ML23159A114

PR-050 - 62FR47272 - Definition of Safety-Related Structures, Systems, and Components: Technical Amendment

ML23159A114
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Issue date:	09/08/1997
From:	Callan L NRC/EDO
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PR-050, 62FR47272
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ADAMS Template: SECY-067 09/08/1997 PR-050 - 62FR47272 - DEFINITION OF SAFETY-RELATED STRUCTURES, SYSTEMS, AND COMPONENTS; TECHNICAL AMENDMENT PR-050 62FR47272 RULEMAKING COMMENTS Document Sensitivity: Non-sensitive - SUNSI Review Complete

DOCKET NO. PR-050 (62FR47272)

In the Matter of DEFINITION OF SAFETY-RELATED STRUCTURES, SYSTEMS, AND COMPONENTS; TECHNICAL AMENDMENT DATE DOCKETED 09/03/97 DATE OF DOCUMENT 08/05/97 TITLE OR DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE - PROPOSED RULE

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1 0 CFR Part 50 RIN 3150-AF7~ __

Definition of Safety-Related Structures, Systems, and Components; Technical Amendment DOCKETED USHRC

[7590-01-Pl "97 SEP -3 P 2 : 1 8 OFFICE OF SECRETARY~

DOCKE l It G & SEPVICt RA'.JCH AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

DOCKET NlllBER PROPOSED RULE Pft 50

( ~~Fl<'-1-1:>.7:i.)

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is amending its regulations to correct an error in the language of several sections in the regulations governing nuclear power plant licensing that define the term, "safety-related structures, systems, and components."

These definitions are inconsistent with the definition in regulations applicable to the siting of nuclear power plants and the Commission's longstanding practice and interpretation of that term.

~

~ 1991 DA TE: Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before [-30 aa 11s aftet p1.1blioation in tf:te rederal Register].

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff. Hand deliver comments to 11555 Rockville Pike, Maryland, between 7:30 am and 4: 15 pm on Federal workdays.

For information on submitting comments electronically, see the discussion under Electronic Access in the Supplementary Information Section.

Copies of any comments received may be examined at the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW (Lower Level), Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geary S. Mizuno, Office of General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-1639,; e-mail GSM@nrc.gov, or Clark Prichard, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6203; e-mail CWP@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

For additional information, see the direct final rule published in the Rules and Regulations Section of this Federal Register.

Procedural Background Because the NRC considers these amendments to be of a corrective nature, do not involve any change in existing policy or otherwise constitute a new policy, clarify the original intent of the Commission and therefore can -be considered to be interpretive, the proposed rule is being published concurrently as a direct final rule. The direct final rule will become effective on [Insert date 60 days after publication in the Federal Register].

However, if the NRC receives significant adverse comments on the direct final rule by 2

[insert date 30 days after publication], the NRC will publish a document that withdraws the direct final rule. If the direct final rule is withdrawn, the NRC will address the comments received in response to the proposed revisions in a subsequent final rule. The NRC will not initiate a second comment period on this action in the event the direct final rule is withdrawn.

Electronic Access Comments may be submitted electronically, in either ASCII text or Word Perfect format (version 5.1 ), by calling the NRC Electronic Bulletin Board on FedWorld or connecting to the NRC interactive rulemaking web site, "Rulemaking Forum." The bulletin board may be accessed using a personal computer, a modem, and one of the commonly available communications software packages, or directly via Internet. Background documents on the rulemaking are also available for downloading and viewing on the bulletin board.

If using a personal computer and modem, the NRC subsystem on FedWorld can be accessed directly by dialing the toll-free number: 1-800-303-9672. Communications software parameters should be set as follows: parity to none, data bits to 8, and stop bits to 1 (N,8, 1 ). Using ANSI or VT-100 terminal emulation, the NRC rulemaking subsystems can then be accessed by selecting the "Rules Menu" option from the '"NRC Main Menu."

For further information about options available for NRC at FedWorld, consult the "Help/Information Center" from the "NRC Main Menu." Users will find the "FedWorld Online User's Guides" particularly helpful. Many NRC subsystems and databases also have a "Help/Information Center" option that is tailored to the particular subsystem.

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The NRC subsystem on FedWorld can also be accessed by a direct-dial phone number for the main FedWorld BBS: 703-321-3339; Telnet via Internet: fedworld.gov (192.239.93.3); File Transfer Protocol (FTP) via lnternet:ftp:fedworld.gov (192.239.92.205); and World Wide Web using: http://www.fedworld.gov (this is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL)).

If using a method other than the toll-free number to contact FedWorld, access the NRC subsystem from the main FedWorld menu by selecting "F - Regulatory, Government Administration and State Systems," then selecting "A - Regulatory Information Mall." At that point, a menu will be displayed that has an option "A - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission" that will take you to the NRC Online Main Menu. You can also go directly to the NRC Online area by typing "/go nrc" at a FedWorld command line. If you access NRC from FedWorld's Main Menu, then you may return to FedWorld by selecting the "Return to FedWorld" option from the NRC Online Main Menu. However, if you access NRC at FedWorld by using NRC's toll-free number, then you will have full access to all NRC systems, but you will not have access to the main FedWorld system.

