ML20211L592

Exemption from 10CFR70.24,which Requires That Each Licensee Authorized to Possess Special Nuclear Matl Shall Maintain Criticality Accident Monitoring Sys in Each Area Where Such Matl Handled,Used or Stored.Commission Grants Exemption

ML20211L592
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	10/06/1997
From:	Collins S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20211L598	List: ML20211L592
References
NUDOCS 9710100259
Download: ML20211L592 (5)

Text

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d 7590-01-P UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 5

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ln the Matter of

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WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY )

Docket Nos. 50-266 and 50-301

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(Point Beach Nuclear Plant,

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Unit Nos.1 and 2)

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EXEMPTION 1.

Wisconsin Electric Power Company (the licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-24 and DPR 27, which authorize operation of the Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, respectively. The licenses provide, among other things, that the licensee is subject to ali rules, regulations, and orders of the Commission now or hereafter in

- effect.

The facility consists of two pressurized-water reactors located at the licensee's site in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.

II.

-The Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR 70.24," Criticality Accident Requirements," requires that each licensee authorized to possess special nuclear material shall maintain a criticality accident monitoring system in each area where such material is handled, used, or stored. Subsection a(2) of 10 CFR 70.24 specifies detection and sensitivity requirements that these monitors must meet. Subsection a(2) also specifies that all areas subject to criticality accident monitoring must be covered by monitoring devices.

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2-Subsection (a)(3) of 10 CFR 70.24 requires licensees to maintain emergency procedures for each area in which this licensed special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored and provides (1) that the prov;dures ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon the sounding of a criticality accident monitor alarm, (2) that the procedures must include drills to familiarize personnel with the evacuation plan, and (3) that the proceduras designate responsible individuals for determining the cause of the alarm and placement of radiation survey instruments in accessible le cations for use in such an emergency.

Subsection (b)(1) of 10 CFR 70.24 requires licensees to have a means to identify quickly personnel who have received a dose of 10 rads or more. Subsection (b)(2) of 10 CFR 70.24 requires licensees to maintain personnel decontamination facilities, to maintain arrangements for a physician and other medical personnel qualified to handle radiation emergencies, and to maintain arrangements for the transportation of contaminated individuals to treatment facilities outside the site boundary. Subsection (c) of 10 CFR 70.24 exempts I art 50 licensees from the requirements of subsection (b) of 10 CFR 70.24 for special nucle ~ material used or to be used in the reactor. Subsection (d) of 10 CFR 70.24 states that any licensee who believes that there is good cause why he should be granted an exemption from all or part of 10 CFR 70.24 may apply to tha Commission for such an exemotion and shall specify the reasons for the relief requested.

Ill.

The special nuclear material that could be assembled into a critical mass at Point Beach Nuclear Plant is in the form of nuclear fuel; the quantity of special nuclear material other than fuel that is stored on site is small enough to preclude achieving a critical mass.

The Commission technical staff has evaluM: d the possibility of an inadvertent criticality of tne

. nuclear fuel at Point Beach Nuclear Plant and has determined that such an accident cannot occur if the licensee meets the following seven criteria:

1.

Only one new fuel assembly is allowed out of a shipping cask or storage rack at one time.

2.

The k-effective does not exceed 0.95, at a 95% probability, 95% confidence level in the event that the fresh fuel storage racks are filled with fuel of the maximum permissible U-235 enrichment and flooded with pure water.

3.

If optimum moderation occurs at low moderator density, then the k-effective does not exceed 0.98, at a 95% probability, 95% confidence level in the event that the fresh fuel storage racks are fded with fuel of the maximum permissible U-235 enrichment and flooded with moderator at the density corresponding to optimum moderation.

4.

The k-effective does not exceed 0.95, at a 95% probability, 95% confidence level in the event that the spent fuel storage racks are filled with fuel of the maximum permissible U-235 enrichment and flooded with pure water.

5.

The quantity of forms of special nuclear material, other than nuclear fuel, that are stored on site in any given area is less than the quantity necessary for a critical mass.

6.

Radiation monitors, as required by Point Beach Nuclear Plant General Design Cnterion 18 which is analogous to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, General Design Criterion 63, are provided in fuel storage and handling areas to detect excessive radiation levels and to initiate appropriate safety actions.

7.

The maximum nominal U-235 enrichment is limited to 5 weight percent.

By letter dated June 7,1997, Wisconsin Electric Power Company requested an exemption from 10 CFR 70.24. In this exemption request the licensee addressed the seven Jteria given above. The Commission technical staff has reviewed the licensee's submittal

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4 and has determined that Point P.,each Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, meets the criteria for prevention of inadvertent criticality; therefore, the staff has determined that it is extremely unlikely for an inadvertent criticality to occur in special nuclear materials handling or storage areas at Point Beach Nuclear Plant.

The purpose of the criticality monitors required by 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that, if a criticality were to occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel would be alerted to that fact and would take appropriate action. The staff has determined that it is extremely unlikely that such an accident could occur; furthermore, the licensee has radiation morstors, as rsquired by Point Beach Nuclear Plant's General Design Criterion 18, in fuel storage and handling areas. Specifically, Point Beach Nuclear Plant's General Design Criterion 18 requires " Monitoring and alarm instrumentation shall be provided for fuel and waste storage and associated handling areas for conditions that might result in loss of capability to remove dece'/ heat and to detect excessive radiation levels." These monitors will alert personnel to excessive radiation levels and allow them to initiate appropriate safety actions. The low probability of an inadvertent criticality together with the licensee's adherence to Point Beach Nuclear Plant's General Design Criterion 18 constitute qood cause for granting an exemption to the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24.

IV.

The Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 70.14, this exemption is authorized by law, will not endsger life or property or the common defense and security, and is otherwise in the public interest. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants the Wisconsin Electric Power Corapany an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 for the Point E;ach Nuclear Plant.

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.. Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the granting of this exemption will have no significant impact on the quality of the human environment (62 FR 45883).

This exemption is effective upon issuance.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of October 1997.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISS;ON Originalsignedy SamuelJ.Colfrns Samuel J. Collins, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DOCUMENT NAME: G:iWPDOCS\\PTBEACH\\PTB98973.EXE T3 receive a copy of this document. Ind6cate in the box: *C"

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