ML25196A290
| ML25196A290 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/18/1977 |
| From: | Bender M Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Hendrie J NRC/Chairman |
| References | |
| Download: ML25196A290 (1) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS WASHINGTON, 0. C. 20555 Honorable Joseph M. Hendrie Chairrran November 18, 1977 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comnission Washington, DC 20555
SUBJECT:
REPORT ON 'fifE SKAGIT NUCLEAR PCMER ProJECl', UNITS l AND 2
Dear Dr. Hendrie:
During its 211th meeting, November 3-5, 1977, the Advisory Corrmittee on Reactor Safeguards conpleted its review of the application of the Puget Sound Power and Light Company, the Pacific Power and Light Corrpany, the Washington Water Power Corrpany, and the Portland General Electric Compa-ny (the Applicants) for a permit to construct the Skagit Nuclear Power Project, Units l and 2. The Puget Sound Power and Light Corrpany will be responsible for the design, construction, and operation of the station.
The application was reviewed at a Subcorrmittee meeting in Seattle, Wash-ington on Septellber 30, 1977. A visit was made to the*site by Subcom-mittee nembers on August 30, 1976. Regional tectonics and matters pertaining to the seismicity of the Skagit site were discussed at Sub-committee neetings on September 1-2, 1977 in San Francisco, California, on October 27-28, 1977 in Portland, Oregon, and during the 209th meeting, September 8-10, 1977. During its review, the Comnittee had the benefit of discussions with members of the Nuclear Regulatory Comnission Staff (NRC Staff), and with representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),
of the Applicants, the Bechtel Power Corporation and the General Electric Corrpany.
The Comnittee also had the benefit of the documents listed and of participation by nembers of the public.
The Skagit Nuclear Power Project includes two 3800 MWt boiling water reactors of the BWR-6 type, each housed in a Mark III containment. The design of the Skagit Nuclear Power Project is similar to that of the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 and the River Bend Station, Units 1 and 2, on which the Committee reported in its letters of May 15, 1974 and January 14, 1975, respectively.
The NSSS for the Skagit plant is similar to but not identical to the GESSAR-251 reference design. Because of differences in the designs and because GESSAR-251 had not received Preliminary Design Approval when the Skagit application was submitted, the NRC Staff made a custom review of the Skagit plant. The Committee reported on GESSAR-251 in its letter of December 17, 1976.
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Honorable Joseph M. Hendrie 2 -
November 18, 1977 The plant will be located in Skagit County in northwestern Washington, ap-proximately 60 miles north of Seattle, Washington and 37 miles southeast of Bellingham, Washington.
The site consists of 1500 acres of land on the north side of the Skagit River Valley in the forested western foothills of the Northern Cascade Mountains. The minimum exclusion area boundary distance is 1,980 feet. The low population zone has a radius of 4 miles and includes a population of 1,563 (1970 Census). The nearest center of population is Mt. Vernon, Washington, which had a population of 8,532 in 1970 and is 9.5 miles from the plant.
In view of statements made by the NRC Staff and the USGS, information presented by the Applicants, and opinions provided by AC.RS consultants, the Comnittee believes that horizontal ground accelerations of 0.35g for the safe shutdown earthquake and 0.175g for the operating basis earth-quake, comnitted to by the Applicants, are acceptable.
The NRC Staff has identified a number of safety items which will require resolution before issuance of a Construction Permit. These matters should be resolved in a manner satisfactory to the NRC Staff. The Conmittee be-lieves these items can be resolved prior to the issuance of a Construction Permit.
With regard to the generic problBrns listed in the Comnittee's report, "Status of Generic Items Relating to Light-Water Reactors - Report No. 6,"
dated November 15, 1977 items considered relevant to the Skagit Nuclear Power Project are: II-4, SA, SB, 6, 7, 9, 10; IIAc-4; IIB-2, 3, 4; IIC-1, 2, 3A, 3B, 5, 6; IID-1, 2. These problems should be dealt with by the NRC Staff and the Applicants as solutions are found.
The Advisory Comnittee on Reactor Safeguards believes that if due consid-eration is given to the foregoing, the Skagit Nuclear Project, Units 1 and 2 can be constructed with reasonable assurance that they can be operated without undue risk to the health and safety of the public.
1561 Sincerely yours, M. Bender Chairman
Honorable Joseph November 18, 1977 References
- 1.
Puget Sound Power and Light Conpany:
"Preliminary Safety Analysis Report for Skagit Nuclear Power Project, Units 1 and 2" with Anendments 1-18 and Supplements 1-18.
- 2.
U.s. Nuclear Regulatory Comnission:
"Safety Evaluation Report by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Related to the Puget Sound Power and Light Conpany Construction of Skagit Nuclear Power Project, Units 1 and 2, Docket Nos. STN 50-522 and STN 50-523,"
NUREG-0309, dated September, 1977.
- 3.
E. s. Cheney, "Interim Report on the Seismic and Geologic Hazards to the Proposed Skagit Power Site, Sedro Wooley, Washington," Revision of October, 1977, unpublished manuscript.
- 4.
Letter from Roger M. Leed to Dr. s. H. Bush, concerning the seismic potential for the Skagit site, dated November 1, 1977.
- 5.
Letter from faculty members in the Earth Sciences at the University of Washington, as signed on letter, to the u. s. Geological Survey and the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comnission, concerning the need for :roore detailed geological maps of the Skagit site, dated November 2, 1977.
- 6.
Letter from D. B. Vassallo, Assistant Director for Light Water Reactors, Division of Project Management, to Mr. Myer Bender, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, concerning NRC Staff position on Skagit seismic design, dated November 15, 1977.
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