ML25196A194
| ML25196A194 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/10/1977 |
| From: | Bender M Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Rowden M NRC/Chairman |
| References | |
| Download: ML25196A194 (1) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 June 10, 1977 Honorable Marcus A. Rowden Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555
Subject:
REPORT ON ACRS ACTIVITIES:
MARCH - APRIL - MAY 1977
Dear Mr. Rowden:
In your letter to me of April 11, 1977 you suggested that is would be helpful for the ACRS to provide a brief status report on matters which the Committee believed to be deserving of the attention of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
This is intended to be the first such report and deals with Committee review activities which are thought to be of special interest, with the status of recent ACRS activities related to generic matters, and with the Committee's expected workload for the near future.
It is expected that a report such as this will be provided to you as the basis for discussion at future ACRS-NRC meetings and more frequently as considered appropriate.
ACRS REVIEW ACTIVITIES Floating Nuclear Plant The Liquid Pathways Generic Study was last considered by the Committee at its April 1977 meeting.
At that time suggestions were made to include fur-ther evaluation of particle size distribution, steam explosions, and the effect of currents and tidal action on ocean dispersion.
More recent in-formation indicates that these matters are being given increased attention by the Applicant and Staff.
It is apparent to the Committee that both the extent of the work program and the ultimate content of the study need fur-ther definition because the nature and extent of the problem are ~till being formulated by the Applicant and Staff, as well as by the ACRS.
- Hence, more than one meeting on this subject will probably be required to complete review of this matter.
Diablo Canyon The adequacy of the seismic design spectra and structural responses is still an open item.
Several comments and questions which have been raised 2789
Honorable Marcus June 10, 1977 in these areas were transmitted to the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation following the Committee's November 1976 meeting.
These comments have been transmitted to the Applicant for evaluation and a limited internal Staff evaluation is also being performed.
The ACRS prefers to review the site seismicity and the structural evaluation methods concurrently, since these topics are not readily separable.
It appears at this time that several additional meetings will be necessary to complete review of this matter.
GENERIC MATTERS Regulatory Guide 1.1.20 - "Fire Protection Guidelines for Nuclear Power Plants" This Guide was issued for public comment in June 1976.
Revision 1 was made publicly available in April 1977 following two meetings of the ACRS' Working Group on Regulatory Activities and receipt of numerous comments from members of the public.
During a review of Revision 1 at the April 1977 meeting of the Working Group, several participants expressed the opin-ion that, in its current form, the Guide does not provide sufficient guid-ance to applicants.
The Branch Technical Position, although perhaps too diffuse does give information of use for evaluating the adequacy of fire protection provisions for specific cases.
A discussion of the Guide is now expected at the July 1977 Working Group Meeting.
NUREG 0170 - "Final Environmental Statement on Transportation of Radio-active Material by Air and Other Modes" The ACRS was requested to keep informed of the rulemaking proceedings re-lating to the transporation of radioactive materials by air and other modes.
To this end, a Subcommittee met on February 24, 1977 to review the final draft of NUREG 0170.
At that meeting the members of the Sub-committee, the consultants to the Subcommittee, and members of the public offered numerous comments on this report and recommended that further com-ments from the public be sought before it was published.
The ACRS has learned recently that a proposal has been made to publish NUREG 0170 with relatively few changes from the draft and to terminate the rulemaking proceedings.
In view of these actions, the ACRS seeks guidance regarding what is expected of it by the Commission.
Reliability Studies The Committee has recently (March 15, 1977) written to the Executive Director of Operations asking that studies be made of the reliability 2790
Honorable Marcus June 10, 1977 of the typical minimum configuration allowed for Station Service Water Sys-tems and any alternate backup systems (i.e., the systems vital to continued core cooling during shutdown), of the probability of loss of all AC power as a function of duration, and of the reliability of typical minimum DC power supply arrangements.
The requests also included evaluation of the capability of nuclear plants to withstand such power losses and of the possibilities for significant improvements.
