ML20052H821
| ML20052H821 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 05/10/1982 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20052H822 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8205240005 | |
| Download: ML20052H821 (3) | |
Text
7590-01 NUCLEAR REGULATORY C0PJilSS10tl In the Matter of
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Vermont Yankee Nuclear
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Docket No. 50-271 Power Corporation
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(Vermont Yankee Nuclear
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Power Station)
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EXEMPTION I,
The Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation (the licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating License No. DPR-28 which authorizes operation of the i
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY).
This license provides, among other things, that it is subject to all rules, regulations and Orders of the Conmission now or hereaf ter in effect.
The Facility is a boiling water reactor at the licensee's site located near Vernon, Vermont.
II.
Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 requires that a fixed fire suppression system be installed in an area, room or zone under con-sideration for alternative, safe shutdown modifications.
In the Case of VY, -
under this provision a fire suppression system would be required in the control room.
The licensee indicated in its Ft.bruary 17, 1982 letter that the fire protection features currently installed in the control room are equal in effectiveness to a fixed fire suppression system and, therefore, requested DESIGNATID ORIGIN.G II ^
Certiflod By su 0205240005 820510 PDR ADOCK 05000271 p
2 an exemption from the requirement to install a fixed suppression system in the control room.
The licensee's exemption request is based on the following:
The control room is continually manned.
Firc detection equipment has been installed generally throughout the control room including in cabinets and other areas not readily visible to operators.
All electrical penetrations into the control room are sealed.
Fire dampers have been provided on ventilation lines.
Portable extinguishers are immediately available to I
operating personnel.
The modifications, which the licensee's exemption request is based on, are required by Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50. Therefore, the above modifications alone do not justify an exemptiori from the requirement to install a fixed fire suppression system in areas where redundant divisions are located.
- However, the control room is a unique area of the plant that is required to be con-tinually occupied by the operators.
In the event of a fire, manual fire suppression would be effective and prompt.
Because the operators provide a
, continuous fire watch in the control room, a fixed suppression system is not necessary to achieve adequate fire protection in the control room.
This is similar to the concept reflected in the staff's acceptance, on a short-term basis, of a continuous fire watch as an alternative to fixed suppression systems in other locations when fire protection systems become unavailable (See Section 3.7.7.2 of the BWR Standard Technical Specifications, NUREG-0123, Rev. 3, as an example).
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Based on our evaluation, we conclude that the licensee's fire protection features for the control room meet the objectives of Section III.G, " Fire Protection of Safe Shutdown Capability," of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 and, therefore, the licensee's request to be exempted from the requirement to provide a fixed fire suppression system in the control room should be granted.
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12 an exemption is authorized by law and will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security and is otherwise in the public interest.
Therefore, the Commission hereby approves the following exemption:
With respect to the control room, the licensee is exempt from the requirement of Section III.G.3.b of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 for a fixed fire suppression system.
The NRC staff has determined that the granting of this exemption will not result in any significant environmental impact and that pursuant to 10
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CFR Sl.5(d)(4) an environmental impact statement or negative declaration and erivironmental impact appraisal need not be prepared in connection with this 5
action.
I'0R THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY' COMMISSION
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Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation I
Dated at Bethesda, Maryland, this 10th day of May 1982 l
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