NRC Generic Letter 1992-03
+4^°t UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 March 19, 1992 TO: ALL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT APPLICANTS AND LICENSEES
SUBJECT: COMPILATION OF THE CURRENT LICENSING BASIS: REQUEST FOR VOLUNTARY
PARTICIPATION IN PILOT PROGRAM (GENERIC LETTER 92-03)
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this letter to solicit the industry's participation in a voluntary pilot program to assess the advantages and disadvantages of compiling the current licensing basis (CLB).
We request that only interested applicants and licensees respond to this letter. In issuing this letter, the NRC is imposing no new requirements or staff positions.
BACKGROUND
The concept of the CLB was first introduced in the regulations, 10 CFR 50.54(f), as a result of considerations in the development of the NRC's backfit rule. The CLB again became an issue in the Commission's deliberations on extending the licenses for plants beyond the original contemplated design life. In 1991, the Commission adopted the plant life extension rule, 10 CFR Part 54, which became effective on January 13, 1992. A definition of CLB was set forth in Section 54.3. Although set out in Part. 54, that definition represents the staff's understanding of the scope of the CLB and should be applicable to all reactor licensees.
To further understand the advantages and disadvantages of compiling the CLB,
the Commission has directed the NRC staff to solicit the industry's participation in a pilot program in which a small number of representative'
licensees would voluntarily compile their CLB and advise the NRC on the effort. As part of the pilot program, the staff would assess the usefulness of the compilation with respect to the NRC's regulatory activities.
The proposed effort also relates to the industry's effort to implement design basis reconstitution. Although these programs should include reconstituting that portion of the CLB relating to the design, they do not address a significant portion of the CLB, including programmatic areas such as quality assurance, training, and maintenance.
Although compiling the CLB may require a significant amount of resources, the staff expects that the licensee will thereby reduce the resources it will need to devote in the future to (1) conducting document searches needed to support regulatory oversight, (2) filing license amendment requests, (3) making changes pursuant to Section 50.59, and (4) evaluating backfits pursuant to Section 50.109.
1A representative sample might include (1) a facility that was licensed in the early 1970s, (2) several facilities that were licensed between 1975 and 1985, and (3) a facility licensed within the last 5 years.
9203190187 >
GL 92-03 - 2- March 19, 1992 Pilot Program Participation Participation in the pilot program is voluntary.
participate should respond within 60 days of the Licensees wishing to Although the licensees volunteering need not providedate of this letter.
this time, the staff desires to complete the pilot details and schedules at a reasonable time. program compilation within The licensee may choose to compile the CLB as a single set of documents in one location or by a system which documents that can be retrieved easily from several provides a reference to should select an approach, scope, and format that locations. Volunteers will If the staff finds sufficient interest among licensees be most useful to them.
matters, it will conduct a workshop with those considering on these or other participating.
The staff anticipates that licensees will use the participation in the pilot program. During this CLB during their conduct audits with the participants to determine time, the NRC staff will compiled CLB. The fees for this audit will not be the usefulness of the under 10 CFR Part 170, but will be included in the collected from participants
10 CFR Part 171. In addition, where the licensee general base fee under failure to meet a licensing commitment which could identifies a non-willful enforcement action, it is our intent to exercise subject the licensee to provided the licensee has taken prompt corrective enforcement discretion, provisions in the enforcement policy for non-cited action consistent with the violations.
significant violations will be handled on a case-by-case More basis.
If there are any questions on this matter or or participating in a workshop, please contactyouthehave an interest in attending NRR licensing project manager. Licensees who wish Technical Contact or your program should address their responses to the attentionto participate in the pilot Control Desk. of the NRC Document This request is covered by Office of Management and Budget Clearance Number
3150-0011, which expires May 31, 1994. The estimated hours is 10 person hours for each licensee's response, average number of burden to assess the request and to respond to the generic including those needed the average number of burden hours pertains only letter. This estimate of related matters and does not include the time neededto the identified response- Comments on the accuracy of this estimate and suggestions to develop the CLB.
may be directed to Ronald Minsk, Office of Information to reduce the burden
(3150-0011), NEOB-3019, Office of Management and and Regulatory Affairs Budget,
20503, and to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
Management Branch (MNBB-7714), Division of Information Information and Records Office of Information and Resources Management, Washington, Support Services, DC 20555.
GL 92-03 - 3 - March 19, 1992 Since the generic letter does not contain any new or revised regulatory requirements, the Backfit Rule, 10 CFR 50.109, does not apply.
- Sincerely, Jimes G. Partlow, Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
D. Wigginton, NRR
(301) 504-1301 Enclosure: LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED GENERIC LETTERS
List of Recently Issued Generic Date of Generic Letters Letter No. Subject Issuance ____
atiueid Ta _-Z
92-01 REACTOR VESSEL STRUCTURAL 03/06/92 ALL HOLDERS OF OP
REVISION I INTEGRITY, 1OCFR50.54(f) LICENSES ORCONST.