More recently (May 12, 1977) additional memoranda were sent to the Acting Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation on the subject of the reliability of DC power supplies; one dealt with concerns expressed by Com-mittee members following a presentation on Three Mile Island Unit 2, the second transmitted comments by an ACRS consultant on this subject.
A memorandum was received from the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation on April 4, 1977 indicating that auxiliary system and power supply relia-bility have been added to the list of technical studies of a generic nature.
Priorities and schedules for resolution by the NRC Staff are yet to be set.
Low-Level Waste Burial On April 9, 1977 a Subcommittee of the ACRS reviewed a report (NUREG 0127) which had been prepared by a NRC Task Force to assess the status of existing commercial shallow burial sites for low-level radioactive solid waste.
The Subcommittee's comments, which were provided to the NRC Staff in a memo-randum to the Director of the Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety on April 12, 1977 stated that, although some Subcommittee participants believed that the Task Force had been responsive to its assignment, they also noted that it appeared that the Task Force needed to distinguish clearly between what is to be done about existing burial sites and the development of a plan for the future.
During the course of the Subcommittee review it appeared to some participants that the following courses of action should be considered:
(a) Develop criteria for shallow burial for applications to existing sites; (b) Study the several alternatives to determine if shallow land burial should be continued in future; and (c) Consider the need for readdressing the balance between Federal and State control.
2791
Honorable Marcus A. Rowden June 10, 1977 The Subcommittee also noted that the NRC Staff appears to be using the dose limits of 10 CFR Part 20 as a basis for judging the acceptability of cur-rent practices. It was suggested by some participants at the Subcommittee meeting that consideration should be given to the development of ALARA cri-teria for these applications.
Future meetings are planned.
Industrial Security/Safeguards The NRC Staff was asked, during the 205th ACRS meeting, to clarify the bases for decisions to withhold drawings and other descriptive materials which are related to plant security.
The NRC Staff was also asked to report on ac-tions being taken to resolve the issues raised in the SANDIA, BAO, and MITRE reports on industrial security and physical protection of nuclear facilities and materials.
The status of this work is undefined.
Review of Matters Involving Plutonium
- 1.
The Committee understands that reconsideration is being given to the need for the Safeguards supplement to the Generic Environmental State-ment - Mixed Oxide.
The Committee would like your comments and guidance regarding ACRS activities in this area.
- 2.
The ACRS has been engaged in the review of the CRBR and related safety questions applicable to the LMFBR concept.
There have been recent indications that the NRC Staff is curtailing or phasing out its review of the CRBR.
The ACRS in its April 11, 1977 letter to L. V. Gossick recommended that the NRC maintain 11a degree of competence... with respect to the safety and safeguards aspects of anticipated nuclear facilities and fuel cycles which are likely to come before the NRC and ACRS for review either as concepts or actual construction permit applications. 11 In this context your comments and guidance are requested concerning ACRS activities with respect to the CRBR.
- 3.
The Committee has been asked, by the Division of Fuel Cycle and Mater-ial Safety, to consider and comment on the approach being used in an-alysis and evaluation of the effects of natural phenomena on existing plutonium fabrication facilities.
Review of the first such facility is expected to concern the Babcock and Wilcox Co. plant at Leechburg, Pa.; the review is expected to begin in the fall of this year.
Your guidance regarding ACRS participation in this effort is desired.
2792
Honorable Marcus June 10, 1977 Emergency Planning A Subcommittee of the ACRS met on April 14 & 15, 1977 with the NRC staff and representatives of EPA, ERDA and other interested Federal and State agencies to discuss the current status of emergency planning.
Some participants at the Subcommittee meeting suggested the need for a 11master11 plan for develop-ing Federal, State and Local capabilities in emergency planning and an asso-
- ciated schedule for its implementation.
Also suggested was the development of a planning basis accident for guidance in emergency plans and representa-tive 11 scenarios 11 against which State and Local plans can be tested.
Addi-tional Subcommittee meetings on this subject are planned.
LWR Siting The Siting Evaluation Subcommittee met on April 28, 1977 to discuss with the NRC Staff their progress with respect to the review of current NRC siting policies.
