ML20154K003
| ML20154K003 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000470 |
| Issue date: | 09/12/1988 |
| From: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Shik Kim J KOREA, REPUBLIC OF (SOUTH KOREA) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20154K006 | List: |
| References | |
| PROJECT-669A, PROJECT-675A NUDOCS 8809230196 | |
| Download: ML20154K003 (2) | |
Text
___ --_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -
o UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION e
n g
,i W ASHINGTON, D. C. 20565
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September 12, 1988 CHAIRMAN The Honorable Jeng Shik Kim Republic of Korea National Assembly 1-1, Yeoutdo-Dong Youngdeungpo-Ku Seoul, Korea 150-702
Dear Congressman Kim:
This is in response to your recent latter containing comments and questions about regulatory trends in the U.S. and the Republic of Korea's latest power reactor purchase.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission ('NRC) has shared a close and mutually beneficial relationship with the R0".'s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) since at least 1976, when we i
first formalized our ongoing cooperation under a bil6teral i
nuclear safety information exchange agreement.
This coopera-tion has included extensive interaction with the Nuclear Safety Center (NSC) of the Korea Advancea Energy Research Institute (KAERI), which carries out many of the regulatory i
functions for which MOST is respunsible.
We have just t
i responded to a specific request from liOST for NRC assistance i
with the KAERI/NSC's safety review of KNU 11 and 12.
You may wish to contact Minister Kwan Lee for additional information cn HOST's current plans for conducting the KNU safety j
reviews.
l
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As you are probably aware, NRC does not condust evaluations of the safety of nuclear power plants exported from the U.S.
i to another country.
Such evaluhtions have been deemed to be l
the responsibility of the recipient country.
I With regard to your more specific interests in the design certification process, Combustion Engineering has announced its intention to pursue Design Certification and is revising l
s the System 80 standard design to meet the requirements of the 4
NRC's Severe Accident and Standardization Policy Statements.
i i
The scope of the improved design, called the System 80+
l Standard Design, will include the Nuclear Steam Supply l
l System, the emergency feedwater system, the containment, the i
control room, and Standardized Functional Descriptions for
(
all other buildings, structures, systems, and components l
requiring regulatory review.
Combustion Engineering also j
intends to meet the Electric Power Research Institute (EPkI) j goals set forth in the EPRI Advanced Light Water Reactor (ALWR) Requirenents Document.
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Our review of the System 80+ design is proceeding as Combustion Engineering submits proposed revisions to the System 80 standaro oesign.
Combustion Engineering antici-l pates that certification could be achieved for the System 80+
l design by late 1991.
However, the schedule for Design l
Certification is uncertain since it will require rulema king, l
possibly with hearings.
Also, since the System 80+ design will be one of the first designs implementing the Severe l
Accident Policy and the EPRI ALWR Requirements, the review could ta ke longer than anticipated.
Certification of the System 80+ design would constitute NRC acceptance of the portion of a complete facility that could be incorporated by reference in an application for an operating license.
Any changes made to the design would not be certified unless reviewed by the NRC.
In addition, matters required to be considered in the Design Certifica-tion, such as site, operations, and balance of plant, would necessarily have to be reviewed and accepted by the hRC before issuance of an operating license.
As a final note, I want to emphasize that your understanding is correct that the NRC has no plans to review or certify the scaled-down System 80 and pre-System 80 Combustion Engineering design to which you refer, nor would we evaluate its compliance with EPRI ALWR Requirements.
I hope our response is helpful in resolving the issues of concern to you.
Sincerely, LV.
Lods Lando W.
Zec,Jr cc:
Mr. Y.
H. H o o n, 110 S T
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