ML20038C592

Responds to Re Current NRC Actions on Equipment Qualification & Interim Requirements Unsupported by value- Impact analyses.CLI-80-21 Contains Info on Equipment Qualification Actions

ML20038C592
Person / Time
Site:	Yankee Rowe
Issue date:	12/02/1981
From:	Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Vandenburgh D YANKEE ATOMIC ELECTRIC CO.
Shared Package
ML20038C591	List: ML20038C590 ML20038C592
References
CLI-80-21, GLI-80-21, IEB-79-01B, IEB-79-1B, NUDOCS 8112110256
Download: ML20038C592 (2)

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UNITED STATES 4't NUCLEAR RE'GULATORY COMMISSION *-

E WASHINGTCN, D. C. 20555 t

5 December 2, -1981-CHAIRMAN -'

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- Mr. D. E. Vandenb'urgh.

- ' Seniordice President

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--1671 Worcester Road rram1ngham,2 Massachusetits 01701

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Dear Mr. Vandenburgh:

'This 'is.in response to your letter of September 14, 1981~

. : 'which.d.iscusses your concern with current commission actions on ecuier, ant n,"=#4 ca tion and with use of interim reouire-

.ments unsuocorted by aooropriate value-impact analyses;

'As you.:know, the background and basi's.for the current staff actions on environmental. qualification of. safety-re. lated electrical equipment is contained in the Commission's Memo-randum and. Order, CLI-80-21, dated May 23, 1980.

This Mem >randum and Order was issued when it became cle'a-r to the Commission that resolution of the qualification issues was not receiving the attention it deserved.

Since the staff guidelines and applicable NUREG document apply progressively less strict standards to older plants, the Memorandum and Order specified rulemaking as the appro-priate vehicle for determining the final qualification re-quirements.

CLI-80-21 stated that:

"If the staff proposed ~ rule does not " quire plants to be upgraded to a single uniform standard along the lines of the-1974' requirements in NUREG-0588, then its justification for that position will be articulated in depth and will '.

subject to comment

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in the proceeding."

Th'e rulemaking process is intended to assure that unnecessary requirements or changes in requirements whien would unduly

~ tax industry and NRC resources would not be issued and that all alternative means tosachieve safety objectives be given f.ull consi deration.

You have pointed out trie':importance. of..valuekim' pact anaTy'sj s.'

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.in the s etti ng.of..newi.requi rements.

It is our view that consideration.of costslis'a'lways appropriate in. deciding'F '".. 7-

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safety.

These factors are being considered and will be applied in the ongoing rulem~aking on equipment qualifica-tion.

We intend to allow licensees sufficient time for in-depth engineering, design, and procurement of high quality equi _pment and for proper installation, compatible with operational schedules to the extent possible.in view of public health and safety considerations.

Finally', you expr'essed concern about the overall impl eme n-tation of seismic, dynamic and environmental qualification of sa fety-related electrical and mechanical equipment.

In establishing the proposed and the final requirements in this area the Staff will develop a value-impact assessment and will provide an estimate of the potenti'al risk reduction that can be obtained from. implementation of the requirements.

These assess.nents will be. evaluated by the Commission during our deliberations on.the requirements.

a Sincerely, oricin:J signa liy Victor Citindy Nunzio J. Palladino i

Distribution:

S. Dircks

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E. Cornell

'.. Rehm H. Shapar R. Minogue E. Ca:e H. Denton PPAS.

R. Vollmer W. Johnston -

Z. Rosztozcy D. Reiff Gl.esm*Hith all Cmrs' Offi?es by SECY C/R:'

hef'. 341-150 R. Mattson T. Murl yv

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H. Berks;n S. Cavanaugh EDO 10877 M. Bridgers EDO 10877 L. Miller D. Eisenhut S. Hanauer Originating Office:,ED0/NRR hmcq

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