ML20237D610
| ML20237D610 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 12/16/1987 |
| From: | Crutchfield D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20237D613 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8712240073 | |
| Download: ML20237D610 (4) | |
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t 7590-01 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Ir the Matter of
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HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER
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Docket No. 50-498 COMPANY *, ET AL.
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(South Texas Project, Unit 1)
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EXEMPTION I.
On August 21, 1987, the Commission issued Facility Operating License No. NPF-71 to Houston Lighting & Power Company, City Public Service Board of l
San Antonio, Central Power and Light Company, and City of Austin, Texas (the licensees) for South Texas Project, Unit 1.
This license provided, among other things, that the facility is subject to all rules, regulations and Orders of l
the Commission.
II.
Section 50.71(e)(3)(i) of 10 CFR Part 50 requires the licensees of nuclear power reactors to submit an Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) within 24 months of either July 22, 1980, or the date of issuance of the operating license, whichever is later.
This would require submittal of the UFSAR for South Texas Project, Unit 1 by August 21, 1989 and would result in an entirely new document from the existing South Texas FSAR.
" Houston Lighting & Power Company is authorized to act for the City Public Service Board of San Antonio, Central Power and Light Company and City of Austin, Texas and has exclusive responsibility and control over the physical construction, operation and maintenance of the f acility.
8712240073 871216 DR ADOCK 0500 0
' By letter dated October 5, 1987, the licensees requested an exemption from 10 CFR 50.71(e) which would defer subnittal of the UFSAR until one year following receipt of a low-power operating license for South Texas. Project, Unit 2.
The licensees state that they will continue to maintain the South Texas Project FSAR as a description of both Units 1 and 2. 'The FSAR will be updated by periodic amendments during the period that Unit 2 is under construction, thus assuring that timely information regarding both units is provided.
III.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensees' request for an extension of the South Texas UFSAR submittal date. The 10 CFR 50.34 requires that, until South Texas Unit 2 receives an operating license, the information contained in the FSAR docketed with the operating license application be maintained current.
Hence, if an extension to the submittal date for the UFSAR is not granted, the licensees would be required to maintain current both the present FSAR as well as the Unit 1 UFSAR until South Texas Unit 2 is licensed. Maintaining two versions of the same document for the two South Texas units would not serve the underlying purpose of 10 CFR 50.71(e), which is to assure that the final safety analysis report contains the latest material developed. Maintenance of a separate document to satisfy 50.34 for Unit 2 to support licensing would not provide the NRC with significant additional information and could lead to ambiguities and confusion. Thus, an undue administrative burden would be
. imposed which results in no measurable gain.
Therefore an extension is needed to eliminate the hardship of maintaining two versions of the same document. Until South Texas Unit 2 receives an operating license, the licensees have committed to maintain the present FSAR 1
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' current for both units by periodically amending the document. This will i
assure that the underlying purpose of 10 CFR 50.71(3), i.e., assurance that the safety analysis report contains the latest material developed, continues to be met.
For these reasons, the staff finds'that the licensees have shown good cause for the requested extension of the date for submittal of the Updated Firal Safety Analysis Report. Therefore, the requested extension to no later than one year after issuance of a low power license for South Texas, Unit 2 is acceptable. This extension will terminate, unless further extended, no later than the end of August 1990.
IV.
Accordingly, the Comission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12 i
(a)(1), this exemption is authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with the common defense and i
security. The Comission further determines that special circumstances, as provided in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), are present justifying the exemption.
The application of the regulation in the particular circumstances is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the rule in that the licensees have updated the South Texas FSAR in support of licensing South lexas Unit 2 and will continue to update it periodically until Unit 2 is licensed.
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Accordingly, the Commission hereby grants an exemption as described in Section III above from Section 50.71(e)(3)(i) of 10 CFR Part 50 to extend the date for submittal of the updated FSAR to no later than one year after date of issuance of a low power license for South Texas project Unit 2.
This exemption granting the extension is effective until the end of August 1990.
. t Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the granting of this Exemption will have no significant impact on the environment (52 FR 47805 ).
This Exemption is effective upon issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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3l, Dennis M. Crutcfifie j Director Division of Reactor rojects-III,IV, V and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 16th day of December,1987.
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