ML20248C049

Exemption from Requirements of 10CFR50,App R for Plant, Unit 1.Exemption Re Unpressurized Leakage Sites in RCP Lube Oil Collection Sys Granted

ML20248C049
Person / Time
Site:	Fort Calhoun
Issue date:	05/21/1998
From:	Collins S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	OMAHA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT
Shared Package
ML20248C032	List: ML20248C025 ML20248C049 ML20248C067
References
NUDOCS 9806020050
Download: ML20248C049 (4)

Text

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7590-01-P UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of )

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OMAHA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT ) Docket No. 50-285

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Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No.1 ).

1 EXEMPIlON 1.

Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)is the holder of Facility Operating License No. 4 1

DPR-40 for the Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No.1 (FCS) which authorizes operation of the Fort

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Calhoun Station, Unit No.1. The licente provides, among other things, that the licensee is subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the Commission now or hereafter in effect.

The facility consists of one pressurized-water reactor at the licensee's site located in Washington County, Nebraska.

11.

By letter dated September 30,1997, as supplemented by letters dated January 29, 1998, and April 23,1998, the licensee requested an exemption from certain requirements from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix R, Section Ill.0, for the Fort Calhoun Station. Section 111.0 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50, requires that the reactor coolant pump (RCP) shall be equipped with an oi! collection system if the containment is not inerted during normal operation. The oil l

collection system shall be so designed, engineered and installed that failure will not lead to fire j during normal or design basis accident conditions and that there is reasonable assurance that  ;

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the system will withstand the safe shutdown earthquake. )

9804:020050 990521 PDR ADOCK 05000285 P PDR a

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Section 50.12(a) of 10 CFR, " Specific exemptions," states that...

The Commission may, upon application by any interested person, or upon its own initiative, grant exemptions from the requirements of the regulations of this part, which are (1) Authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety, and are consistent with the common defense and security. (2) The Commission will not consider granting an exemption unless special circumstances are present.

Section 50.12(a)(2)(ii) of 10 CFR Part 50 states that special circumstances are present when " Application of the regulation in the particular circumstances would not serve the underlying purpose of the rule or is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the rule...." The underlying purpose of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix R, Section Ill.0, is to ensure that leaking oil will not lead to a fire that could damage safety related equipment during normal or design basis accident conditions. As documented in a Safety Evaluation dated May 21,1998, the NRC staff concluded that for RCP RC-3B an oil collection system is not needed to satisfy the underlying purpose of Section Ill.O of Appendix R for:

(1) the unpressurized upper bearing cooling water penetrations located 3.15" above the rormal oillevel, (2) the unpressurized lower bearing component cooling water penetrations located 1 above the normal oil level, (3) the unpressurized vent line on the lower bearing resistance temperature detector (RTD) located 2.4" above the normal oil level,

.b (4) the unpressurized upper bearing RTD located 10" above the normal oil level, and (5) the unpressurized lower bearing oil level transmitter line.

Accordingly, the Commission has determined that special circumstances are present as defined in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii).

As further documented in the Safety Evaluation dated May 21,1998, the staff also concluded that an exemption is not needed for:

(1) the motor cooling air vents of RCP RC-3B, (2) the anti-rotation device air vents and Ole motor cooling ai0r vents of the remaining RCPs, or

-(3) the lack of a flash arrester for the RCP oil collection system vent.

IV.

The Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, an exemption in connection with the.five unpressurized sites above regarding RCP RC-3B is authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to public health and safety and is consistent with the common defense and security. Also, as stated above, the Commission has determined that special L circumstances are present. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants Omaha Public Power District an exemption from the requirements of Section Ill.O of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 regarding the unpressurized leakage sites in the RCP lobe oil collection system discussed herein.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the granting of this exemption will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment (63 FR 26653).

d This exemption is effective upon issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION rector Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation j i

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21 st day of May 1998 i

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