inventory, containment cooling, and spent fuel pool (SFP) cooling capabilities during beyond design basis external events.
Section IV of the order states that licensees proposing to deviate from requirements contained in NRC Order EA-12-049 may request that the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, relax or rescind certain requirements. By letter dated October 9, 2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13283A033), the licensee informed the NRC of their request for an extension of one additional refueling cycle to carry out the order requirement that licensees must provide reasonable protection from external events for the associated mitigation equipment. The licensee stated that its strategy is dependent on having a protected water source for the auxiliary feedwater system. Since the existing condensate storage tank is not adequately protected from external events, the licensee plans to build a new, more robust condensate storage tank which will meet the requirements of the order.
To allow the time to install a larger, more robust condensate storage tank, the licensee requests to move the order implementation date from the completion of the fall 2014 refueling outage to the completion of the spring 2016 refueling outage.
In light of the facts presented in the licensee's October 9, 2013 letter, the NRC staff has determined that the licensee has presented good cause for a relaxation of the order implementation date. The construction of a larger condensate storage tank which is protected from external events, and the connection to plant safety systems such as auxiliary feedwater, is a significant endeavor and will improve the safety of the plant. Such a project requires detailed design work, an allowance for the time needed to specify and procure materials, and time to select a construction firm and perform construction in a manner that does not impact plant safety. The NRC staff also considered that, following the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi, the
NRC concluded that a sequence of events such as the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident is unlikely to occur in the United States based on the current regulatory requirements and existing plant capabilities. Given the plant-specific circumstances at Callaway Plant, completion before December 2016 is consistent with the intent of the order. The NRC staff approves the relaxation of the order implementation date.
Accordingly, based upon the authority granted to the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, the requirement of the order for full order implementation is relaxed until the completion of the spring 2016 refueling outage to allow the licensee sufficient time to implement a protected water source for the auxiliary feedwater system.
If you have any questions, please contact John Boska at 301-415-2901.
Sincerely, Eric J eeds, Director Offi of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-483 cc: Listserv
- ML13319A668 OFFICE NRR/MSD/MSPB/PM NRR/MSD/MSPB/LA NRR/MSD/MSPB/BC NAME JBoska Slent JBowen DATE 11/15/2013 11/15/2013 11/22/2013 OFFICE OGC MSD/D NRR/D NAME JGilman JDavis Eleeds DATE 12/03/2013 12/9/13 12/11/13