ML20205E046
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e 7590-01 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the matter of
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Docket No. 50-293
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BOSTON EDISON COMPANY
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PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION
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EXEMPTION I.
The Boston Edison Company (BECo), the licensee, is the holder of Operating 1.icense No. OPR-35 which authorizes operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. The license provides, among other things, that the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is subject to all rules, regulations, and Orders of the Comission now or hereaf ter in effect.
The plant is a boiling water reactor at the licensee's site located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, it.
On November 19, 1980, the Cormission published a revised Sectico 50.48 and a new Appendix R te 10 CFR Part 50 regarding fire protection features of nuclear power plants (45FR76602). The i ised Section 50.48 and Appendix R became effective on February 17, 1981.
Section III of Appendix R contains 15 subsections, lettered A through 0, each of which specifies requirements for a particular aspect of the fire protectioa features at a nuclear power plant.
One of these subsections, III.J., is the subject of the licensee's exemption request.
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-2 Section III.J., of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50. Emergency Lighting, requires emergency lighting units with at least an 8-hour battery power supply in areas needed for operation of safe shutdown equipment and along access and egress routes thereto.
III.
By letter dated April 1,1987 (BECo 87-053), the licensee requested an exemption from the specific technical requirements of Section III.J of Appendix R to 10 CFR 50 pertaining to the installation of 8-hour battery powered lighting units in the yard area outside the process building (which includes the reactor building).
Section III.J of Appendix R states that, "Emergency lighting units with at least an 8-hour battery power supply shall be provided in all areas needed for operation of safe shutdown equipment and in -'.ess and egress routes thereto." The yard area in question is outside of the process building, and in the access / egress route to alternative shutdown stations located in the Emergency Diesel Rooms, the reactor building Auxiliary Bay, and other portions of the reactor building that would not be involved in a postulated fire.
Lighting is already provided throughout the outside yard area (including this part of the yard area which is the access route to the various alternative safe shut awn stations) to satisfy security requirements.
This existing security lighting is powered by nornel off-site power and by an emergency security diesel-generator unit, an independent on-site unit which starts automatically upon loss of off-site power.
The licensee states that the security lights are adequate to illuminate the access routes in the outside yard area and are as reliable as individual battery powered ifqhts.
7590-01 The existing security lighting installation does not expressly satisfy the technical requirements of Section III.J of Appendix R in the yard area outside of the process building, since individual 8-hour battery powered lighting units are not provided for safe shutdown access and egress routes.
The licensee states that granting this exemption would not present undue risk to the public health and safety because the yard area is adequatt.ly lighted by the existing security lighting system.
The staff agrees with the licensee's statement. The security lighting is sufficient to allow security surveillance of the yard area, and is adequate to allow safe passage by the plant operators to those buildings housing alternate safe shutdown panels.
Since there are no alternative safe shutdown stations in the yard area, operators would be simply traversing the yard area and not perfonning any safe shutdown actions in the yard area.
The licensee states that application of the requirements of Section III.J of Appendix R regarding 8-hour battery powered lighting units would not serve the underlying pursose of the rule.
The staff agrees with the licensee's s ta ternent.
The standby security lighting system in '.he yard area provides lighting for a minimum of 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> and would serve the underlying purpose of Appendix R.
It provides emergency lighting in the access and egress routes leading to the operation of safe shutdown equipment in the Ofesel Generator Room and other locations outside the process building.
Providing emergency lighting units..ith at least an 8-hour battery power supply would not omvide any additional protection to that provided by the security lighting system.
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-4' Regarding reliability of the existing yard lighting, the securit) lighting is supplied from the security diesel, an independent on-site source initiated automatically on loss of off-site power. The securit and the security lighting are located outside of the process building from any fire areas within the Plant. Also, the licensee states that security yard-lighting system is installed and maintained to rer,uireme least as stringent as th.ose contained in,Section III.J of App'endix R.
Based on the above evaluation, the staff concludes that applicati the regulation in this particular circumstance is not necessary to ach underlying purpose of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50.
Therefore, the licensee's request for an exemption to the require Section !!!.J cf Appendix R for the yard area outside the process buil should be granted.
IV.
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a), that (1) the exemption as described in Section III is authoriz by law, will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety is consistent with the common defense and security and (2) in this casi special circumstances are present in that application of the regulatiot necessary to achieve the ur.Jerlying purpose of Appendix R to 10 CFR Pa' Therefore, the Cemission hereby grants ;he exemption from the requirer Section !!1.J of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 regarding emergency ligh' units with 8-hour battery power supply in the. yard outside of the procs building, including areas outside of the reactor building.
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- -.... - ~ - Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Comission has detennined that the granting of this exemption will not result in any significant environmental impact (52FR32979 September 1,1987).
A copy of the licensee's request for exemption dated April 1,1987 is available for public inspection at the Comission's Public Document Room,1717 4 Street, NW, Washington. 0.C. and at the Plymouth Public Library,11 North Street, Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360.
Copies may be obtained upon written request addressed to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Attention: Director, Division of Reactor Projects I/II.
This Exemption is effective upon issuance.
Dated at Bethesda, Maryland, this b day of
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F R THE NUCLEAR GULATORY COMMISSION l
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Steven A. Varga, Directet Division of Reactor Projects I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
j Distributicn:
Docket 50-293 i
PD I-3 Reading lI M. Rushbrook R. Wessman 4::
C. Miles. PA OCT 7 1987 00CKET NO.
gg.gg3 Rules and Procedures Branch 20EMORANOUM FOR:
Division of Rules and Records Office of Administration FROM:
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i
susacT:
DOST0:: EUISC:s Cf71P/#Y - pit';RI'4 :4LfCLT.M #0Wf.R STAT!0:1 One signed original of the Federal Register Notice identified below is enclosed for your transmittal to the Office of the Federal Register for publication. Additional conformed copies ( 6
)of the Notice are enclosed for your use.
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Notice of Receipt of Application for Construction Permit (s) and Operating License (s).
Notice of Receipt of Partial Application for Construction Permit (s)and Facility License (st. Time for Submissic.n of Views on Antitrust Matters.
Notice of Consideration of lasyance of Amendment to Facihty Operating License.
Notice of Receipt of Application for Facihty Ucense(s); Notice of Availability of Applicant's Environmental Report; and Notice of Consideration of issuance of Facility License (s) and Notice of Opportunity for Hearing.
Notice of Availability of NRC Draf t/ Final Environmental Statement.
Notice of Limited Work Authorization.
t Notice of Availability of Safety Evaluation Report.
Notice of Issuance of Construction Permit (s).
Notice of Issuance of Facility Operating Ucense(s) or Amendment (s).
l Order.
I Exemotion.
Notice of Granting Exemption.
j Environmental Assessment.
Notice of Preparation oi Environmental Assessment.
Other:
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Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i
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Enclosure:
As stated
- 4delyn Rushbrook conieci.
Phone:
X2M23 NRR/RP I/II/PD I-3
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s rook 10/7/$7 T/?T
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