ML20237H076

Application for Amend to CPPR-107,extending Earliest & Latest Completion Dates to 890501 & 920101,respectively

ML20237H076
Person / Time
Site:	Limerick
Issue date:	08/13/1987
From:	Kemper J PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC
To:
Shared Package
ML20237G939	List: ML20237G937 ML20237H076
References
NUDOCS 8708170042
Download: ML20237H076 (7)

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of  :

PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC COMPANY  :

(Limerick Generating Station  :

Unit 2)  :

APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF CONSTRUCTION PERMIT COMPLETION DATES On June 19, 1974, the Atomic Energy Commission issued Construction Permits Nos. CPPR 106 and CPPR 10'i to Philadelphia i

Electric Company (" Applicant") for its Limerick Generating Station Units 1 and 2. On May 13, 1975, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (" Commission") issued an order extending, inter alia, the latest construction completion dates for Unit 1 to April 1, 1981, and for Unit 2 to April 1, 1982. On April 24, 1981, the Commission issued an order further extending the latest construction completion date for Limerick Unit 1 to October 1, 1985 and for Limerick Unit 2 to October 1, 1987. On October 26, 1984 the Commission issued a low power operating license for Limerick Unit 1 and, on Augus+ 8, 1985 issued a full power operating license for Unit 1.

8708170042 870813 PDR ADOCK 05000353 A PDR

Philadelphia Electric Company hereby requests-that, pursuant to Section 185 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part 50, Section 50.55, the earliest and latest conpletion dates specified in Construction Permit No. CPPR-107 for Limerick Unit 2 be extended to May 1, 1989 and January 1, 1992, respectively.

The change in the schedule for completion of the construction of Unit 2 results from suspension of construction '

by Applicant in accordance with the terms of an order issued by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PaPUC) on December 23, 1983. Such order directed the Applicant to: (1) suspend construction of Unit 2 pending operation of Unit 1; or (2) cancel Unit 2 or (3) continue construction of Unit 2 solely with internally generated funding. Applicant advised the PaPUC on January 24, 1984 that of the choices available, it had suspended construction of Unit 2 pending operation of Unit 1.

As a result of this action all activities at the Unit 2 construction site were suspended during the period from January 1, 1984 to February 1, 1986 except essential activities required to protect the site, the public and workers and actions required to allow a prompt resumption of construction.

The PaPUC's order of December 23, 1983 and the subsequent suspension of construction of Unit 2 resulted from an order

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entered by the PaPUC on October 10, 1980, which initiated an investigation into the need for and the economy of the Limerick facility. At the conclusion of this investigation, the PaPUC issued an Opinion and Order on August 27, 1982 that concluded that either cancellation or suspension of construction at Limerick Unit 2 would be in the public interest. Applicant appealed such opinion and Order. After the affirmation of the August 27, 1982 order by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the PaPUC entered a further order on June 10, 1983 which required Applicant to comply with its Order of August 27, 1982.

On July 21, 1983 Applicant filed a response to the PaPUC Order which resulted in a series of replies in opposition by several parties, following which the PaPUC entered its December 23, 1983 Opinion and Order discussed above. On January 24, 1984 Applicant filed its response to the PaPUC Order dated December 23, 1983 in which it advised the PaPUC that Applicant had suspended construction of Limerick Unit 2 pending operation of Limerick Unit 1. Thus, by January 1984, essentially all construction activity at Limerick Unit 2 had been suspended.

In an Order entered February 22, 1984 the PaPUC accepted he Applicant's response as being in compliance with the PaPUC Orders of August 27, 1982, June 10, 1983 and December 23, ivoa.

On August 7, 1984, with construction of Unit 2 still suspended, the PaPUC commenced a further investigation of

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I Limerick by issuing an Order to Show Cause why the completion of Limerick Nuclear Generating Station Unit 2 would be in the public interest. Following this investigation, the PaPUC entered an Opinion and Order dated December 5, 1985 finding that completion of Limerick Unit 2 is in the public interest if he Applicant accepted certain cost-containment and operation incentive plans set forth in the PaPUC's Opinion and Order. On December 23, 1985, Applicant notified the PaPUC of its plan to complete Limerick Unit 2 and its acceptance of the PaPUC's cost containment and operation incentive programs. On January 2, and 6, 1986, two parties to the PaPUC proceeding filed petitions for review with the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court challenging the PAPUC Order. On January 17, 1986, the Applicant filed its own petition for review in the nature of a cross-appeal seeking certain modifications of the PaPUC's Order in the event that one or more of the positions of the opposing parties should prevail. On February 18, 1987, the Commonwealth Court affirmed the December 5, 1985 Opinion and Order of the PaPUC in all respects.

On February 1, 1987 Limerick Unit 1 was declared to be in commercial operation and construction of Limerick Unit 2 was resumed later in that month and is continuing. At the time of suspension of construction activities in January, 1984 Unit 2 construction was approximately 30 percent complete and

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t engineering activity was approximately 82.5 percent complete.

Since the resumption of work on Unit 2, engineering has progressed to the point where it is, as of June, 1987 ]

approximately 91 percent complete and construction activities are approximately 62 percent complete. j 1

The events described above relating to suspension of construction have resulted from conditions which were beyond 1

the control of Applicant and could not have been predicted at the time the construction schedule upon which the present construction completion date of CPPR-107 was established. The completion dates proposed by Applicant are considered reasonable based upon Applicant's present schedule of engineering and construction activities, progress in these areas since resumption of work on Unit 2, and take into account the uncertainties involved in a major construction effort of this type.

This application does not involve any significant hazards  ;

l consideration. The grant of the requested extension will result in no substantive change because the design of the facility and construction methods will be the same as provided for in the existing construction permit. The amendment will merely grant the applicant more time to complete construction in accordance with the previously approved construction permit. Texas Utilities Electric Company (Comanche Peak Steam

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Electric Station, Unit 1), CLI-86-4, 23 NRC 113, 121 (1986).

Also, the proposed action does not involve any new l

significant environmental impacts. The environmental impacts l

associated with the construction of Limerick Unit 2 have been previously discussed and evaluated in the Final Environmental L Statement for Limerick Units 1 and 2 (November 1973), as amended. The proposed extension will not allow any work to be ]

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l performed that is not already allowed by the existing I construction permit. There are no radiological impacts associated with this action. Continuing construction does not i l

involve non-radiological impacts different from or significantly greater than those previously evaluated. In

. conclusion, the proposed action will not have a significant impact on the environment.

In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Commission extend the dates for completion of construction of Limerick Unit 2 as set forth above.

Respectfully submitted, PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC COMPANY By-- , f8C /d,L_ ~

h Schlor Vice President l

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COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA  :

ss.

COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA  :

J.S. Kemper, being first duly sworn, desposes and says:

That he is Senior Vice President of Philadelphia Electric Company, the Applicant herein; that he has read the foregoing Application and knows the contents thereof; and that the statements and matters set forth therein are true and correct i

to the best of his knowledge, information and belief. )

$/f /d/'

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I Subscribed and sworn to yn bef ore me this / ~~~ U day

/1 of thiy. , 1987

(. / ? f r , , , ,( ! ' .} n4, -

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Notary Public' PATRICIA A, JONES Notary Public, Phila., Phila. Co.

• Nmmission Expires Oct 13.1990 1

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