[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-2924]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 9, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-458]

 

Entergy Operations, Inc.; River Bend Station, Unit 1

Exemption

I

    On November 20, 1985, the Commission issued Facility Operating 
License No. NPF-47 to Gulf States Utilities Company (GSU) and Cajun 
Electric Power Cooperative (the licensees) for River Bend Station, Unit 
1. The license provided, among other things, that the facility is 
subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the Commission.

II

    Appendix J of part 50 of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations, ``Primary Reactor Containment Leakage Testing for Water-
Cooled Reactors,'' Section III.D.3 requires that Type C leak rate tests 
be performed each reactor shutdown for refueling, but in no case at 
intervals to exceed 2 years.
    By letter dated November 18, 1993, as supplemented by letter dated 
December 21, 1993, GSU requested a one-time exemption to the schedular 
requirements for performing Appendix J, Type C, leak rate testing. 
River Bend was last shutdown for refueling from March 12, 1992, to 
September 8, 1992 and the Type C local leak rate testing was performed. 
River Bend experienced several forced outages since then which, 
combined with the 6-month refueling outage have impacted the 24-month 
surveillance interval required by Technical Specifications. 
Consequently, the first of these surveillances are due to be performed 
29 days before the next scheduled refueling outage. This exemption 
would provide an extension of 29 days to allow the testing of 20 
containment isolation valves to be delayed until the upcoming refueling 
outage currently scheduled to begin April 16, 1994. This would allow 
the licensee to avoid the thermal transients and personnel exposures 
associated with shutting the plant down solely to perform leakage 
testing. The licensee will make a good faith effort to complete the 
surveillance tests within the current frequency if an outage of 
sufficient length occurs prior to the refueling outage.
    The licensee has demonstrated that the valves in question are not 
subject to degradation based on the results of leakage tests from the 
previous refueling outage. These tests showed that substantial margin 
existed between the allowed leakage and the as-left leakage and that 
the affected valves provide only a small contribution to the overall 
allowable leakage rate.

III

    Section 50.12 of the Commission's regulations permit the granting 
of an exemption from the regulations when special circumstances are 
present. According to 50.12(a)(2)(ii), special circumstances are 
present whenever application of the regulation in question is not 
necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the rule.
    The underlying purpose of Appendix J, Section III.D.3 is to assure 
a leak tight containment to mitigate the consequences of an accident. 
The past leak rate data and available margin to that allowed by the 
Technical Specifications is sufficient to assure that the underlying 
purpose of Appendix J, Section III.D.3 is fulfilled. Therefore, the 
staff has determined that the special circumstances as described in 10 
CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) exist in that the application of the regulation is 
not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the rule.

IV

    Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 
50.12, this exemption is authorized by law, will not present an undue 
risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with the common 
defense and security.
    Accordingly, the Commission hereby grants an exemption from 10 CFR 
part 50, Appendix J, Section III.D.3.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the 
granting of the Exemption will have no significant impact on the 
environment (58 FR 68969).
    This Exemption is effective upon issuance.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of February 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John A. Zwolinski,
 Acting Director, Division of Reactor Projects III/IV/V, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-2924 Filed 2-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M