ML19256F988
| ML19256F988 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Farley  |
| Issue date: | 10/15/1979 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19256F987 | List: |
| References | |
| REGGD-01.097, REGGD-1.097, NUDOCS 7912270172 | |
| Download: ML19256F988 (5) | |
Text
-
Occober 15, 1979 V&lue/ Impact Statement of Proposed Revision 2 to Regulatory Guide 1.97, " Instrumentation In Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants To Assess Plant and Environs Conditions During and Following an Accident" i
I.
The Procosed Acticn A.
Description The applicant (licensee) of a nuclear power plant is required by the Commission's regulations to provide instrumentation to (1) monitor vari-ables and systems for accident conditions as appropriate to ensure adequate safety, and (2) monitor the reactor containment at:aosphere, spaces contain-ing ccmoonents for recirculation of loss-of-coolant accident fluid, effluent discharge paths, and the plant environs for radioactivity tnat may be released from postulated accidents. This revision to Regulatory Guide 1.97 proposes to improve the guidance for plant and environs monitoring during and follow-ing an accident.
B.
Need Regulatory Guide 1.97 was issued as an effective guide in August 1977.
At the time the guide was issued it was recogniced that more specific guib ance than that contained 1-the guide would be required.
However, the diffi-culty in developing the guide to the point whera it could be initially issued was evidence tnat experience in using the guide as it then existed was essential before further development of the guide would be meaningful.
At the time Regulatory Guide 1.97 was initially issued as an effec-tive guice (August 1977), the scaff initiated 7ask Action Plan A-M, "!nstru-cents for Monitoring Raciation and ?rocess 7ariacle Curing an Accident."
1821 078 1
7912270\\
The purpose of the task action plan was to deve~op guidance for applicants, licensees and staff reviewers concerning implementation of Regulatory Guide 1.97.
Such effort would provide a basis for revising the guide.
i At the time the staff was ready to issue the results of Task Action Plan A-34 effort, the accident the THI-2 occurred.
Subsequently, the TMI-2 t.essons Learned Task Force has issued its " Status Report and Short-Term Recommendation," NUREG-0578. This report along with' the draft Task Action Plan A-34 report, Draft 1 of Regulatory Guide 1.97, dated April 12, 1974, and Standard ANS-4.5, Oraft 3, dated September 1979, provides amole basis for revising Regulatory Guide 1.97.
C.
Value/ Impact of the Proposed Action 1.
NRC Operations Since a list of selected variables to be provided with instru-mentation to be monitored by the plant operator during and following an accident has not been explicitly agreed to in the past, the proposed action should result in more effactive effort by the staff in reviewing applications for construction permits and operating licenses. The proposed action will establish an NRC position by taking advantage of previous staff effort (1) in completion of a generic activity (A-34),
(2) in evaluating the lessons learned frem the TMI-2 event (NUREG-0578),
and (3) in conjunction with effort in developing a draft national standard (ANS-45).
For future plants, the staff review will be simpli-fied with guidance contained in the endorsed industry standard and the regulatory guide wnich includes a list of variaales for accicent 18~2S 079 2
monitoring.
Consequently, there will be no significant impact on the staff. There will, however, be effort required to review eacn operating plant and plant unuer review to determine the extent of backfitting which will be required. This will be done on a case-by-6 case basis.
2.
Other Government Agencies Not applicable, unless the government agency is an applicant.
3.
Industry The proposed action establishes a more clearly defined NRC posi-tion with regards to instrumentation to assess plant and environs conditions during and following an accident and therefore, reduces uncertainty as to what the staff considers acceptable in the area of accident monitoring. Most of the impact on industry will be in the area of instrumentation to indicate the potential breach and the actual breach of the barriers to radioactivity release, i.e., fuel cladding, reactor coolant pressure boundary and containment.
There will be scme imoact due to a heretofore unspecified variable to be monitored (water level in reactor) which have been identified during the evalua-tion of TMI-2 experience and which will require development.
A cost estimate of the imoact on industry for future plants has not yet been made but will be developed by the staff, with incustry imout, during the comment period. The staff intends to meet wit" the various owners' groups and determine, on a case-by-case basis, the cost imoact on each individual operating plant and plant under review as it determines the extent of backfitting in each case.
3
4.
Public The proposed action will improve public safety bv assuring that the plant operator will have timely information to take any necessary action to protect the public.
g No impact on the public can be foreseen.
D.
Decision on Proposed Action As previously stated, more definitive guidance on instrumentation to assess plant and environs conditions during and following an accident should be given.
II. Technical Accroach This section is not applicable to this value/ impact statement since the proposed action is a revision of an existing regulatorj guide and there are no altarnatives to providing the plant operator with the required information.
III. Procedural Accroacq Previously discussed.
IV.
Statutcrv Considerations A.
NRC Authority This guide would fall under the authority and safety requirements of the Atomic Energy Act.
In particular Critarion 13, Critarion 19 and Criterion 64 of Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50 requires, in part, that instru-mentation be provided to monitor variables, systems and plant environs to ensure adequate safety.
1826 081
B.
Need for NEPA Assessment The proposed action is not a major action as defined in 10 CFR Part 51.5(i)(10) and does not require an environmental impact statement.
V.
Relationshio to Other Existino or Procosed Reculations or Policies No conflicts or overlaps with requirements promulgated by other agencies are foreseen. This guide does include the variables to be monitored onsite by the plant operator in order to provide necessary information for emergency planning.
However, emergency planning and its relationship to other agencies is provided by other means.
Implementation of the proposed action is discussed in Section 0 of the proposed guide.
VI.
Summarv and Conclusions The propose revision to Regulatory Guide 1.97, " Instrumentation For Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants to Assess Plant and Environs Conditions During and Following an Accident" should be issued.
1824 082 3