ML20002B672
| ML20002B672 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/16/1980 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20002B671 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8012220458 | |
| Download: ML20002B672 (5) | |
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[7590-01]
NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCMMISSION 10 CFR Part 50 l
DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRCOUCTION AND UTILIZATION FACILITIES Primary Reactor Containment Leakage Testing for Water-Cooled Power Reactors AGENCY:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION:
Final Rule.
1 l
SUMMARY
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending the portion of one of its regulations that provides requirements for leak testing of
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containment building air locks in order to permit greater flexibility for such testing in the case of frequent use of the air locks.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
I E. G. Arndt, Office of Standards Development U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 (301-443-5997) i SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
On January 11, 1980, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission published in the FEDERAL REGISTER (45 FR 2330) a proposed amend-ment to its regulation 10 CFR Part 50, " Licensing of Production and Utili-zation Facilities" which would amend Appendix J, " Primary Reactor Contain-ment Leakage Testing for Water-Cooled Reactors," with regard to Type 8 testing requirements.
Interested persons were invited to submit written comments by February 25, 1980.
Three sets of comments were received.
After consideration of the comments received and other factors involved, the Commission has adopted the amendment to Appendix J, 10 CFR Part 50, 4
{
as published for public comment.
1 8012220 93g
/6_90-02 Copies of the comments, an abstract of comments containing staff responses, and the value/ impact analysis supporting the rule, are avail-able for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room at 1717 H Street, NW., Washington, DC.
Single copies may be obtained on request from the Office of Standards Development, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention:
E. G. Arndt.
Pursuant to the Atcmic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, and sections 552 and 553, title 5 of the United States Code, the following amendment to 10 CFR Part 50 is published as a document subject to codification.
Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50 is amended by revising paragraph III.D.2 to read as follows:
III.
LEAKAGE' TESTING REQUIREMENTS a'
s a
a n
D.
Periodic retest schedule -
=
=
n a
a 2.
Type B Tests.
(a) Type B tests, except tests for air locks, shall be performed during reactor shutdown for refueling, or other convenient intervals, but in no case at intervals greater than 2 years.
If opened following a Type A or B test, containment penetrations subject to Type B testing shall be Type B tested prior to returning the reactor to an operating mode requir-ing containment integrity.
For primary reactor containment penetrations employing a continuous leakage monitoring system, Type B tests, except for tests of air locks, may, notwithstanding the test schedule specified under III.0.1., be performed every other reactor shutdown for refueling but in no case at intervals greater than 3 years.
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7500-01
\\
(b)(i)
Air locks shall be tested prior to initial fuel loading and at 6-month intervals thereafter at an internal pressure not less than P
- a (ii)
Air locks opened during periods when containment integrity is not required by the plant's Technical Specifications shall be tested at the end of such periods at not less than P
- a (iii)
Air locks opened during periods when containment integrity is required by the plant's Technical Specifications shall be tested within 3 days after being opened.
For air lock doors opened more frequently than once every 3 days, the air lock shall be tested at least once every 3 days during the period of fr'equent openings.
For air lock doors having testable seals, testing the seals fulfills the 3-day test requirements.
In the event that the testing for this 3-day interval cannot be at P, the test pressure shall be as a
stated in the Technical Specifications.
Air lock door seal testing shall not be substituted for the 6-month test of the entire air lock at not less than P.
3 (iv)
The acceptance criteria for air lock testing shall be stated in the Technical Specifications.
s a
s s
s (Secs. 103, 104, 161i, Pub. Law 83-703; 68 Stat. 936, 937, 948 (42 U.S.C.
2133, 2134, 2201(i)); Sec. 201, Pub. Law 93-438, 88 Stat. 1242, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5841)).
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t Cated at Bethesda, N. this f dayofe'7h"-F-1930.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
b' -d a'
William 1. Dircks Acting Executive Director for Operations e
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i 4
The Honorable Gary Hart, Chairman Subcommittee on Nuclear Regulation Committee on Environment and Public Works United States Senate Washington, D.C.
20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Enclosed for the information of the Subcommittee are copies of a Notice of Effective Rulemaking to be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER.
The amendment of 10 CFR Part 50 comprises a limited revision of Appendix J,
" Primary Reactor Containment Leakage Testing for Water-Cooled Reactors."
It provides greater flexibility in the testing of air locks where the requirements of the existing regulation have been proven to be impractical and unnecessary.
Also, the regulation has been tightened for retesting of penetrations opened following a leakage test.
This amendment will significantly reduce the number of exemptions to Appendix J in current applications for operating licenses, and thereby save considerable time and effort on the part of licensees as well as the NRC staff with little or no increased danger to the public health and safety.
Only three public comments were received.
These comments have been considered and resolved.
Resolution of the comments has not resulted in changes to the amendment as proposed.
Sincerely, I
Robert B. Minogue, Director Office of Standards Development cc:
Sen. Alan Simpson
/
Identical letters'sent to the addressees on the attached mailing list.