PERHITS FORNUCLEAR
PWR PLANTS (EXCEPT
YANKEE ATOMIC FOR
92-02 RESOLUTION OF GENERIC 03/06/92 ALL HOLDERS OF OP
ISSUE 79, 'UNANALYZED REACTOR LICENSES OF CONST.
VESSEL (PWR) THERMAL STRESS PERMITS FOR PWRs DURING NATURAL CONVECTION
COOLDOWN
92-01 REACTOR VESSEL STRUCTURAL NOTISSUED ALL HOLDERS OF OP
INTEGRITY, lOCFR50.54(f) LICENSES OR CONST.
PERMITS FORNUCLEAR
PWR PLANTS (EXCEPT
YANKEE ATOMIC FOR
- 89-10 CONSIDERATION OF VALVE 02/14/92 ALL LICENSEES OF OP
SUPPLEMENT 4 NISPOSITIONING IN BWRs NUCPWRPLANTS AND
HOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION
PERMITS ORPWR PLANTS
- NOTE: 89-10 Supp. 4, Accession No. 9202070037 has been changed to 9202250311.
$801 NRCPOSITION ONINTER- 02/04/92 ALL LICENSEES OF OP
SUPPLEMENT 1 GRANULAR STRESS CORROSION BWRs A HOLDERS OF
CRACKING (165CC) IN tWR CONST. PERMITS FOR
AUSTENITIC STAINLESS BWRs STEEL PIPING
91-19 INFO TO LICENSEES RE: NEW 12/19/91 ALL HOLDERS OF OP
TELEPHONE NOS. AT NRC LICENSES ORCONST.
WHITE FLINT NORTH BLDG. PERMITS FORNPRs
91-18 INFO TO LICENSEES RE TWO 11/07/91 ALL NUCLEAR PWR
NRCINSP MANUAL SECTIONS REACTOR LICENSEES
ONRESOLUTION OFDEGRADED AND APPLICANTS
ANDNONCONFORMING CONDITIONS
AliD ONOPERABILITY
91-17 GENERIC SAFETY ISSUE 29, 10/17/91 ALL HOLDERS OF OP
- BOLTING DEGRADATION OR LICENSES ORCONST
FAILURE IN NUCLEAR POWER PERMITS FOR NUCLEAR
PLANTS' POWER PLANTS
91-16 LICENSED OPERATORS' AND 10/03/91 HOLDERS OPLIC OR
OTHER NUCLEAR FACILITY CONSTR. PERMITS FOR
PERSONNEL FITNESS FORDUTY NUCPWR/IPRs AND ALL
LICENSED OPERATORS
& SENIOR OPERATORS
GL 92-03 - 3 - March 19, 1992 Since the generic letter does not contain any new or revised regulatory requirements, the Backfit Rule, 10 CFR 50.109, does not apply.
Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED:
James G. Partlow, Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
D. Wigginton, NRR
(301) 504-1301 Enclosure:
List of Recently Issued Generic Letters DISTRIBUTION:
Central File MVirgil io NRC PDR BBoger FMiraglia PD4-1 Reading PNoonan JPartlow DWigginton CRossi CBerlinger JLarkins JLieberman Reviewed by J.Main, Technical Editor, on February 12, 1992
- C aa nvuiniic rnnV iS rrSn c OFC LA:PD4-1 _ PM:D I* D:PD4-1* lAD:DRPW45* D:DRPW*
NAME PNoonan DW Mgnton JLarkins MVirgilio BBoger DATE 3/ /92 13/1;/92 3/ /92 1/14/92 1/14/92 OFC DOEA* OE* ADP:JNRR*j-y DD:NRR OGC*
NAME CRossi JLieberman JPartlow FMirag_ _ _Y
D 1/22/92 2/13/92 j3/12/92 i-J%4k
-3//192 3/&I 992 Document Name: CBLcomp.GL
-3- If there are any questions on this matter or you have an interest in attending or participating in a workshop, please contact the Technical Contact or your NRR licensing project manager. Licensees who wish to participate in the pilot program should address their responses to the attention of the NRC Document Control Desk.
This request is covered by Office of Management and Budget Clearance Number
3150-0011, which expires May 31, 1994. The estimated average number of burden hours is 10 person hours for each licensee's response, including those needed to assess the request and to respond to the generic letter. This estimate of the average number of burden hours pertains only to the identified response- related matters and does not include the time needed to develop the CLB. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information and Records Management Branch, Division of Information Support Services, Office of Information Resources Management, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, and to the Paperwork Reduction Project
(3150-0011), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, NEOB-3019, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503.
