NRC Generic Letter 1993-01

NRC Generic Letter 1993-001: Emergency Response Data System Test Program

ML031070216
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Washington Public Power Supply System, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Clinch River
Issue date:	03/03/1993
From:	Partlow J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
GL-93-001, NUDOCS 9302240242
Download: ML031070216 (7)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 March 3, 1993 TO: ALL HOLDERS OF OPERATING LICENSES OR CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR

NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS, EXCEPT FOR BIG ROCK POINT AND FACILITIES

PERMANENTLY OR INDEFINITELY SHUT DOWN

SUBJECT: EMERGENCY RESPONSE DATA SYSTEM TEST PROGRAM

(GENERIC LETTER 93-01)

PURPOSE

to The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this generic letter presently recommend a schedule to addressees for efficiently accomplishing the required quarterly testing of the Emergency Response Data System (ERDS), using available telephone lines. The NRC is also issuing this generic letter to of recommend an acceptable testing program to addressees, based on experience both the industry and the NRC in setting up ERDS.

BACKGROUND

On August 21, 1989, the NRC issued Generic Letter 89-15, 'Emergency Response Data System," to inform licensees and applicants about the voluntary efforts that certain licensees were taking to implement the ERDS and to solicit the participation of all applicable licensees and applicants in the ERDS program.

ERDS is a direct near real-time electronic data link between computer data systems used by licensees of operating reactors and the NRC Operations Center upon declaring an emergency classified as an alert or higher. Subsequently, on October 9, 1990, the NRC published a proposed rule in the Federal Reaister

(55 FR 41095) that would require licensees and applicants to participate in the ERDS program and to establish a schedule for its implementation.

On August 13, 1991, after considering public comments on the proposed rule, the NRC published the final rule in the Federal- Register (56 FR 40178). This final rule amended Part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations

(10 CFR Part 50) to require licensees to provide hardware and software with specific characteristics to interface with the NRC receiving system

(10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section VI, Paragraph 2). The amended Part 50

also requires licensees to test, maintain, and implement the ERDS

(10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section VI, Paragraphs 1, 3, and 4, respectively). Finally, the amended Part 50 requires licensees to activate the ERDS in the event of an emergency, classified as an alert or higher

(10 CFR 50.72(a)(4)).

The program that has been followed by industry for the past several years in setting up the ERDS system is documented in 'Emergency Response Data System (ERDS) Implementation," NUREG-1394, Revision 1, June 1991. This document NRCis referenced in a footnote of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E,Section VI. The staff recommendations in this generic letter are based on this experience.

REURN TO PSEUlAT AY Crt~A ElliS

Generic Letter 93-01 - 2- March 3, 1993 REQUESTED ACTIONS

This generic letter is addressed to all facilities for which the final rule applies. This includes all licensed nuclear power reactor facilities, except Big Rock Point (which is exempt because its computer system does not have a sufficient number of parameters available for effective participation in the ERDS program) and those that are permanently or indefinitely shut down

(10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section VI, Paragraph 2).

Because the NRC can connect up to three plants simultaneously for testing EROS, the NRC staff has developed a schedule (Enclosure 1) to test the system efficiently. The NRC recommends, but does not require, that each addressee follow this schedule. Each addressee should arrange EROS testing with the NRC

Operations Center at (301) 492-4102. An NRC test monitor person will be available between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. eastern time on days scheduled for testing. The schedule is arranged by weeks of a calendar quarter, with the first week of a quarter taken to be the first entire work week (Monday to Friday) of the quarter. Scheduled test days that fall on Federal holidays will be rescheduled to Monday or Friday of the same week. Retesting may be scheduled and implemented on appropriate Mondays and Fridays per mutual agreement of the NRC and the licensee.

Based on experience of both the industry and the NRC, the NRC staff has developed a testing program that would demonstrate acceptable operation of EROS. The NRC recommends, but does not require, that each addressee use this testing program. The program consists of demonstrating the ability to

(1)establish a link with EROS, (2)transmit all parameters in the plant EROS

database for 2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> while meeting the requirements of the final rule, (3)

reconnect with EROS upon a loss of telephone connection, and (4)terminate the EROS link.

If an addressee chooses to test the EROS in a different manner, the addressee should document and retain in appropriate plant records a justification that the alternative program satisfies the final rule.

The EROS testing program will begin on April 1, 1993.

REPORTING REOUIREMENTS

The NRC will record the results of each test in the NRC Operations Center.

