ML20204F204
| ML20204F204 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/25/1983 |
| From: | Pagano F NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8304290081 | |
| Download: ML20204F204 (3) | |
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NRC PROGRAM FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS UPGRADE AT RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS FRANK G. PAGANO, CHIEF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS BRANCH DIVISION OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND ENGINEERING RESPONSE OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 (301) 492-9647
SUMMARY
In August 1980, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) upgraded its emergency planning regulations in order to assure that adequate protective measures can and will be taken in the event of a radiological emergency to protect public health and safety.
In order to discharge its statutory responsibilities effec-tively, the Commission must know that proper means and procedures will be in place to assess the course of an accident and its potential severity.
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Among other things, the revised regulations at 10 CFR 50.54(q) require licensees authorized to possess and/or operate a research reactor or a fuel facility to follow and maintain in effect emergency plans which meet the requirements in Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50.
The Commission recognized that the potential radiological hazards to the public associated with the operation of research and test reactors involve considerations different than those associated with power reactors.
Consequently, the degree of compliance with the requirements of Appendix E for research and test reactors will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
The NRC organizational and functional responsibilities for emergency preparedness upgrading at research and test reactor facilities falls within the Emergency Preparedness Branch of the Division of Emergency Preparedness and Engineering Response, Office of Inspection and Enforcement.
The Emergency Preparedness Branch is charged with the responsibility to determine the overall adequacy of research and test reactor licensees' total emergency preparedness program.
Subsecuent to the review and approval of the emergency plans, these findings are forwarded to the Standardization and Special Projects Branch, Division of Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation with the recommendation to arend the operating license to incorporate the approved emergency plan as a condition of the license pursuant to 10 CFR 50.54.
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Through out 1981 and into early 1982, the NRC Staff was developing an emergency preparedness upgrade program for research and test reactors.
The objective was to establish a systematic approach for emergency preparedness upgrading of these facilities.
The program is in five phases consisting of (1) the develop-ment of upgraded guidance criteria that was consistent with the amended emergency planning regulations published in August 1980, (2) licensee preparation and submittal of upgraded emergency plans, (3) NRC staff review of the plans and the identification of deficiencies and areas needing improvement or a finding of acceptability, (4) licensee's responsa and resolution of the identified deficiencies, and (5) plan implementation and follow-on appraisals and inspec-tions to determine the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the licensee's total emergency preparedness program.
Onsite appraisals will be conducted for those licensees with an authorized power level equal to or greater than 2 MW (th) and those licensees with contentions to the operating license.
For those licensees not selected for onsite appraisals, our routine inspection program will be the vehicle used to determine the adequacy of the licensee's emergency preparedness program.
We are currently operating in phases three and fcur of the upgrade program.
Preliminary reviews of approximately 30 to 35 plans have been completed to date.
The results from these reviews and evaluations reflects that approxi-mately 30% of the plans do not fully satisfy all of the planning standards specified in the guidance criteria as a method of acceptability and need additional information for clarification.
This does not mean that the plans are inadequate but does require licensees to take specific actions to strengthen areas that are weak and correct identified deficiencies to meet the regulations.
Final reviews of 15 plans have been completed and Emergency Preparedness Evaluation Reports for these licensees have been forwarded to the Standardization and Special Projects Branch for licensing action.
The fact that a facility has an emergency plan that meets the regulations does not mean that plan can or will be implemented under emergency conditions.
Therefore, the overall adequacy of the licensee's emergency preparedness program will be determined by either the findings of the onsite appraisal or through the inspection program.