ML20210H876

Requests That NRC Grant Exemption from Requirements of 10CFR50,App E,Section IV F,Which Would Authorize Rescheduling of 2001 Biennial Full Participation Emergency Preparedness Exercise for Pilgrim Station to 2002

ML20210H876
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	07/30/1999
From:	Alexander J ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
LTR.2.99.075, NUDOCS 9908040122
Download: ML20210H876 (2)

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10 CFR 50 App. E.IV.F

Entergy Pilgrim Nuclear Power station ew

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Jul 30, 1999 l

ENdC Ltr. 2.99.075 l U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission l Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555 Docket 50-293 License No. DPR-35

Subject:

Request for Exemption from 10 CFR 50 Appendix E Section IV.F.

Dear Sir:

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.12(a), it is requested that NRC grant an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 50 Appendix E Section IV.F. This exemption would authorize the rescheduling of the 2001 biennial full participation emergency preparedness exercise for Pilgrim Station to 2002. The schedule for subsequent biennial exercises would follow the cycle established by this exemption in that such exercises would be conducted every second year in the even numbered years following 2002 (i.e., the next subsequent biennial exercise would be held in 2004).

l The proposed deferral of the full participation exercise has been discussed with NRC, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) officials. All of these agencies have indicated support for the proposed change.

This proposed change is offered in response to a verbal request made by FEMA and NRC officials to utility representatives at the 1998 FEMA Regions I, ll, and til and NRC Region i Exercise Scheduling Meeting and Workshop in White Plains, New York. At these meeting, plan owners were requested to reschedule a number of annual exercises in order to reduce peak resource loading in the odd numbered years. Pilgrim Station is well positioned to respond positively to the request to reschedule to an even numbered year exercise cycle because refueling outages for Pilgrim's 24 month fuel cycle occur in the odd numbered years. it is advantageous to shift Pilgrim's biennial exercise to the even numbered years (non-outage years) for both cost and schedule considerations.

This request presents no risk to the public health and safety, and has no impact or. 'he O common defense and security. This request meets a number of the special circumstances listed in Section 50.12(a)(2);

e Approval of this request will facilitate a more leveled allocation of federal, state, and ,

utility implementation and oversight resources, and will result in benefit to public health l e/

and a slightsafety schedulethat shift. more than compensates for any decrease in safetyl 030095 99000 T4 b 990730 PDR ADOCK 05000293 F PDR

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. l ENGC Ltr. 2.99.075 Pags 2 1

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. Approval of this request will provide only temporary relief from the applicable regulation.

The next biennial full participation and six year ingestion exercise is currently scheduled for December 1999 (in accordance with prior scheduling coordination agreements among NRC, FEMA, and regional utilities), and Pilgrim Station is on track for j~ performance of the exercise as scheduled. If granted, this request would merely shift l the exercise date several months from 2001 to 2002 to accommodate regional l

scheduling needs.

e' Rigid application of the regulation is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the exercise rule, because the exercise and all applicable objectives will be performed on the new date, thereby demonstrating the intended condition _of emergency readiness and capability to implement a coordinated response.

! For these reasons, Entergy requests approval of the requested exemption. It is j understood that a review fee is not payable for this exemption request. Also, Entergy  !

respectfully requests a timely response to this request by 11/30/99 in order to ensure I proper coordination with the affected Federal, State, and local govemmental agencies. l Please feel free to contact Mr. George Vazquez of my staff, at 508-830-8697, if you require any additional information regarding this request. q xander, Director clear Assessment '

JLR/sc U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Jeff A. Bean, Regional Director )

. Region 1 - Administrator FEMA, Region I i '475 Allendale Road J.W. McCormack Post Office & Court House King of Prussia, PA 19046 Boston, MA 02109-4595 Senior Resident inspector Dan McElhinney, RAC Chairman Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station FEMA, Region 1 J.W. McCormack Post Office & Court House Robert Hallisey, Director Boston, MA 02109-4595 Radiation Control Program MDPH Steven McGrail, Director 174 Portland Street MEMA Boston, MA 02114 400 Worcester Road P.O. Box 1496 Vanessa Quinn Framingham, MA 01701-0317  !

FEMA Headquarters .

REP Branch Diane Brown-Couture, MEMA/NSP Director 500 C Street, SW MEMA Federal Plaza 400 Worcester Road Washington, DC 20472 P.O. Box 1496 Framingham, MA 01701-0317 290075