[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 19, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 48532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23174]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-338 and 50-339]


Virginia Electric & Power Company, North Anna Power Station Units 
1 and 2; Exemption Amendment

I

    The Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO, the licensee) is 
the holder of Operating License No. NPF-4 which authorizes operation of 
North Anna Power Station Unit 1 and Operating License No. NPF-7 which 
authorizes operation of Unit 2. These operating licenses provide, among 
other things, that the North Anna Power Station is subject to all 
rules, regulations, and Orders of the Commission now or hereafter in 
effect.
    The station comprises two pressurized water reactors at the 
Licensee's site located in Louisa County, Virginia.

II

    By letter to the licensee dated November 6, 1986, Exemption 1 
(among others) was approved by the NRC. Exemption 1 was from the 
technical requirements of Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 
50 to the extent that fire detection and fixed suppression systems were 
not installed throughout the Auxiliary, Fuel, and Decontamination 
Building (Fire Area 11). The original Safety Evaluation supporting 
Exemption 1 stated the charging pump cubicles had 3-hour fire-rated 
walls, and that the penetrations in these walls were sealed to a rating 
of 3 hours. By letter dated December 11, 1992, the licensee requested 
an addendum (exemption amendment) which revises the original Exemption 
1 to account for non-fire-rated penetration seals and unprotected 
openings located in the south wall of the charging pump cubicles. The 
lack of penetration seals was identified in an NRC Inspection Report 
50-338, 339/92-18 dated October 19, 1992.
    The Commission's staff has evaluated the information provided by 
the licensee to support the addendum to Exemption 1. The Commission's 
Safety Evaluation relating to an Addendum to Exemption 1 From Certain 
Requirements of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 is being issued 
concurrently with this exemption amendment. The Safety Evaluation 
concludes that the lack of fire-rated penetration seals in the south 
wall of the pump cubicles does not present an undue risk to the public 
health and safety and that special circumstances are present in that 
application of the regulation in the particular circumstances is not 
necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the rule.

III

    The underlying purpose of Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 CFR 
Part 50 is to ensure that safe shutdown capability is maintained. 
Notwithstanding the lack of three hour rated penetration seals, the 
circumstances, as fully described in the Safety Evaluation, are such 
that the installation of fire detection and fixed suppression systems 
throughout Fire Area 11 is not necessary to provide reasonable 
assurance that safe shutdown capability is maintained.
    Therefore, the staff concludes that ``special circumstances'' exist 
for the licensee's requested exemption amendment in that application of 
the regulation in these particular circumstances is not necessary to 
achieve the underlying purposes of Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 
CFR Part 50. The Commission hereby grants an amendment to Exemption 1 
granted November 6, 1986, and authorizes the subject addendum 
(attached) to revise Exemption 1 to account for non-fire-rated 
penetrations in the south wall of the charging pump cubicles.

IV

    Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 
Part 50.12(a), (1) the exemption amendment as described in Section II 
is authorized by law and will not present an undue risk to the public 
health and safety and is consistent with common defense and security, 
and (2) special circumstances are present for the exemption amendment 
in that application of the regulation in this particular circumstance 
is not necessary to achieve the underlying purposes of Appendix R to 10 
CFR Part 50.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the 
issuance of the exemption amendment will have no significant impact on 
the environment (60 FR 45747).
    This exemption amendment is effective upon its issuance.


    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 12th day of September 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ledyard B. Marsh,
Acting Director, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-23174 Filed 9-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P