[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 230 (Thursday, November 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61575-61576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29223]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-298]


Nebraska Public Power District (Cooper Nuclear Station); 
Exemption

I

    Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD, the licensee) is the holder 
of Facility Operating License No. DPR-46, which authorizes operation of 
the Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS) at power levels not in excess of 2381 
megawatts thermal. The facility consists of a boiling water reactor at 
the licensee's site in Nemaha County, Nebraska. 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.

II

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 55.59(a)(1), each licensed operator is required 
to successfully complete a requalification program developed by the 
licensee that has been approved by the Commission. This program is to 
be conducted for a continuous period not to exceed 24 months in 
duration and upon its conclusion must be promptly followed by a 
successive requalification program.
    In addition, pursuant to 10 CFR 55.59(a)(2), each licensed operator 
must also pass a comprehensive requalification written examination and 
an annual operating test.

III

    By letter dated October 16, 1995, NPPD requested an exemption under 
10 CFR 55.11 from the requirements of 10 CFR 55.59(a)(2). The schedular 
exemption requested would extend the completion date for the 
administration of licensed operator examinations for the CNS 
requalification program from December 22, 1995, to March 15, 1996, 
because the scheduled examination time coincides with the plant 
refueling outage. The requested exemption would constitute a one-time 
extension of the requalification program duration.
    In support of its request for exemption, NPPD indicated that the 
licensed operators at CNS will continue to participate in the ongoing 
requalification training program. NPPD further indicated that the 
assignment of 

[[Page 61576]]
licensed operators to refueling outage organization positions 
represents a shutdown risk benefit with regard to plant safety.
    The Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR 55.11 states that, ``The 
Commission may, upon application by an interested person, or upon its 
own initiative, grant such exemptions from the requirements of the 
regulations in this part as it determines are authorized by law and 
will not endanger life or property and are otherwise in the public 
interest.''

IV

    The Commission has determined that pursuant to 10 CFR 55.11, 
granting an exemption to NPPD from the requirements in 10 CFR 
55.59(a)(1) and (a)(2) is authorized by law and will not endanger life 
or property and is otherwise in the public interest. This one-time 
exemption will allow additional licensed operator support during the 
current refueling outage, which will provide a safety enhancement 
during plant shutdown operations and post-maintenance testing. The 
affected licensed operators will continue to demonstrate and possess 
the required levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to 
safely operate the plant throughout the extension period via 
continuation of the current satisfactory licensed operator 
requalification program. In meeting the requirement for the 
administration of examinations during the 24 month requalification 
cycle, the current plant refueling outage could be prolonged without a 
net benefit to safety, and would otherwise have a detrimental effect on 
the public interest. Accordingly, the Commission hereby grants Nebraska 
Public Power District an exemption on a one-time only basis from the 
schedular requirements of 10 CFR 55.59(a)(1) and (2), to allow the 
current Cooper Nuclear Station requalification program to be extended 
beyond 24 months, until March 15, 1996.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has also determined that 
the issuance of the exemption will have no significant impact on the 
environment. An Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant 
Impact was noticed in the Federal Register on November 16, 1995 (60 FR 
57603).
    This exemption is effective upon issuance and expires on March 15, 
1996. Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 16th day of November 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Jack W. Roe,
Director Division of Reactor Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-29223 Filed 11-29-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P