ML20043A584
| ML20043A584 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Rancho Seco |
| Issue date: | 05/16/1990 |
| From: | Zwolinski J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20043A582 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9005220279 | |
| Download: ML20043A584 (4) | |
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UNITED STATES OF' AMERICA
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NUCLEAR-REGULATORY-COMMISSION L
In the Matter of=
-SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT Docket No. STN 50-312 (Rancho Seco Nuclear Gen.erating-Station)-
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EXEMPTION e
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By letter dated February 13, 1990, which revised their December 12,'1989:
submittal, the Sacramento Municipal' Utility District '(SMUD, the licensee),
owner and operator of'the Ranc'ho Seco Nuclear Generating ~ Station, requested an exemption concerning requirements for a simulation facility andisimulator a
training. This facility is a pressurized water reactor located in Sacramento County, California and is currently defueled.
1 Section 55.45(b) of 10 CFR 55 requires either a simulation facility which the Commission has approved for use or a simulation facility consisting solely of a plant-referenced simulator which has been certified to the. Commission-by
-the licensee.
In addition, various portions of 10 CFR 55-" Operators'L Licenses,"
require a simulation facility to grant or maintain operators' licenses.
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Thelicensee'sproposedactionincludesanexemptionfrom10CFR55.'45(b) 4 in its entirety and the requirements to use a simulation facility'to satisfy-10 CFR 55.59(a)(2).and (c)(3) and 10 CFR 55.33(a)(2). The licensee requested the exemptions'to the extent that the regulations require a simulation facility i
9005220279 900516 ADOCK-0500g2 DR
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i or the use of (training'and testing on) a simulation facility to grant or main -
l tain. operators' licenses.
The request for'an exemption to the requirements for'a simulation facility is based on the cessation of. power operation at Rancho Seco on June 7, 1989,~and' i
the completion of defueling the' reactor on December 8, 1989. Defueling the reactor was theilast major action-associated with:a normal operationa1Lnuclear l
facility.. In contrast, the requirements of 10 CFR'55 for a~ simulation' facility are designed for operating power reactors.
There are no plant-referenced simu-lator or simulator devices-that reflect the current defueled condition of. Rancho L
Seco.
The proposed exemption does not affect the risk of. facility accidents' due to the defueled condition of the plant.
With the reactor vessel defueled and the licensee not intending to resume power operations at Rancho Seco, there are e
no longer any credible design basis accidents associated with an operating.
plant from start-up through full-power operations. Design, basis accidents for a nuclear facility in a defueled condition.are all associated with loss off fuel pool water inventory or with fuel handling.
Because.of the geometic-storage arrangement of the fuel-assemblies underwater, a criticality accident is not considered credible.
In addition, the licensee has,taken steps to restrict the movement of fuel from the spent fuel storage facility to the reactor pressure-vessel per SMUD letter dated November 29, 1989. -This.further diminishes the possibility for a fuel handling accident.
In the-defueled condition, the principal operator activity will be to-monitor and maintain the spent fuel poo_1 storage facility to assure the continued safe storage of special nuclear material to ensure that public health and safety-
3-is not compromised. This. exemption would enable the licensee to continue to train its operators for their principal activities in the defueled condition without the requirement for a simulation facility. The training which remains,
. without the use of a simulation facility, ensures protection of tne public health and safety and is consistent with the licensees defuelea condition.
The requirements of 10 CFR 55 m e promulgated on the Assumption that the operators licensed would be controlling an operating facility which would ex-perience transients and malfunctions from start-up t'hrough full-power opera-tions. Under defueled plant conditions a simulation facility or plant-referenced simulator will not significantly enhance or increase the capability of itcused operators at Rancho Seco. A special circumstance as defined in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2) (ii) exists in that application of the regulation to require a sim-ulation facility would not serve the underlying purpose of the rule and is not necessary to. achieve the purpose of the rule.
i For these reasons, the staff finds the licensee has provided an acceptable I
basis to authorize the granting of an exemption in accordance with-the provi-stons of 10 CFR 55.11.
III.
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 55.11, i
this exemption is authorized by law and will not endanger life or property and are otherwise in the public interest. The Commission further determines-that special circumstances, as provided in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), are present to j
justify the exemption. The referenced special circumstances pertain to exemp-tions to regulation which do not alter the underlying purpose of the regulations.
