ML12097A067
| ML12097A067 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 03/29/2012 |
| From: | Rencurrel D South Texas |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| EA-12-049, NOC-AE-12002821 | |
| Download: ML12097A067 (3) | |
Text
Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station PO Box 289 Wadsworth. Texas 77483 March 29, 2012 NOC-AE-12002821 10 CFR 50.4 10 CFR 2.202 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attention: Document Control Desk One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 South Texas Project Units 1 & 2 Docket Nos. STN 50-498, STN 50-499 Answer to NRC Order to Modify Licenses With Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Desiqn-Basis External Events EA-12-049
Reference:
Letter, Eric Leeds to E. D. Halpin, "Issuance of Order to Modify Licenses With Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events," March 12, 2012 (EA-12-049)
On March 12, 2012, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC" or "Commission")
issued an immediately effective order in the captioned matter entitled Issuance of Order to Modify Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events ("Order") to, inter alia, STP Nuclear Operating Company.
The Orders state that, as a result of the NRC's evaluation of the lessons learned from the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi in March 2011, the NRC had decided to direct nuclear power plant licensees and construction permit holders to take certain actions.
Specifically with respect to this Order, the NRC is requiring additional defense-in-depth measures at licensed nuclear power reactors to address uncertainties associated with protection from beyond-design-basis external events. Licensees are specifically directed by the Order to develop, implement, and maintain guidance and strategies to restore or maintain core cooling, containment, and spent fuel pool cooling in the event of a beyond-design-basis external event. Specific requirements are outlined in Attachment 2 to the Order.
The Order requires submission of an overall integrated plan, including a description of how compliance with the requirements described in Attachment 2 will be achieved, to the NRC for review by February 28, 2013. In addition, the Order requires submission of an initial status report 60 days following issuance of the final interim staff guidance and at six month intervals following submittal of an overall integrated plan on February 28, 2013. The Order states that the NRC intends to issue the interim staff guidance containing specific details on implementation of the requirements of this order in August 2012. Finally, the order requires full implementation of its requirements no STI 33404759 R
NOC-AE-12002821 Page 2 of 3 later than two refueling cycles after submittal of the overall integrated plan, or December 31, 2016, whichever comes first.
Pursuant to 10 C.F.R. § 2.202 and the terms specified in the Order, STP Nuclear Operating Company hereby submits its answer to the Order. STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) consents to the Order and does not request a hearing.
Based on information currently available, STPNOC has not identified any circumstances of the type described in Sections IV.B. 1 and IV.B.2 of the Order requiring relief at this time. In addition, STPNOC has not identified any impediments to compliance with the Order within two refueling cycles after submittal of the integrated plan, or December 31, 2016, whichever is earlier. STPNOC will provide further responses as required by Section IV.C in accordance with the specified deadlines. However, given the uncertainties associated with the ultimate scope of required work caused by the unavailability of implementing guidance until August 2012, and the impact on the ability of STPNOC to comply with the specific compliance deadline dates based on the probable availability of that guidance, STPNOC's future responses may include requests for schedule relief as warranted by subsequent NRC requirements or implementing guidance or the results of engineering analyses not yet performed. Any such request would be submitted in accordance with the relaxation provision in Section IV of the Order.
There are no commitments in this letter.
If there are any questions regarding this letter, please contact Jim Morris at (361) 972-8652 or me at (361) 972-7867.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on:
I c
I2.
C h i.
N uc ler Oice Chief Nuclear Officer STI 31543640
NOC-AE-12002821 Page 3 of 3 cc:
(paper copy)
(electronic copy)
Regional Administrator, Region IV U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1600 East Lamar Boulevard Arlington, TX 76011-4511 Balwant K. Singal Senior Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North (MS 8 B1) 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Senior Resident Inspector U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. 0. Box 289, Mail Code: MN1 16 Wadsworth, TX 77483 C. M. Canady City of Austin Electric Utility Department 721 Barton Springs Road Austin, TX 78704 Eric Leeds Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North (MS 13 H 16M) 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 A. H. Gutterman, Esquire Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Balwant K. Singal U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission John Ragan Chris O'Hara Jim von Suskil NRG South Texas LP Kevin Polio Richard Pena City Public Service Peter Nemeth Crain Caton & James, P.C.
C. Mele City of Austin Richard A. Ratliff Texas Department of State Health Services Alice Rogers Texas Department of State Health Services STI 31543640