CRESS NL 1
Job F 2
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9/9/80 i.
SD:DIR RBMinogue 9/ /80
[) etyk URITED STATES i *N. ' ' ^-
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1
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usmscros.o c.:osss Q,M/,l SEP 5 1960 t
MEMCRANDUM FOR: William J. Dircks, Acting Executive Director for Operations FRCM:
Robert 3. Minogue, Director j
Office of Standards Development
SUBJECT:
10 CFR PART 50 - LIMITED REVISION OF APPENDIX J, PRIMARY REACTOR CONTAINMENT LEAKAGE TESTING FOR WATER-COOLED POWER REACTORS Attached for your signature is a Federal Register Notice (Enclosure 1) to amend 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, paragraph 111.0.2., which pertains to Type B (local) testing of containment penetrations and airlocks.
On December 5, 1979, the Ccamission approved publication of this limited revision of Appendix J as a proposed rule for public comment.
The Commission paper, SECV-79-590, gave the technical background and described the need for this revision.
4 The changes to this paragraph consist of:
1.
Generalizing the requirement to perform Type B tests during reactor shutdown for refueling, or at other convenient intervals, but not necessarily at each such shutdown.
t 2.
Adding a retest requirement when containment penetrations have been reopened 3
after testing and before returning to an ocerating mode requiring containment integrity.
3.
Retaining air lock leak testing at 6-month intervals, but revising the requirement for testing after each opening to within 3 days after being opened, which is currently acceptable.
4.
For air locks with testable seals, permitting testing of the seals rather than the entire air lock--for the 3-day test only.
ihe 6-month test must still be done on the entire air lock.
l 5.
The 3-day test pressure may be less than Paccidentpressure)ifsopermittedinth hnical Specifications.
The 6-month test must still be done at not less than Pg The Federal Register Notice for the rule change states that these changes will not present any undue risk to the public health and safety.
Additional technical details and justification are provided in the value-impact statement that is
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available for inspection in the Public Document Room.
The public comment period ended February 7.5, 1980.
There were three sets of public comments on the proposed rule change (Enclosure 2).
Review of these l
comments has not resulted in any changes to the proposed rule as published on January 11, 1980.
Copies of the public comments as well as an abstract con-taining staff responses are available for inspection in the Public Document t
Room.
Copies of this abstract will be sent to all who provided comment.s.
l tg o i l 2.1 O I 7 2.
i t
2 nrE
~223 A note regarding issuance of the nencment will be included in the next Weekly Recort to the Commission.
The Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment of the House Committee an Interior and Insular Affairs, the Succommittee on Nuclear Regulation of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Subcom-mittee on Encrgy and Pcwer of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, anc the Subcommittee on Environment, Energy and Natural Resources of the House Committee on Government Cperations will be informed of this.
No puclic announcement niil be issued.
Coordination:
The Offices of Nuclear Re wtor Regulation, Inspection and Enforce-ment, anc Public Affairs concur in the amencment to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J.
The Office of tne Executive Legal Director nas no legal objection to the amend-ment.
The Office of Management and Program Analysis has reviewed for value-impact content.
}YY
. /
Robert B. Minogue, Director Office of Standards Development
Enclosures:
1.
Federal Recister Notice 2.
Aostract of Comments and Staff Response 3.
Draft Transmittal Letter to Congressional Committees Acoroved for Publication:
The Executive Director for Operations has been delegated the authority to issue amendments of the regulations in final form if, after expiration of the comment period on notices of proposed rulemaking, no significant adverse comments or significant questions have been received and no substantial changes in the text are indicated.
I have found that the enclosed amendment is in this category and am proceeding to issue it in effective form.
7 ik
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Date Williain J. DircKs Acting Executive Director for Operations
- 330 Federal Register / Vol. 45. No. 8 / Friday. January 11. 1980 / Proposed Rules ActicN: Proposed rule.
which have been opened fa!!owing a Type A er D test.
SUMMARY
- The Nuclear Regulatory The Commissien's Office of Standards Commission lNRC)is considering Deve!:; ment has prepared a value.
amending the portion of one ofits impact statement for the preposed regulations that provides requirements amendment. which provides additional for leak testing of contalnment bui: ding technical details and justification. This air locks !n order to permit greater statement is available for inspection by fleubi:ity for such testing in the case of the public in the Commission's Public frequent use of the air focks.
Document Room at 1717 H Street. NW cATE: February 25,1980.
Washington. D.C. Sing!e cepies of the valueu: pact statement may be obtained Acomsssts:Allinterested persons who by request addressed to the Office of wish to submit written comments or Standards Des elopment. U.S. Nuclear suggestions in connection with the Regulatory Commission. Washington.
proposed amendment and/or supportieg D.C. 20555. At:ention: E. C. Arndt, value/ impact analysts should send them Pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of to the Secretary of the Commission. U.S.
1954, as amended. the Energy Nuc!est Regulatory Commission.
Reorganization Act of 1374. as amended.
Washington. D.C. 20555. Attention:
and section 553 title 5 of the 1*nited Docketing and Service Branch by States Code. notice is hereby given that February 25.1980. Copies of comments adoption of the following amendment to received may be examined in the 10 CFR Part 50 is contemplated.
Commission's Public Cocument Room at 1717 H Street. NW., Washington. D C.
PART 50-DOf.1ESTIC UCENSING OF FoA FURTNER INFCRMATICN CONTACT:E.
EOCUCTION AND UTIUZATION C. Arndt. Office of Standards FACIUTIES Development. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
- 1. In Appendix J.10 CFR Part 50.
Commission. Washington. D.C. 20555.
paragraph III.D.2 is revised to read as 301-443-5997.
iollows:
2 I e 3 Iefts-SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In fP applying Appendix J. " Primary Reactor (a) Type B tests. except tests for air tocks.
Containment I.eakage Testing for shad be performed during ructor shutdown Water-Cooled Power Reactors /* to for refuehng. or other convenient intervels, current licensing actions. the NRC has but in no case at intervals greater than 2 concluded that cer'ain requirements on years. If opened foUowmg a Type A or B test, air lock testing are unnecessarily
'l,Q^*'"j b ca2 [ed"t d pnoYto P
g, restrict 2ve and may be relaxed. and returning the reactor to an operating mode thereby made more practical, without requinng containment integnty. For pnmary causing any undue risk to the public reactor containment penetrations employuss health and safety.
a contmuous teakage monitonns system.
In Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50.
Type B tests, neept fu tuts of air locks,
" '"' * *'*" d'"8 ' h ' ' 'Ch ' d "I' paragraph III.D.2 requir.es in part that
- F'fied under !!! D.t. be performed every speci primary containment air locks be tested other reactor shutdown for refueling but in no after each opening. Parapaph III.B.:
case at imervals greater than 3 years.
requires that these tests be performed at ib)(il Air locks shall be tested anor to a pressure not less than the calculated imtlat fuelicading and at e-month intervals peak containment Internal pressure thereafter at an intemal pressure not less related to the design basis accident (Pa).
than P W AirI cks pened dunns periods when ParaSTaPh III.D.:is beinS revised to contamment integnty is not required shall be require leakage testing of airlocks at tested at the end of such penods at nat less NUCLEAR REGUt.ATORY least once every 3 days during periods than p..
COMMISSION of frequent usage, and to permit such liii) Airlocks opened during periods when testing to be performed at a pressure contamment integ sty is required sha3 be 10 CFR Part 50 lower than Pa if so specified in the tested wnhm 3 days after being opened. For plant's techmcal specifications. The air lock doors opened more frequently man once every 3 days, the air lock shall be tested Domestic Ucensing of Production and revision to EaraI 8Ph III.D.: will also at ! cast once every 3 days durtng the period Utilization Facilities; Primary Reactor permit airlocks with dual seals to be of frequent openmgs. For air tack doors Containment Leakage Testing for tested at the times of frequent usage by havmg testable seais. testing the sn!s fulfills Water. Cooled Power Reactors pressurizing between the seals. thereby the 3-day requirements. In the event that :he AGENCY:U.S. Nuclear Regulatory eliminating the need to pressurize the testing for bis 3-day mterval cannot be at P Commission.
entire air lock. Full air lock door seahng the tesi pressure s'nall be as stated in the tests which occur esery 6 months at Pa Techmcal Spec fications. Air lock door seal
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- ave 1933. thaa ddar limztation wt3 will not be affected by these revisions.
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womancacy be seausies. urward or downward.
In addition. a requirement is being than P..
w9enever te C msamer Pnce Inden pubLshed by added to retest. pnot to returning the (iv) The acceptance criteria for atr lock the sareau of Labor stat:stics. Department of Labor, mdicates e chanae n me pnce of :h.s salie volame reactor to an operating mode requinng testme shall be stated in the Technical of prod ct whsch enceces ssao.
containment integrity, penetrations Specificaticns.
,s IZ)
Federal Rc;ister / Vol. 45, No. 8 / Friday, Ja.,uary 11, 1900 / P cposed Rules 2 31
[ Sets 103.104. tett Nb L 83-m3. as amen ded. 64 St at. 336,137. 948 (42 U S C 2133. 2134. 0:01(l'). sec. 201; ehb. L 23-438. as amendet sa Stat :42 (42 U.S C 544:1)
Ca'ed at Wash:rg'on. D C. th:s 7th day of Janu ary 19n Fcr de Lc! car Rep!4 tory Commissien.
Sa muel J. Chi!k.
Sec.r:: y.:!6e Cc.:.=;ssion.
- n Oss, M Ced 1-tm e as enj prLL.h4 00CE 7590414 4