[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 122 (Monday, June 26, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 33011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-15531]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-282, 50-306, and 72-10]


Northern States Power Co.; Prairie Island Nuclear Generating 
Plant Receipt of Petition for Director's Decision Under 10 CFR 2.206

    Notice is hereby given that by letter dated June 5, 1995, the 
Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) and the Prairie Island 
Coalition Against Nuclear Storage (PICANS) request that the U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) take immediate action with regard 
to primary pressure boundary examinations, the retrievability of 
irradiated (spent) fuel, and the retrievability of the reactor core at 
the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant.
    The Petitioners request immediate suspension of the operating 
licenses of Northern States Power Company's (NSP's) Prairie Island 
Units 1 and 2 until several actions are taken, including an examination 
of the Prairie Island Units 1 and 2 primary pressure boundaries, a 
safety analysis of the irradiated fuel retrievability plan and proper 
approval of the plan, additional crane testing, and, if any of their 
requests are denied, an evening public hearing in the geographic 
vicinity of the Prairie Island facility.
    As the basis for this request, the Petitioners state that the 
Prairie Island steam generators are suffering from tube degradation and 
may rupture unless proper testing is conducted and corrective actions 
are taken. As additional basis, the Petitioners state that the Prairie 
Island reactor vessel head penetrations have stress corrosive cracks, 
which if not found and corrected may result in a catastrophic accident 
involving the reactor control rods. The Petitioners also raise concerns 
regarding the irradiated fuel retrievability plan and the use of the 
reactor core/spent fuel pool transfer channel. Finally, the Petitioners 
state that the physical integrity of the crane and its cable mechanisms 
are now in question due to the load of the cask hanging over the 
reactor pool for an extended period of time.
    The Petition is being treated pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 of the 
Commission's regulations and has been referred to the Director of the 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. As provided by 10 CFR 2.206, 
appropriate action will be taken on this Petition within a reasonable 
time. By letter dated June 19, 1995, the Director denied the request 
for immediate suspension of the operating licenses of the Prairie 
Island Units 1 and 2.
    A copy of the Petition and the Director's letter are available for 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room at 2120 L Street, 
NW, Washington, DC, and at the Local Public Document Room, Minneapolis 
Public Library, Technology and Science Department, 300 Nicollet Mall, 
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of June 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frank J. Miraglia,
Deputy Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-15531 Filed 6-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M