Following each test, the NRC will review the transmitted data and inform the licensee of any testing anomalies noted. The NRC does not expect applicable licensees and applicants to submit any report after a test. In the event that the NRC cannot perform the scheduled EROS test within the quarter, NRC will

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Generic Letter 93-01 - 3- March 3, 1993 communicate and document this to the affected licensee(s). No written reply is required in response to this generic letter.

BACKFIT DISCUSSION

The final rule requires each licensee and applicant to test the ERDS each quarter. In this generic letter, the staff recommends but does not require (or seek to impose) an ERDS testing schedule and procedure to implement the testing required by the rule. Because the staff recommendations are voluntary in nature, this action is not considered to be a backfit under NRC procedures.

The recommended test schedule is designed to efficiently use limited facilities at the NRC Operations Center. The recommended elements of the testing program are based on the experience of both industry and the NRC in setting up the ERDS system during the past several years, as documented in NUREG-1394, Revision 1. The recommended program should enable the licensee or applicant to successfully test the ERDS with a minimum of inconvenience and yet with sufficient detail to ensure satisfactory performance of EROS.

A notice of opportunity for public comment was published in the Federal Register on August 20, 1992. Comments were received from seven licensed utilities, one industry organization, and one State agency. Copies of two documents containing the staff evaluation of these comments have been made available in the public Document Room (Accession Numbers 9210210136 and

9211040117).

The information collection contained in this request is covered by Office of Management and Budget Clearance Number 3150-0011, which expires June 30, 1994.

The estimated average number of burden hours is 4 person hours for each licensee's response (for each unit) each calendar quarter. This estimate of the average number of burden hours pertains to the requested action. Comments on the accuracy of this estimate and suggestions to reduce the burden may be directed to Ronald Minsk, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

(3150-0011), NEOB-3019, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C.

20503, and to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Information and Records Management Branch (MNBB 7714), Division of Information Support Services, Office of Information and Resources Management, Washington, D.C. 20555.

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Generic Letter 93-01 - 4- March 3, 1993 If you have any questions about this matter, please contact John Jolicoeur, Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data, NRC, or your project manager in this office.

Sincerely, Jaes G. Partlow As ociate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Enclosures: I

1. EROS Quarterly Test Schedule

2. List of Recently Issued Generic Letters TECHNICAL

CONTACT

John Jolicoeur, AEOD

(301) 492-4155 LEAD PROJECT MANAGER: John Hickman, NRR

(301) 504-3017

Enclosure 1 GL 93-01 March 3, 1993 EROS QUARTERLY TEST SCHEDULE

1. This recommended schedule is made necessary because only three telephone lines are available in the NRC Operations Center to ERDS for testing. On some days, for example, the second and eighth Wednesdays of each quarter, a single utility is scheduled to test four units. To accommodate the testing, the licensee should establish a sequence with the test monitor person in the NRC Operations Center, (301) 492-4102.

2. The formal test on the ERDS computer at the NRC Operations Center (step 10 of the ERDS implementation process described on page A-3 of NUREG-1394, Revision 1, 'Emergency Response Data System (ERDS)

Implementation," which is referenced in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E) will serve as the test for the quarter in which it is completed. Quarterly testing as described in the generic letter begins in the next calendar quarter.

3. Applicants receiving operating licenses after the date of this generic letter will be added to this recommended quarterly schedule.

