ML20076L758
| ML20076L758 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello  |
| Issue date: | 06/16/1983 |
| From: | Purple R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | NORTHERN STATES POWER CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20076L760 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8307190361 | |
| Download: ML20076L758 (4) | |
Text
7590-01 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
)
Docket No. 50-263
)
NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY
)
)
(Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant
)
EXEMPTION I.
The Northern States Power Company (NSP/the licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating License No. DPR-22 which authorizes NSP to operate the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant at power levels not in excess of 1670 megawatts thermal.
The facility ts a boiling water reactor located at the licensee's site in Wright County, Minnesota.
The license provides, among other things, that it is subject to all Rules, Regulations and Orders of the Commission now or hereafter in effect.
II.
On February 17, 1981, the fire protection rule for nuclear power plants,10 CFR 50.48 and Appendix R, became effective.
Section 50.48 requires that licensed operating reactors be subject to the requiremente of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50. Appendix R contains the general and specific require-ments for fire protection programs.
This rule requires all licensees of plants licensed prior to January 1,1979, to submit:(1) plans and schedules for meeting the applicable requirements of Appendix R, (2) a design de-scription of any modifications proposed to provide alternative safe shut-1 down capability pursuant to Paragraph III.G.3 of Appendix R, and (3) exemption requests for which the tolling provision of Section 50.48 (c)(6) is to be invoked.
@307190361 830616 l
PDR ADOCK 05000263 F
PDR i
~
2 The licensee responded to these requirements by letter dated June 30, 1982, as supplemented and amended by letters dated October 28, 1982, and February 14 and March 22,1983.
In these letters, the licensee requested certain exemptions from the requirements of Section III.G of Appendix R.
Section III.G requires that one train of cables and equipment necessary to achieve and maintain safe shutdown be kept free of fire damage by one of the following means:
a.
Separation of cables and equipment and associated non-safety circuits of redundant trains by a fire barrier having a three-hour rating.
Structural steel forming a part of or supporting such fire barriers shall be protected to provide fire resistance equivalent to that required of the barrier; i
b.
Separation of cables.and equipment and associated non-safety circuits of redundant trains by a horizontal distance of more than twenty feet with no intervening combustibles or fire hazards.
In addition, fire detectors and an automatic fire suppression system shall be installed in the fire area; or c.
Enclosure of cables and equipment and associated non-safety circuits of one redundant train in a fire barrier having a one hour rating.
In addition, fire detectors and an automatic fire suppression system shall be installed in the fire area.
If these conditions are not met,Section III.G.3 requires alternative shutdown capability independent of the fire area of concern.
III.
l The licensee requests an exemption from Section III.G.2 in the Sup-pression Pool Area (Fire Zone 1F), to the extent that it requires the installation of an automatic fire suppression system, i
7590-01 3
The licensee justifies the exemption by stating that the area is separated from other plant areas by three-hour fire rated barriers.
Fire protection consists of smoke detectors, manual hose stations, and portable fire extinguishers.
The only redundant safe shutdown equipment in the area consists of instrumentation for measuring the water temperature and level in the torus.
The redundant trains are separated by one hundred feet and are free of intervening combustibles.
Essentially no combustible material is stored or located in the area.
Furthermore, all surfaces are concrete except the torus, which is steel. All cables are installed in conduit.
We have reviewed the licensee's submittals and agree with the licensee's evaluation that the area does not comply with Section _III.G.2 because it does not have an automatic suppression system and there is no alternate shutdown capability independent of the area.
However, we find that be-cause of the restricted access to this area, the probability of an ex-posure fire from the accumulation of transient combustibles, during normal operation, is low. We find that this feature, in conjunction with the one hundred feet of separation between redundant trains and early warning fire detection,provides reasonable assurance that one train will be maintained free of fire damage.
i Therefore, we conclude that the level of safety provided in the Suppression Pool Area (Fire Zone 1F) is equivalent to the t'echnical re-l quirements of Section III.G of Appendix R and therefore, the licensee's re-quest should be granted.
IV.
Acccrdingly, 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
jg3g_ur 4
interest. Therefore, the Conssission hereby approves the following exemption request:
Exemption is granted / front the requirements of Section-III.G.2. of Appendfx. R of' TO CFR. Part 50 to-the extent that no automatic suppressfort system is required-for the suppression Pool. area (Fire Zone TF)
The NRC staff has determined that.the granting of these exemptions wfi'i nat resuit in any significant environmental impact and that pursuant ta TG CFR ST.5(d)(4), an-environmental ~ impact statement or negative de-cTaratiorrand environmentat impact apprafsal need not be prepared in connection with this action!
A copy of the Safety Evaluation associated. with this action is avafTahTe for public inspection > atthe coeurtssion's Puhlic Document Roosr T7T71t Street,.ft K.J%shington inic and at the locaT. pubTic. document room Tocated at the Environmentat Conservation Library,. 306 NicolTet Malt,,
Minneapolis,, Rfrinesota.. A. copy..may be obtained upon request wherr addressed-to the (f. 5. NucTear ReguTatory Commission, Washington,. U C. 20555; Attention-Director,. Division af Licensing.
The Exemptiorr is effective upon issuance.
~
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMISSION "i
Robert.A. Purple, Deputy Director Division of Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated it Bethesda,. Maryland this 16th day of June 1983.
l l
n
.-.-w w
,m n
---se,-'
A
-