ML19318A330
| ML19318A330 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 06/12/1980 |
| From: | Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT CO., METROPOLITAN EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19318A331 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8006190537 | |
| Download: ML19318A330 (6) | |
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- C UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Il
'JUN 121980
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5.Y In the Matter of
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Docket No. 50-320
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(Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2)
ORDER FOR TEMPORARY MODIFICATION OF LICENSE I.
Metropolitan Edison Company, Jersey Central Power and Light Company and Pennsylvania Electric Company (the licensee) are the holders of Facility Operating License No. DPR-73 which had authorized operation of the Three Mile Island Nuclear St.ation, Unit 2 at power levels up to 2772 megawatts thennal. By Commission order dated July 20, 1979, the licensee's authority to operate the facility, except as provided therein, was suspended. The facility, which is located in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, is a pressurized water reactor used for the commercial genera-tion of electricity.
II.
On March 28, 1979, an accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 2 resulted in substantial damage to the reactor core and to certain reactor systems and components. The facility is not capable of normal operation and is in a shutdown condition with fuel in the core. The facility
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2 is being maintained in a stable, long-tem cooling mode in accordance with the provisions of the Commission order, dated February 11, 1980. That order did not affect the limits on release of gaseous radioactive effluents set forth in Appendix B, section 2.1.2 of the technical specifications attached as a condi-tion of the license. However, the krypton-85 (Kr-85) released into the reactor building during the accident must be removed from the building so that workers can begin the tasks necessary to clean the building, maintain instruments and equipment, and eventually remove the damaged fuel from the reactor core. Those tasks must be perfomed whether or not the plant ever again produces electricity.
Radiation from the krypton gas, although thinly dispersed through the reactor building atmosphere, nevertheless poses a threat to workers who would have to work in the building for prolonged periods. The preferred method for removing the Kr-85 is a kind of flushfng or purging process by which the gases would be exhausted from the building and fresh air pulled in.
Section 2.1.2 of the Appendix B technical specifications contains both instantaneous and quarterly limits for releases of noble gases, including Kr-85, to the atmosphere. These limits were developed with nomal facility operations in mind and were phrased as limits on releases rather than limits on off-site doses (the effects of the releases) so that compliance with the limits would not necessarily depend on off-site dose measurements.
Instead, on-site measure-l ments of the amounts of materials released would be used for detemining,
compliance. These limits could serve to unnecessarily delay the time recired to complete the purging process. The revised limits described below would remove this difficulty. They are expressed as limits on off-site doses rather than as limits on releases. An extensive environmental monitoring network is set up in
3 the Three Mile Island area that is capable of producing prompt and frequent off-site dose measurements. This network, along with on-site measurements of releases and meteorology measurements, will be used to assure compliance with the new limits.
Under the revised ifmits the dose to the maximally exposed individual off-site will be within the limits of the Ccmmission's regulations that would apply i# the reactor were operating nonnally.O Thus the new limits will not be inimical to public health and safety.
In addition, since the principal effect is merely to switch from release limits to dose limits, with the same concept of limiting health effects to a specified low amount in mind, the change involves no significant hazards consideration.
The ature and effects of the purging process are described more fully in the Commission's Memorandum and Order in this matter, dated June 12,1980, and f
NUREG-0662, " Final Environmental Assessment for Decontamination of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Reactor Building Atmosphere", May 1980.
III.
The Commission has found for the reasons stated above that a temporary and immediate revision to section 2.1.2 of the Appendix 3 technical specifications vould not be inimical to the public health and safety and involves no significant
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The most restrictive regulation is 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix I.
Appendix I sets forth gaseous release annual off-site dose design objectives of 5 millirems to the total body and 15 millfrems to the skin. The purging will be limited so that the maximally exposed individual could not receive a dose from purging that exceeds this objective.
Gaseous releases from TMI-2 unrelated to purging are expected to be insignificant, so that the annual dose from gaseous effluents should not exceed the annual Appendix I design objective by any significant amount, if at all.
Purging will likely result in doses that will exceed the reporting levels of IV.A of Appendix I, but this is of no concern in view of the assurance that the purging will be within the annual design objective.
4 hazards consideration. Accordingly, pursuant to sections 161b and 189a of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and 10 CFR sections 2.204 and 50.54(h) of the Commission's regulations, section 2.1.2 of the Appendix B technical specifi-cations is amended, effective immediately, by adding at the end thereof the following:
Only for the period of the purge of the TMI-2 reactor building atmosphere, Section 2.1.2h is deleted and Sections 2.1.2a and 2.1.2c are superseded bj the following:
Do not exceed for ghe maximally exposed individual
- in any one of the 16 (221/2 ) sectors centered on the TMI-2 reactor building any of the following:
(a) 15 mrem skin dose (b) 5 mrem total body dose (c) 20% of the limits in (a) and (b) shall not be exceeded over any one hour period.
In addition, pursuant to Section 6.8.2 of the proposed Appendix A Technical Specifications, NUREG-0432, made binding on the licensees by the February 11, 1980 order of the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), any purging shall be conducted in accordance with procedures approved by the Director, NRR.
Under the above conditions, the licensee is to minimize the total time required to complete pur CFR Part 20 MPC (for workers)ging the reactor building to 10
- Maximally Exposed Individual (1) One hypothetical individual within each of 16 sectors at off-site location with maximum anticipated dose.
(2) No allowance for occupancy time - assume individual present l
continuously.
l (3) No hypothetical individual shall receive more than dose design objectives of (a) and (b) above.
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IV.
The licensee or any person whose interest may be affected may, within thirty days, file a request for a hearing with respect to this Order in accord-l ance with the provisions of 10 CFR 2.714.
In the event a hearing.is held, the issues shall be:
(1) whether the temporary technical specification modification imposed herewith (described in Part III above) is in the interest of the public health and safety; and (2) whether this Order should be sustained. A request for a hearing will not stay the effectiveness of this Order.
In the event a hearing is held, it shall be consolidated with any hearing held in regard to Commission orders in this docket dated February 11 and May 12, 1980.
A request for a hearing by the licensee or another person must be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.c. 20555, Attention: Docketing and Service Section. A copy of the request for a hearing should also be sent to the Executive Legal Director, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555 and to Mr. George F. Trowbridge, of Shaw, Pittman, Potts, and Trowbridge,1800 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20036, attorney for the licensee. Any questions regarding the contents of this Order should be directed to the Chief Hearing Counsel, Office of the Executive Legal Director, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555.
For further details with respect to this action, see (1) Operating License DPR-73, as amended, (2) NUREG-0662, " Final Environmental Assessment for Decontamination of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Reactor Building Atmosphere",
dated.May 1980, (3) Commission Memorandum and Order, dated June 12, 1980. All of the above documents are available for inspection at the Commission's Public
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6 Document Room,1717 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. and at the Commission's Local Public Document Room at the State Library of Pennsylvania, Government Publications Section, Education Building, Commonwealth and Walnut Streets, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17126, and of the York College of Pennsylvania, Coun'try Club Road, York, Pennsylvania.
FOR THE NUCLEAR
!EGULATORYCOMMISSION 1m SadiueT'J. Chil)
Secretary of tl e Commission Dated at Washington, D.C.
on June 12, 1980.
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