Subcommittee participants suggested that the NRC Staff clearly distinguish those aspects of this activity related to reassessment of siting policies vs. those related to the reassessment of methods for the implementa-tion of these policies.
Further meetings on this subject are planned.
Reactor Safety Study A Working Group of the ACRS met with the Director of the Division of Reactor Safety Research to discuss actions taken since issuance of the Final Reactor Safety Study Report.
The NRC Staff is performing further evaluations of pub-lic commentary regarding WASH-1400 and is considering the use of reliability methodology.
The ACRS Working Group is maintaining a dialogue with the Of-fice of Nuclear Regulatory Research on this matter and additional meetings are planned to continue the Committee's consideration of the WASH-1400 meth-odology..
ECCS Evaluation Models The Committee suggested to the EDO, by a memo dated April 18, 1977 that it would like to discuss with the NRC Staff criteria to be used in applying re-sults of current R&D programs to any reduction in safety margins, prior to such application.
Timely Availability of Review Material In two recent instances (e.g., NUREG 0170 and Regulatory Guide 1.120) mater-ial which was to be considered by an ACRS Subcommittee was not available 2793
Honorable Marcus June 10, 1977 for public use in sufficient time to provide an adequate opportunity for public comment - according to members of the interested public themselves.
In view of these comments, the NRC Staff may wish to review their proced-ures regarding the provision of opportunity for public comment following major revisions.
ACRS ANTICIPATED WORKLOAD 207TH ACRS MEETING JULY 14-16, 1977 Project Reports Black Fox 1 & 2 (CP)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report San Joaquin (Site)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report Fluor-Pioneer (BOP)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report 2794 6/10/77 6/30/77 7/21/77 6/10/77 6/24/77 7/21/77 6/10/77 6/28/77 7/21/77
Honorable Marcus 208TH ACRS MEETING AUGUST 11-13, 1977 Project Reports Shearon Harris (CP)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report BSAR-205 (STD)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report Skagit 1 & 2 (CP)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report AN0-2 (OL)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report AGS (CP)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report
- To Be Scheduled.
2795 6/30/77 8/18/77 7/8/77 7/26/77 8/18/77 7/8/77 8/18/77 7/8/77 8/18/77 7/8/77 8/18/77 June 10, 1977
Honorable Marcus 209TH ACRS MEETING SEPTEMBER 8-10, 1977 Project Reports Diablo Canyon 1 & 2 (0L) 0NRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report Greene County (CP) 0NRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report Pebble Springs 1 & 2 (CP) 0NRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report Sequoyah 1 & 2 (0L) 0NRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report Pilgrim 2 (CP)
ONRR Safety Evaluation Report ACRS Subcommittee Meeting ACRS Report
- To Be Scheduled.
2796 June 10, 1977 8/1/77 9/15/77 8/1/77 9/15/77 8/1/77 9/15/77 8/1/77 9/15/77 8/1/77 9/15/77
Honorable Marcus June 10, 1977 Although the last two months would represent a somewhat crowded calendar if no relaxation occurred, the Committee has observed that the predictions provided for ACRS reviews tend to be somewhat optimistic.
You may also recall that the Committee received a communication from then-Chairman Anders dated January 13, 1976 outlining several requests for spec-ial reports, including work related to plant and process design and operating features and practices for the prevention and mitigation of the consequences of acts of sabotage against reactors and fuel cycle activities, and work re-lated to the overall program for long-term nuclear waste management.
In addition to its own evaluation, the Committee has let itself be guided by the January 13, 1976 letter and other requests from the NRC in establishing its priorities and focusing its review efforts and will continue to do so in the absence of other guidance.
Further, it should be noted that the Committee is also anticipating a possi-ble request for an annual report to the Congress on the Reactor Safety Re-search program.
Working Groups, etc., have been organized to undertake this task; at the present time, the impact of the research review on the overall ACRS workload cannot be predicted.
Sincerely,
/s/ M. Bender M. Bender Chairman 2797