ML20057E255

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Discusses SECY-93-190 Re Regulatory Approach to Shutdown & Low Power Operations.Informs That Staff Developing Performance Based Rule to Address Low Power & Shutdown Operations Risks
ML20057E255
Person / Time
Issue date: 08/11/1993
From: Rogers K
NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To: Taylor J
NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
Shared Package
ML20057E254 List:
References
NUDOCS 9310080181
Download: ML20057E255 (1)


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UNITED STATES l'

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION n

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August 11, 1993 MEMORANDUM FOR:

James M. Taylor Executive Director for Operations FROM:

Kenneth C. Rogers h,

Commissioner

SUBJECT:

SECY-93-190, REGULATORY APPROACH TO SHUTDOWN l

AND LOW-POWER OPERATIONS 1

i The subject SECY Information_ paper presents an evaluation of i

risks associated with low-power-and shutdown operations, together with various safety enhancements that would ameliorate these risks.

It is my understanding that the staff proposes development of a prescriptive rule to implement'these enhancements.

l While a new regulation' addressing _ shutdown issues might include-programmatic improvements that could increase safety, other regulatory possibilities exist, but are not' discussed in detail l

in SECY-93-190, for example, a performance-based rule.

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legitimate question can be raised as to whether for a given type of reactor, undesirable or unallowable regimes of equipment and system unavailability could be established from risk-based l

L analyses, permitting consideration of a performance-based as opposed to a prescriptive approach.

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Licensees might, for example, be required to maintain in an l

operable state those SSCs which PRA analyses had' indicated were needed to prevent one or more regimes which would result lin unacceptable increases in Core Damage Function (CDF) given i

l further single or multiple SSC failures.

One possible approach might be to require each licensca to demonstrate to the staff-

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with an acceptable risk-based model (PRA) that the outage configuration it proposes would not result in an. increase in the l

CDF by more than some acceptable differential frequency per L

reactor year, such as 1E-05/r-y.

L JLs part of the staff's on-going assessments:of shutdown and low-L

' power _ safety, I request that the possibility of one or more options to a prescriptive rule, including a performance-based-rule or a generic letter which would request voluntary adoption of a proposed staff position, be evaluated'in advance of

-l development of the final policy paper and its submittal to the Commission.

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gent cc:

The Chairman Commissioner Remick i

. Commissioner de Plangue i

SECY EDO --- 009230 OGC l

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