ML20057A990
| ML20057A990 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 09/10/1993 |
| From: | J. J. Barton GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP. |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| C321-93-2233, NUDOCS 9309170036 | |
| Download: ML20057A990 (3) | |
Text
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GPU Nuclear Corporation 3 U Muclear
- en:ursee i
o e
Forked River, New Jersey 08731-0388 i
609 971-4000 Writer's Direct Dial Number:
l September 10,1993 C321-93-2233 i
l U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555
Dear Sir:
Subject:
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Docket No. 50-219 Near Term use of Decommissioning Funds In accordance with the Commission policy approved and set forth in SECY 93-137, GPU Nuclear is planning to utilize a portion of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Staticn (OCNGS) decommissioning funds for the near-term dismantling and disposal of equipment from the Old Radwaste (ORW) Building at Oyster Creek. The equipment which will be dismantled and sent for decontamination and recycling, or direct to disposal, was contaminated during its use in the ORW Building. It is currently not functional, has c.o future use, and had been abandoned in-place until decommissioning.
1 GPU Nuclear is preparing to remove, no sooner than sixty (60) days from the date of this letter, approximately 10 to 20 percent of the tanks, piping, and miscellaneous components that were original equipment in the ORW building. The material to be removed will be shipped offsite for decontamination and subsequent free-release or disposal as radioactive waste.
The decommissioning trust fund withdrawal will be for expenses for legitimate decommissioning activities as defined in 10 CFR 50.2 that would necessarily occur l
under most reasonable decommissioning scenarios. The dismantlernent and disposal of the ORW equipment is an activity that would normally be deferred until decommissioning of the Oyster Creek site. However, it is advantageous to perform the work at this time because of the availability of the equipment for disposal and current access to the offsite disposal facility for radioactive waste. The equipment involved is permanent plant equipment that has not been in use for a number of years. This pre-i approved activity does not foreclose, and in fact will advance, the ultimate goal of mlease of the site for unrestricted use.
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l GPU Nuclear Corporation is a subsidiary of General Pubiic Utihties Corporation
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C321-93-2233 Page 2 The expenditure of funds to dismantle and dispose of the ORW equipment at this time will not reduce the amount of funds set aside for decommissioning of Oyster Creek to a level below the amount necessary to place ano maintain Oyster Creek in a safe storage (SAFSTOR) condition. The cost of the dismantlement will not inhibit GPU Nuclear's ability to complete the funding of the decommissioning trust and will not l
increase the cost of decommissioning. GPU Nuclear estimates that the partial l
dismantlement will involve 10 to 20 percent of the total ORW system and will cost approximately 5 2,000,000. The amount of funds involved is approximately 1 % of the current $175 million estimate (1993 dollars) of radiological decommissioning costs for Oyster Creek, and approximately 15% of the more than $13 million set aside l
annually for Oyster Creek radiological and non-radiological decommissioning. The i
fund presently contains more than $72,400,000 for radiological and non-radiological l
decommissioning. Because of the de minimus size of this expenditure, GPU Nuclear does not propose to adjust its funding target or collections schedule at this time.
Future adjustments to reflect the site specific cost study required five years before closure will address this completed activity and the fund balance.
The expenditure of the funds to dismantle the ORW equipment at this time will not increase the overall cost of decommissioning at Oyster Creek. Based on the uncertainties of future radwaste burial costs, later dismantlement could potentially cost more.
There is sufficient onsite contingency storage space for the equipment involved in the dismantlement activity, should it be rejected for disposal by the offsite facility. This is highly unlikely as the volume of material to be generated by the dismantlement activity is a small portion of the volume projected by Oyster Creek to be shipped offsite prior to closure of the current disposal site to non compact members.
Nonetheless, should access to the offsite disposal facility be denied, the material involved can be stored on site until access to a disposal site is obtained.
GPU Nuclear will complete a 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation and an environmental
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evaluation of the dismantlement activities prior to initiation of work. The dismantlement will proceed once GPU Nuclear has determined that the activities planned are consistent with existing Technical Specifications, do not pose an Unreviewed Safety Question, and that there will be no significant environmental impact. These evaluations will be available for NRC review.
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C321-93-2233 Page 3 The current expenditure of decommissioning funds for the dismantlement of the Oyster Creek ORW equipment was selected as:
1) the dismantiement is a legitimate decommissioning activity that would necessarily occur under most reasonable decommissioning scenarios; 2) it will not increase the overall cost of decommissioning; 3) it will not inhibit the ability of GPU Nuclear to complete funding of the decommissioning trust needed to assure availability of funds to ultimately release the site for unrestricted use; 4) it will not foreclose the release of the site for possible unrestricted use; 5) it will be consistent with current license and technical specification; 6) it will have no significant environmental impact; and 7) it will not pose an Unreviewed Safety Question as defined in 10 CFR 50.59.
l Based on these conclusions, GPU Nuclear intends to initiate these partial decommissioning activities as soon as possible to take advantage of the current disposal window of opportunity.
i If any additional information or assistance is required, please contact Mr. John Rogers of my staff at 609.971.4893.
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Joh i J. Bart V'
Presid and Director yster Creek JJB/JJR cc:
Administrator, Region I l
Senior Resident Inspector Oyster Creek NRC Project Manager l
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