ML20086J461

Exemption Extending Completion Date of Emergency Preparedness Program (EPP) to Allow for Evaluation of Enhanced EPP After Four Months of Implementation

ML20086J461
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	11/21/1991
From:	Boger B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20086J464	List: ML20086J461
References
NUDOCS 9112110266
Download: ML20086J461 (3)

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7590-01 UNITED STALES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of

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. HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY

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Docket Nos. 50-498

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and 50-499

-(South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2

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EXEMPTION 1.

On March 22,11988, and March 28, 1989, the Commission issued Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-80 to Houston Lighting & Power Company, et al.-(the licensee) for' South Texas Project, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.

-This license provided,-among other things,'that-the facility is subject to all

rules, regulations and orders of the Commission.

II.

Section 50.54(t) of

.,e 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires licensees to review their emergency preparedness program (EPP) at least every 12 months by persons who have no direct r?sponsibility for_ implementation of

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the emergency preparedness-program. This-would require the licensee to complete their audit by September 1991, By letter dated July 19, '991, as supplemented on September 20, 1991, the licensee requested an exemption from 10 CFR 50.54(t) which would defer the completion of the EPP audit until December 1991.

The licensee stated that aLmajor-enhancement of-the EPP was implemented in August 1991, and annual retraining of. the emergency response organization was delayed to August 1,1991, to allow inclusion of the enhanced EPP. 'The exemption to December 1991 will allow for an evaluation of the enhanced EPP after four months of implementation.

9112110266 911121 PDR ADOCK 05000498 F

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III.

The NRC' staff has reviewed the licensee's request for an extension of the South Texas Project, Unit Nos. I and 2, EPP audit completion date.

Recent

-NRC inspection reports indicated that the scope and depth of the two previous audits appeared to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(t).

The most recent Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) Report, covering the period from February 1, 1990 through May 3, 1991, indicated that management oversight of the emergency preparedness program was evident by the performance of effective QA audits and-that the licensee continued to perform independent audits.

The licensee was rated to be in Performance Category -2 for the functional area of Emergency Preparedness.

A recommendation was made that the r

licensee should ensure that improvements and changes to the EPP-are fully implemented.

For these reasons the staff finds that the licensee has demonstrated a good-track record of compliance with 10-CFR 50.54(t) audit requirements.

A three-month extension of the current audit period would, in this. instance, benefit the public by allowing the EPP to come to equilibrium with recently enacted enhancements so that the independent review will address current reality rather than recent history.

This will allow and encourage the licensee to identify any problems in the enhanced EPP and to implement terrective action.

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as_ appropriate.

Therefore, the requested three-month extension to the current

twelve-month audit period specifiedLin 10 CFR 50.54(t) is acceptable.

At the o

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_end of the;new current audit period (December 1991), future audit periods should revert.back to the normal twelve-month _ interval, with the next review L

due on or about December 1992.

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i IV.

Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(1), this exemption is authorizcd by law, will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with the common defense and security.

The Commission further determines that special circumstances, as provided in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(v), are present justifying the exemption.

The exemption would provide only temporary relief from the applicable regulation in that the licensee has extended the EPP audit to allow for an evaluation of the enhanced EPP after-four months of implementation.

Accordingly, the Commissinn hereby grants an exemption as described in Section III above from 10 CFR 50.54(t) of 10 CFR Part 50 to extend-the completion date of the EPP audit to December 1991.

This exemption is effective until the end of December 1991.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the granting of the Exemption will have no significant impact on the environment (56 FR 57025).

This Exemption is effective upon issuance.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of November 1991.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 9

Bruce A. Boger, Director Division of Reactor Projects III/IV/V Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l

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