-- I Based on the foregoing, the Comission hereby grants an exemption as described 1
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l in Section II above from Section 55.45(b) of.10 CFR Part 50 and Section I
55.59(a)(2), 55.59(c)(3) snd 55.33(a)(2) of 10 CFR Part 50 only to the extent that these regulations require a simulation facility to grant or maintain opera tors licenses.'
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Comission has determined that the granting e
of this exemption will have no significant impact on the quality of the human environment ( 55 FR 19681, May 10,1990).
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This exemption is effective upon issuance and shall continue in effect so long as fuel is not returned to the reactor. Any change to this condition f
f shall nullify this exemption and require full compliance with 10 CFR 55 in its entirety, unless a further exemption is requested and subsequently granted.
t FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY C0 ISSION
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Jonn
. Zwolinski, Acting Director Division of Reactor Projects III, IV, V and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Rockville Maryland this 16 day of hay
, 1990.
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I UNITED STATES NUCLEAR RIGULATORY COMMIS$10N j
SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT 5
DOCKETNO.50-3Q ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT i
AND FINDING OF NO $1GNIFICANT IMPACT i
The t'.S. Nuclear Re9ulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering j
issuanceofanexemptionfromtherequirementscf10CFR55.45(b)'andthe requirements to use a simulction facility.to grant or maintain operators' licenses to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SNUD, the licensee) for the Rancho Seco Nucle r Generating Station located in $acramento County, f
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
L Identification of Proposed Action:
The proposed action would grant an exemption from'the requirements for a simulationfacilityandsimulatortrainingper10CFR55.45(b).
In addition,-
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the proposed action would include exemption from requirements'tu use a r
simulation facility to grant or maintain operators' licenses in satisfying the requirements of 10 CFR 55.59(a)(2) and (c)(3) and 10 CFR 55.33(a)(2). By letter dated February 13, 1990, the licensee requested an exemption from the above specified requirements of 10 CFR 55 " Operators' Licenses.*
The Need for the Proposed Action:
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l The requirements of 10 CFR 55 for a simulation facility are designed for J
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operating power reactors. The' licensee ceased power operations at Rancho Seco on June 7,1989 and completed defueling the ' reactor vessel on December 8,1989, j
with all fuel stored in the spent fuel pool.
In the defueled condition, the t
principal operator. activity will be to monitor and maintain the spent pool l
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I 2-j storage facility to assure'the continued safe storage of special nuclear
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material and ensure that public health and safety is not compromised.
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addition, there are no plant-referenced simulator or simulator devices that reflect the current defueled condition of Rancho Seco. The request for an exemption from requirements for a simulation facility per 10 CFR 55.45(b) is based on the above plant conditions and the licensee's intent not to resume j
power operations at Rancho Seco.
Environroental impact of the Proposed Action:
l The proposed exemption does not affect the risk of facility accidents due t
to the defueled condition of the plant. With the reactor vessel defueled and the licensee not intending to resume power operations at Rancho Seco, there i
j are no longer any credible design basis accidents associated with an operating plant from start-up through full power operations. Design basis accidents for a nuclear facility in a defueled condition are 111 associated with lors of fuel pool water inventory or with fuel handling. Because of the geometric storage arrangement of the fuel assemblies underwater, a criticality i
accident is not considered credible.
In addition, because all fuel is removed from the reactor and placed in long term storage in the spent fuel pool, the possibility of a fuel handling accident is further diminished. The operator training which remains, without the use of a simulation facility, ensures protection of the public health and safety and is consistent with the defueled condition.
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The post-accident radiological releases will not differ from those o
determined previously, and the proposed exemption does not otherwise affect facility radiological effluents, or any significant occupational exposures.
With regard to potential non radiological impacts, the propos6d exemption does not affect plant non radiological effluents and has no other adverse r
environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes there are no measurable radiological or non radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
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Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, any alternative will either have no environmental impact or will have a greater environmental impact. The l
t principal alternative to the exemption would be to require a simulation facility.
Such action would not enhance the protection of the environment and would result in unnecessary drain of licensee and Commission resources.
Alternate Use of Resources:
This action does not involve the use of resources not considered
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previously in the Final Environmental Statement for the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station.
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Agencies and Persons ~ Consulted:
t The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and did not consult other agencies or persons.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT:
The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental' impact' statement for the proposed exemption.
Based upon the environmental assessment.
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, s the NRC staff concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the que.'ity of the humm environment.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION W
John T. Larkins Acting Director Project Directorate V Division of Reactor Projects - 111 IV, Y and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Datedat Rockville, Maryland this 4th day of May 1990.
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