If you contact FedWorld using Telnet, you will see the NRC area and menus, including the Rules menu. Although you will be able to download documents and leave messages, you will not be able to write comments or upload files (comments). If you contact FedWorld using FTP, all files can be accessed and downloaded but uploads are not allowed; all you will see is a list of files without descriptions (normal Gopher look). An index file listing all files within a subdirectory, with descriptions, is included. There is a 15-minute time limit for FTP access.

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Although FedWorld can be accessed through the World Wide Web, like FTP that mode only provides access for downloading files and does not display the NRC Rules menu.

You may also access the NRC's interactive rulemaking web site through the NRC home page (http://www.nrc.gov). This site provides the same access as the FedWorld bulletin board, including the facility to upload comments as files (any format), if your web browser supports that function.

For more information on NRC bulletin boards, call Mr. Arthur Davis, Systems Integration and Development Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Telephone:

301-415-5780; e-mail: AXD3@nrc.gov. For information about the interactive rulemaking site, contact Ms. Carol Gallagher, (301) 415-621 5; e-mail CAG@nrc.gov.

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 50 Antitrust, Classified information, Criminal penalties, Fire protection, Intergovernmental relations, Nuclear power plants and reactors, Radiation protection, Reactor siting criteria, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, and 5 U. S. C. 553, the NRC proposes to adopt the following amendments to 10 CFR Part

50.

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PART 50--DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION FACILITIES 1. The authority citation for Part 50 continues to read as follows:

AUTHORITY: Secs. 102, 103, 104, 105, 161, 182, 183, 186, 189, 68 Stat. 936, 937, 938, 94J3!_ 953, 954, 955, 956, as amended, sec. 234, 83 Stat. 1244, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2132, 2133, 2134, 2135, 2201, 2232, 2233, 2236, 2239, 2282); secs. 201, as amended, 202, 206, 88 Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244, 1246 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5846).

Section 50. 7 also issued under Pub. L.95-601, sec. 10, 92 Stat. 2951 (42 U.S.C.

5851 ). Section 50.10 also issued under secs. 101, 185, 68 Stat. 955 as amended (42 U.S.C. 2131, 2235), sec. 102, Pub. L.91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332). Sections 50.13, and 50.54(dd), and 50.103 also issued under sec. 108, 68 Stat. 939, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2138). Sections 50.23, 50.35, 50.55, and 50.56 also issued under sec. 185, 68 Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C. 2235). Sections 50.33a, 50.55a and Appendix Q also issued under sec. 102, Pub. L.91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332). Sections 50.34 and 50.54 also issued under sec. 204, 88 Stat. 1245 (42 U.S.C. 5844). Sections 50.58, 50.91, and 50.92 also issued under Pub. L.97-415, 96 Stat. 2073 (42 U.S.C. 2239).

Section 50. 78 also issued under sec. 122, 68 Stat. 939 (42 U.S.C. 2152). Sections 50.80 - 50.81 also issued under sec. 184, 68 Stat. 954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2234).

Appendix F also issued under sec. 187, 68 Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C 2237).

2. In § 50.2, the definition of safety-related structures. systems. and components is revised to read as follows:

§ 50.2 Definitions.

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Safety-related structures, systems, and components means those structures, systems, and components that are relied upon to remain functional during and following design basis events to assure:

( l) The integrity of the reactor coolant gr~ssure boundary; (2) The capability to shut down the reactor and maintain it in a safe shutdown condition; or (3) The capability to prevent or mitigate the consequences of accidents which could result in potential offsite exposures comparable to the applicable guideline exposures set forth in § 50.34(a)(1) or § 100.11 of this chapter, as applicable.

3. In § 50.49, paragraph (b)(1 )(i)(B) is revised to read as follows:

§ 50.49 Environmental qualification of electric equipment important to safety for nuclear power plants.

(b)

( 1 )

(i)

(B) The capability to shut down the reactor and maintain it in a safe shutdown condition; or 7

4. In § 50.65, paragraph (bl( 1) is revised to read as follows:

§ 50.65 Requirements for monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance at nuclear power plants.

(b)

( 1) Safety-related structures, systems, and components that are relied upon to remain functional during and following design basis events to ensure the integrity of the reactor coolant pressure boundary, the capability to shut down the reactor and maintain it in a safe shutdown condition, or the capability to prevent or mitigate the consequences of accidents that could result in potential offsite exposure comparable to the guidelines in

§ 50.34(a)( 1) or § 100.11 of this chapter, as applicable.

el Dated at Rockville, MD, thisS::::-day of~ 1997.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

llan, irector for Operations.

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From:

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Date:

Subject:

Adria, Carol Gallagher WNDI.WNP2.ATB1 9/9/97 2:37pm Published Rulemakings Two rulemakings were published in the Federal Register in the past few days: the first was a proposed rule on Electronic FOIA; Implementation published 9/5/97 -- the second was a direct final/proposed rule on Safety-Related Structures, Systems and Components published on 9/8/97.

Please send me copies of any comment letters you may receive on these rulemakings.

Thanks, Carol Gallagher