WEEK TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

1 BEAVER VALLEY 1, 2 CALVERT CLIFFS 1, 2 HOPE CREEK

FITZPATRICK GINNA INDIAN POINT 2, 3

2 LIMERICK 1, 2 MILLSTONE 1, 2, 3 NINE MILE PT 1, 2 MAINE YANKEE HADDAM NECK OYSTER CREEK

3 PILGRIM SEABROOK SUSQUEHANNA 1, 2 PEACH BOTTOM 2, 3 SALEM 1, 2 THREE MILE ISLAND 1

4 VERMONT YANKEE BROWNS FERRY 2, 3 BRUNSWICK 1, 2 CRYSTAL RIVER 3 SEQUOYAH 1, 2 GRAND GULF

5 CATAWBA 1, 2 FARLEY 1, 2 HATCH 1, 2 McGUIRE 1, 2 ROBINSON HARRIS

6 NORTH ANNA 1, 2 OCONEE 1, 2, 3 SUMMER

SURRY 1, 2

7 ST LUCIE 1, 2 VOGTLE 1, 2 BRAIDWOOD 1, 2 TURKEY POINT 3, 4 CALLAWAY BYRON 1, 2

8 CLINTON DRESDEN 2, 3 DAVIS BESSE

COOK 1, 2 LASALLE 1, 2 DUANE ARNOLD

FERMI 2

9 KEWAUNEE MONTICELLO QUAD CITIES 1, 2 POINT BEACH 1, 2 PRAIRIE ISLAND 1, 2 ZION 1, 2

10 PALISADES ARKANSAS NUCLEAR 1, 2 FT CALHOUN

PERRY COMANCHE PEAK 1, 2 SOUTH TEXAS 1, 2 COOPER

11 RIVER BEND DIABLO CANYON 1, 2 PALO VERDE 1, 2, 3 WATERFORD TROJAN

WOLF CREEK

12 SAN ONOFRE 2, 3 WASHINGTON NUCLEAR 2

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Enclosure 2 GL 93-01 March 3, 1993 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED GENERIC LETTERS

Generic Date of T*e

4 t^n TceeomA Tn Letter )UD.IecL &44UFlV¢ .

92-09 LIMITED PARTICIPATION BY NRC 12/31/92 ALL HOLDERS OF

IN THE IAEA INTERNATIONAL OLS OR CPs FOR NPRs

92-08 THERMO-LAG 330-1 12/17/92 ALL HOLDERS OF

FIRE BARRIERS OLs OR CPs FOR NPRs

92-07 OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR 10/10/92 ALL HOLDERS OF

REGULATION REORGANIZATION OLs OR CPs FOR NPRs

83-28 REQUIRED ACTIONS BASED ON 10/07/92 ALL LIGHT-WATER

SUPPLEMENT 1 GENERIC IMPLICATIONS OF SALEM REACTOR LICENSEES

ATWS EVENTS AND APPLICANTS

92-06 OPERATOR LICENSING NATIONAL 09/06/92 ALL POWER REACTOR

EXAMINATION SCHEDULE LICENSEES AND

APPLICANTS FOR AN

OL

92-05 NRC WORKSHOP ON THE 09/04/92 ALL HOLDERS OF

SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF OLs OR CPs LICENSEE PERFORMANCE FOR NPRs (SALP) PROGRAM

92-04 RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUES 08/19/92 ALL BWR LICENSEES

RELATED TO REACTOR VESSEL FOF OPERATING

WATER LEVEL INSTRUMENTATION IN REACTORS

BWRs PURSUANT TO 1OCFR50.54(F)

90-02 ALTERNATIVE REQUIREMENTS 07/31/92 ALL LWR LICENSEES

SUPPLEMENT 1 FOR FUEL ASSEMBLIES IN THE AND APPLICANTS

DESIGN FEATURES SECTION OF

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

87-02 SAFETY EVALUATION REPORT 05/22/92 ALL USI A-46 SUPPLEMENT 1 NO. 2 ON SQUG GENERIC LICENSEES WHO

IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE, ARE SQUG MEMBERS

REVISION 2.

OL - OPERATING LICENSE

CP - CONSTRUCTION PERMIT

Generic Letter 93-01 - 4 - March 3- 1993

, _

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact John Jolicoeur, Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data, NRC, or your project manager in this office.

Sincerely, Orig /s/'d by James G. Partlow James G. Partlow Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Enclosures:

1. ERDS Quarterly Test Schedule

2. List of Recently Issued Generic Letters TECHNICAL

CONTACT

John Jolicoeur, AEOD

(301) 492-4155 LEAD PROJECT MANAGER: John Hickman, NRR

(301) 504-3017 DISTRIBUTION w/enclosures CVHodge, NRR JJolicoeur, AEOD RPriebe, AEOD EWeiss, AEOD

LSpessard, AEOD PDR Central Files DORS R/F

OGCB R/F VHodge R/F

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES Document Name: 93-01.GL

• OGC *D/DORS:NRR *ADT/NRR ADP/NRFfiL

SLewis BGrimes WTRussell JGPartl

04/01/92 12/30/92 04/13/92 03/a/93

• D/DOA:AEODR *TA/DRPW:NRR *TA/DRPE:NRR *C/OGCB:DORS:NRR*RPB:ADM

LSpessard ELeeds MBoyle GMarcus TechEd

03/13/92 04/13/92 04/09/92 12/11/92 02/20/92

• DP32:DRPW:NRR*OGCB:DOEA:NRR *IRB:DOA:AEOD *IRB:DOA:AEOD *C/IRB:DOA:AEOD

JHickman CVHodge JJolicoeur RPriebe KBrockman

12/03/92 02/18/92 03/11/92 03/12/92 12/07/92