Since the generic letter does not contain any new or revised regulatory requirements, the Backfit Rule, 10 CFR 50.109, does not apply.
Sincerely, James G. Partlow, Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulati
Technical Contact:
D. Wigginton, NRR
(301) 504-1301 Enclosure:
List of Recently I.ssued Generic Letters DISTRIBUTION:
Central File MVirgilio NRC PDR BBoger FMiraglia PD4-1 Reading PNoonan JPartlow DWigginton CRossi CBerlinger JLarkins JLieberman Reviewed by J.Mai Technical Editor, on February 12, 1992 See nrovinn-,
- _ww w. ,.vv_ _v. cnricurrence OFC LA:PD4-,nd [ PM:PD-'1' D:PD4-14 AD:DRPW45* D:DRPW*
NAME PNoonan tI DWij nton JLarkins MYirgilio BBoger DATE 3/11 /92 34, /92 3/ /92 - 1/14/92 1/14/92
-.- r i .I~
. r T V ,
IkiA
OFC DOFA* Y OE* ADP:NRR U DD: NRR OGGVn A0 MS
-. __.
f _ ...._. -- .. ---;_1 NAME CRo Si /II JLieberman I JPartlIw \ FMiraglia HI -
t 4ev DATE 1/22/92 12/13/92 13/12,/92 3/ /92 3/it,/92 Document Name: CBLcomp.GL
- 3 -
Since the generic letter does not contain any new or revised regulatory requirements, the Backfit Rule, 10 CFR 50.109, does not apply.
Sincerely, James G. Partlow, Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
D. Wigginton, NRR
(301) 504-1301 Enclosure:
List of Recently Issued Generic Letters DISTRIBUTION:
Central File MVirgilio NRC PDR BBoger FMiraglia PD4-1 Reading PNoonan JPartlow DWigginton CRossi CBerlinger JLarkins JLieberman Reviewed by J.Main, Technical Editor, on February 12, 1992
- See previous concurrence OFC LA:PD4-14O, PM: P l! D:PD4-1* AD:DRPW45* D:DRPW*
NAME PNoonan DWigg on JLarkins MVirgilio BBoger DATE 3/Ik/92I3 1 92 3/ /92 1/14/92 1/14/92 OFC DOEA OE* }ADP:NRR* DD:NRR OGC
U_____O__
NAME CRossi JLieberman JPartlow FMiraglia DATE 1/22/92 / 2/13/92 3/12/92 3/ /92 3/1192 Document Name: 1 BLcomp.GL
I
- 3 -
Services, Office of Information Resources Management, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, and to the Paperwork Reduction Project
(3150-0011), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, NEOB-3019, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503.
Since the generic letter does not contain any new or revised regulatory requirements, the Backfit Rule, 10 CFR 50.109, does not apply.
Sincerely, James G. Partlow, Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor egulation
Technical Contact:
D. Wigginton, NRR
(301) 504-1301 Enclosure:
List of Recently Issued Generic Letters DISTRIBUTION:
Central File MVirgilio NRC PDR
FMiraglia PD4-1 Reading PNoonan JPartlow DWigginton CRossi CBerlinger JLarkins JLieberman BBoger Reviewed by J.M n, Technical Editor, on February 12, 1992
- Can mrwimlic BF.
D' -1 ecus tfnr
-V icurrence OFC lLA: PD4 - Q l PM:V 1 - lD: PD4-1 lAD:DRPW45* lD:DRPW* l NAME PNoonan DWi' nton nsMVirgilio BBoger DATE 2/0/92 2/V 92 2/y3/92 1/14/92 j1/14/92 I -- II
nFC nnFA* ADP:NRR DD:NRR
NAME CRossi erman JPartlow FMiraglia DATE 1/22/92 j/f /92 2/ /92 2/ /92 Document Name: CBLcomp.GL
DISTRIBUTION:
Central File MVirgi io FMiraglia PD4-1 Reading JPartlow DWigginton CBerlinger JLarkins NRC PDR Ptoonan CRossi JLieberman BBoger Reviewed by J main q71 Technical Editor, on 2)12k2.
- Cpp nIEc nwattimic rnnolrrant OFC LA:PD4-1 PM:PD4-1 D:PD4-1 AD:DRPW45* D:DRPW*
NAME PNoonan DWigginton JLarkins MVirgilio BBoger DATE 2/ /92 2/ /92 2/ /92 1/14/92 1/14/92 a I
nFC ppFA* OF ADP:NRR DD: NRR
NAME CRossi JLieberman JPartlow FMiraglia
/
DATE 1/22/92 2/ /92 2/ /92 2/ /92 J
Document Name: CBLcomp.GL2