ML20126M380

Responds to 810521 Inquiry Re Delayed Licensing Schedule. Various Approaches to Shorten Schedule Discussed

ML20126M380
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	06/08/1981
From:	Kammerer C NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA)
To:	Jeffries J HOUSE OF REP.
References
NUDOCS 8106170228
Download: ML20126M380 (2)

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. C. O. 20555

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$ ,f' C l The Honorable Jim Jeffries g,'

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Dear Congressman Jeffries:

k , h' , p I am pleased to have this opportunity to respo u nquiry of May 21, 1981 concerning the licensing schedule for the Welt reek Nuclear Plant.

The Commission shares your concerns about licensing delays, not only for the Wolf Creek Plant, but for all plants that are being affected by delays in the licensing process. During the past s u eral months, the Commission and its staff have spent considerable time in revi. ewing the licensing schedules for these plants and have undertaken various approaches to shorten them wherever oossible.

For those plants nearest completion, the' primary problem is the projected length of the hearing process and subsequent Commission review Recently, the Commission approved changes to its rules whicn will shorten by two or three months the time allotted to review of a lic,ensing board decision before a license can be issued. This savings is applicable to all impacted' plants.

The Commission also believes it can compress the' licensing schedule from an average of 18 months to approximately 10 months by tightening the time allowed for each part of the process and by providing firmer time management. On June 2, the Commission approved both final and further proposed rule changes which would help to accomplish this. In addition, it has issued a policy - -

statement providing guidance to the licensing boards on conducting proceedings so as to expedite the process.

For plants due to be completed in 1983 and beyond, including the Wolf Creek Plant, the major action which would eliminate potential delay is carly completion of staff reviews. Staff actions to expedite staff reviews include resumed hiring, mandatory overtime, reallocation of existing resources and transfer of some scheduled projects from tne licensing office., Nuclear Reactor Regulation, to other NRC offices. These enanges will also help to reduce licensing delays in 1981 and 1982, althougn the exact time savings depend upon how ouickly hiring, internal personnel transfers and shifts in ongoing projects can be accomolished.

On Marcn 13, 1981, the Commission submitted proposed legislation to Congress wnien would allow it to authorize interim reactor operation for fuel loccing and low-power operating and ' testing before the completion of a nearing. Sucn interim operation would save at least two months and, where the low power

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,4 2- JUN 8 1981 testing revealed a need for repairs or modifications, could save substantially more time, .A provis, ion similar to that proposed by the NRC has been included in the NRC FY 1982/83 au:horization bill (5.1207) as reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

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