[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 146 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18642]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 1, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-298]

 

Nebraska Public Power District (Cooper Nuclear Station); 
Exemption

I

    Nebraska Public Power District (the licensee) is the holder of 
Operating License No. DPR-46, which authorizes operation of Cooper 
Nuclear Station (CNS). The operating license provides, among other 
things, that CNS is subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of 
the Commission now or hereafter in effect.
    The facility consists of a boiling water reactor at the licensee's 
site in Nemaha County, Nebraska.

II

    One of the conditions of all operating licenses for water-cooled 
power reactors, as specified in 10 CFR 50.54(o), is that the primary 
containment shall meet the leakage test requirements set forth in 10 
CFR part 50, appendix J, paragraph III.C.1. Type C tests require: 
``Type C tests shall be performed by local pressurization. The pressure 
shall be applied in the same direction as that when the valve would be 
required to perform its safety function, unless it can be determined 
that the results from the tests for a pressure applied in a different 
direction will provide equivalent or more conservative results.''
    By letter dated June 29, 1994, the licensee requested an exemption 
from appendix J to 10 CFR part 50 to allow Type C (local leak rate) 
testing of four containment isolation valves in the reverse direction. 
As stated above, Paragraph III.C.1 of Appendix J requires that for Type 
C testing the test pressure must generally be applied to the valve from 
the same side as that when the valve would be required to perform its 
safety function (i.e., the inside-containment side, also called the 
accident direction or the forward direction). However, the regulation 
allows an exception if it can be determined that testing with the 
pressure applied in the reverse direction provides equivalent or more 
conservative results. In its letter dated June 29, 1994, the license 
stated that four containment isolation valves cannot now be shown to 
satisfy the equivalent-or-more-conservative requirement that permits 
reverse-direction testing. The licensee did, however, provide 
justification that reverse pressure testing, along with additional 
measures to ensure the leaktightness of valve packing and body-to-
bonnet flanges, provide adequate assurance that the overall objectives 
of 10 CFR part 50, appendix J, will be met.
    The NRC staff has performed an evaluation of the exemption request 
and has determined that the licensee has provided adequate 
justification for the requested exemption.

III

    According to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2), the Commission will not consider 
granting the exemption unless special circumstances are present. 
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), special circumstances exist where 
application of the regulation is not necessary to achieve the 
underlying purpose of the rule. Based on our evaluation, the NRC staff 
has concluded that the licensee has taken prudent steps to ensure that 
containment integrity is preserved in the absence of forward-direction 
local leakrate testing for the subject valves. Hence, application of 
the regulation with respect to forward-direction testing is not 
necessary.
    Therefore, the Commission has determined that the requested 
exemption from the Appendix J forward-direction testing requirements 
for the subject valves should be granted.

IV

    Accordingly, the Commission has determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 
50.12(a), that this exemption is authorized by law and will not 
endanger life or property or the common defense and security, and is 
otherwise in the public interest. Therefore, the Commission hereby 
approves the following exemption request.
    An exemption is granted from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, 
Appendix J, Paragraph III.C.1 that requires the conduct of a local leak 
rate test in the forward direction for containment isolation valves 
RHR-MOV-M167A, RHR-MOV-M167B, RCIC-V-37, and HPCI-V-44. For good cause 
shown, this exemption will permit testing of the subject valves in the 
reverse direction, in lieu of forward-direction testing, provided that 
the additional measures described in the licensee's June 29, 1994, 
letter are implemented.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the 
granting of this exemption will have no significant impact of the 
quality of the human environment (59 FR 35952).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 22nd day of July 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Elinor G. Adensam,
Acting Director, Division of Reactor Projects--III/IV, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-18642 Filed 7-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M