ML20128H975

Exemption to Schedular Requirements of 10CFR50.48,extending Deadline Until 861130 for Installation of Mods to Fire Protection Sys

ML20128H975
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	05/14/1985
From:	Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	GEORGIA POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20128H950	List: ML20128H946 ML20128H975
References
TAC-57415, TAC-57416, TAC-61626, TAC-61627, NUDOCS 8505300680
Download: ML20128H975 (5)

Text

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t 7590-01 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COPHI5510N In the Matter of GEORGIA POWER COMPANY, ET AL

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Dockets Nos. 50-321 and 50-366 (EdwinI.HatchNuclearPlant.

Units Nos. I and 2)

EXEMPTION The Georgia Power Company (GPC or the licensee) and three other co-owners are the holders of Facility Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-57 and NPF-5 which authorizeoperationoftheEdwinI.HatchNuclearPlant, Units 1and2(Hatch or the facilities) at steady state reactor power levels not in excess of 2436 magawatts thermal for each unit. The facilities are boiling water reactors located at the licensee's site in Appling County, Georgia. The licenses are subject to all rules and regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Connission (theCommission).

II.

Subsection (c) of 10 CFR 50.48 requires that fire protection modifications for which plant shutdown is required (other than alternate shutdown capability) be completed before startup following the first refueling outage that connences 180 days or more after the effective date of Appendix R.

For the items covered by this exemption, the licensee was able totakeadvantageofthe"tollingprovision," subsection (c)(6),thereby commencing the 180-day period upon issuance of the staff Safety Evaluation N[Nk Nb21 p

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i dated April 18, 1984. Toe deadlines for these modifications were therefore j

startup following the refueling outage that' is' scheduled to connence in the

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l fall of 12 5 for Hatch Unit 1 and startup folloring the refueling outage that connanced on April 5,1985 for F.atch Unit P.

In a submittal dated April 16, 1985, the licensee requested an exemption from the schedular requirements of 10 CFR 50.48(c) which would extend the deadline from startup following the above stated refueling outages, to Noveder 30, 1980, for installation of firo protection modifications in certainarease,fUnits1and2forwhich-plantshutdownisrequiredinorder to install tho modificatfens."The proposed etemption is needed since the l

licensee has indicated that the installation 6f the outage related fire protection codifications in these areas of Units 1 and 2 cannot be completed on the schedule stated in 10 CFR 50.48(c) for the following reasons:

(1) The magnitude of the overall fire protection enhancement program at the Hatch plant is large and has a projected cost of 25 million v dollars (excluding the alternate shutdown system for the control room / cable spreading room fire).

(2) Currently, extenitve redesign and modifications of safe shutdown related equipmant and cables is underway in response to equipment qualification, operatirmal safety enhancement and plant reliability improvement projects. These projects are interdependent with the fire protection program and the design for Appendix R cableway

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7590-01 barriers must, in many cases, follow the final design of the equipment qualification project.

(3) Design sequences of the Appendix R modifications are complex and the final bill of materials and specifications for the bidding of installation contracts cannot proceed until the design is near its final stages.

Following design, implementation must await i

rerouting of cables from Appendix R or equipment qualification modifications.

The first of these reasons, the overall extent and cost of the fire protection program at Hatch, is not by itself an acceptable basis for extension of the schedule. Based on the information provided, the Hatch

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pro' gram is commensurate with programs at other facilities both in extent and cost. This Exemption is therefore not based on this factor. The second and third reasons, having to do with the interrelationship between non-outage-related and outage-related work and the inability to perform certain tasks before a final design has been completed, are acceptable bases on which a schedule extension can be granted.

The licensee indicated that in each area for which schedular exemptions are requested, the vulnerable systems will be protected by one of the following means:

(1) a fire watch, or (2) automatic fire detection and fire suppression systems.

In those locations where a fire watch will be provided, an individual

7590-01 l will be present to detect and respond to any fire emergency. This provides reasonable assurance that a fire will be discovered in its initial stages before significant damage occurs and will be suppressed manually by either the fire watch or the plant fire brigade. Under these circumstances, fire

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. damage will be limited, and no loss of safe shutdown capability should occur.

In those locations where automatic fire detection and suppression systems are located, we expect a fire to be detected in its formative stages, before significant fire propagation or temperature rise occurs. The fire t

would then be suppressed by the fire brigade using manual fire fighting equ,ipnent.

If rapid fire spread occurred before the arrival of the brigade, we expect the sprinkler system to actuate and control the fire, reduce room temperatures and protect the vulnerable shutdown systems.

Based on the considerations discussed above, the Commission concludes that the licensee has provided reasonable and acceptable interim post-fire safe shutdown capability or interim fire protection measures to support the exemption request.

III.

Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a), an exemption as requested by the licensee's letter of April 16, 1985, is authorized by law and will not endanger life or property or the

'o-7590-01 comon defense and security and is otherwise in the public interest. The Comission hereby grants an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 50.48(c) to extend the deadline for completion of fire protection modifications requiring plant shutdown at the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant,

. Units 1 and 2, until November 30, 1986, for each Unit.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Comission has detennined that the issuance of the exemption will have no significant impact on the environment (50 FR 20157).

This Exemption is effective upon issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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g dli f 1

arold 'F[. D'enton, D'irector Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l

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Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 14th day of flay 1985.

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