[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 189 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50885-50886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24857]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311]


Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), PECO Energy 
Company, Delmarva Power and Light Company, Atlantic City Electric 
Company (Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2); Exemption

I

    The Public Service Electric and Gas Company, et al. (PSE&G, the 
licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating license Nos. DPR-70 and 
DPR-75, which authorize operation of the Salem Nuclear Generating 
Station, Units 1 and 2, respectively. The licenses provide, among other 
things, that the licensee is subject to all rules, regulations, and 
orders of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) now 
or hereafter in effect.
    The facilities consist of two pressurized water reactors, