ML20024C015
| ML20024C015 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 06/23/1983 |
| From: | Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20024C016 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8307120145 | |
| Download: ML20024C015 (6) | |
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a UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
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COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY
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Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265
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(Quad Cities. Nuclear Power Statfort,
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Units 1 and 2)
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EXEMPTION I.
' Commonwealth Edison Company (the licensee) is the holder of Facility 1
Operating License Nos DPR-29 and DPR-30 which authorize operatfort of the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and Z,, respectively (Quad Citied or the facilities). These Ticenser provide, among other things, that the facilities are subject to all rules,. regulations and Orders of the NucTear ReguTatory Comission (the Commissfort)~ now or hereafter in effect.-
The facilities are botTing water reactors Tocated' at the licensee's site in Rock Island County, Illinois.
II.
Section 50.4a of 10 CFR Part 50 requires that licensed operating reactors be subject to the requirements of Appendix R of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix R contains the general and specific requirements for fire protection programs at licensed nuclear facilities. On February 17,1981bhe ' fire protection rule for nuclear powdVpTants,J10 CFR"50^.48 and Appendix R, bebame effective.
This rule required all licenseer of plants licensed prior to-January 1,1979, to submit by March 19,1981 r (1) plans and schedules for meeting the applicable requirements of Appendix R, (2) a design description of any modifications proposed to, provide alternative safe shutdown capability pursuant to Paragraph III.G.3 of Appendix R, and (3) exemption requests for which the tolling provision of Section 50.48(c)(6) was to be invoked.
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By a submittal dated July 1,1982, the licensee requested exemptions from requirement for fixed fire suppression associated with the panels and switchgear (SWGR) and reactor control centers'(MCC), as follows:
1.
All panels located in the control room, 2.
480V SWGRs 18 and 19, 4.
480V MCCs 18-1 A,18-1B,19-1,19-4,19-1-1,19-6 and 18/T9-5, 5.
250V MCCs lA and 18, 6.
480V SWGRs 28 and 29, 8.
480V MCCs 28~-1 A, 28-18, 29-T, 29-T-T, 29-4, 29-6 and 28/29-5, 9.
250V MCCs 2A and 28.
Also requested were exemptions from requirements ^ for three-hour fire barriers in the following fire areas:
1.
Unit 1 Reactor Building Basement Floor, Elevation 554'-0" (Fire Zone 1.1.1.1 of Unit 1) 2.
Unit 2 Reactor Building-Basement Floor, Elevation 554'-0" (Fire Zone i
1.1.2.1 of Unit 2) l A.
Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 CFR 50 requires, among other things, that a fire detection system and a fixed fire suppr,ession system shall be installed in the area,. room or zone for which alternative safe shutdown l
capability has been provided.
For the equipment listed above, Items 1 through 9, the licensee requested exemptions from the fixed fire suppression requirements of Section III.G.3, providing the following bases in support of its request....
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. All equipment requiring fixed suppression as defined in Section III.G.3 for which an exemption was requested is critical to the power distribution necessary for norinal and emergency operation of safety related equipment for Units 1 and 2.
The inadvertent actuatfort of any fixed water suppression system located over this power distribution equipment could result in the fault or failure of that equipment. Installation of any type of fixed suppression system other than water, such as cardox, haTon or foam, would be ineffective or inappropriate for the areas frt which the equipment Tisted above is located or for the type of fire likely ta occur in the area. All such equipment is in high traffic areas whictr are currentTy provided with fire detection and manual suppression systems. Furthermore, the existing fire detection and suppression systems currentTy instaTTed in the areas containing the equipment Tisted above have been reviewed and approved by the NRC in the Quad Cities Station, Units 1 and 2 Fire Protection SER.. As the probability of inadvertent actuation of a fixed suppression system is of far greater magnitude thart the probability of occurrence of a fJre severe enough to require the use of the alternate shutdown method independent of the fire area, Comonwealth Edisort feels that the installation of such fixed suppressfor systems would only result in a decrease in plant sa.fety.
We have evaluated the licensee's fire hazards analysis for these areas and-have made the following determinations. ATT of the fire zones for which exemptions have been requested represent a similar configuration, i.e.,
combustible loading is light, there is alternate shutdown capability, smoke detection, and manual fire suppression equipment is available. There is, m
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.e therefore, reasonable assurance that a fire in any of these areas would be promptly detected and extinguished. The low combustible loading in these areas ensures that safety related equipment in adjacent areas will not be threatened. The installation o'f a fixed fire suppression system will not significantly increase the level of fire protection in these areas.
Based on our evaluation, we find that, since fixed fire suppression equipment in these areas will not significantly increase the level of fire protection, and' existing fire protection, in conjunction with alternate shut-down capability in the areas for which an exemption has been requested, provides a Tevel of fire protection equivalent to the technical requirements of Section III.G.3 of Appendix R, the exemptions should be granted.
B.
Section III.G.2 of Appendix R to 10 CFR 50 requirer, among other things, that three-hour fire barriers separate redundant divtstons of safe shutdown equipment.
The licensee requested an exemption from the requirements for three-hour fire barriers in Fire Zones 1.T.l.1 and 1.1.2.1 Tocated in the basement of the Reactor Building for Units 1 and 2, respectively, The basis for the request is that mintmal fire loading in each of these fire areas is. not capable of sustaining a fire of sufficient duration or magnitude to justify the need for a three-hour barrier. C&ble trays containing essential and associated circuits are above the primary containment suppression pool structure, where redundant divisions are not susceptible to a single exposure fire.
We have evaluated the licensee's fire hazards analysis and related documents and have made the following determinations.
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Each of the Fire Zones 1.1.1.1 and 1.1.2.1 is separated from adjoining areas by three-hour fire-rated walls and a concrete ceiling.
Redundant cable trays are separated by one-hour fire-rated barriers. Portable extinauf shers, manual hose stations and. a detection system are provided in each zone. Since combustible Toading in this area is negligible, any postulated fire would involve transient combustibles. These areas are not normally used for storage so that little or no transient combustibles would be expected to reside.here. Also,no
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maintenance is performed in these areas that would ' require significant amounts of combustible materiais. Therefore any fire in these areas would likely be of limited severity. The installed early warning ditection ' system, in conjunction with the one-bour fire barriers for protection of redundant divisions, provides reasonable assurance that one trairr of components needed for safe shutdown wi1T be maintained free of fire damage.
Based on the above evaluatiorr, we conclude that the level of protection in Fire Zones 1.1.T.1 and 1.1.2.1 for Unit's 1 and 2 is equivalent to the technical requirements of Sectiorr III.G.2 of Appendix R, and therefore the exemptions should be granted.
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M Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, these exemptions are authorized by law and will not endanger life,
I or property or the common defense and security, are otherwise in the public interest. The Commission hereby approves the requested exemptions from Appendix R of' 10 CFR Part 50 as described below:
A.
Exemption is granted from the requirements of Section III.G.3 for fixed fire suppression associated with th'e panels, switcho' ear (SWGR) and motor ' control centers (MCC) as follows:
f 1.
All panels. located in the cYritrol room, 2.
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480V SWGRs 18 and 19, 4.
480V MCCs 18-1 A,18-1B,19-1,19-4,19-1-1,19-6 and 18/19-5, 5.
250V MCCs 1A and 18, 6
7 480V SWGRs 28 and 29, i
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480V MCCs 28-1 A, 28~-18, 29-T, 29-1-1, 29-4, 29-6 and 28/29-5, 9.
250V'MCCs 2A and 28 B.
Exemption is. granted froar the requirements of Section III.G.2 for three-hour fire barriers separating redundant divisions of safe shutdown equipment in the fo1 Towing areas:
1.
Unit 1 Reactor Building Basement FToor, Elevation 554'-0" (FireZone 1.1.1.T of Unit 1) and Z.
Unit 2 Reactor Building Basement Floor ETevation 554'-0" (Fire Zone 1.1.2.1 of Unit 2)
We have determined that the granting of this Exemption will not result in any significant environmental impact and that pursuant to 10 CFR ST.5(d)(4) an environmental impact statement or negative declaration and environmental impact appraisal need not be pr' pared in connection with this action.
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e This Exemption is effective upon issuance.
~0R THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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Darrell G.
enhut, Director Division of icensing i
l Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Bethesda, Maryland
-this 23rd day of June 1983.
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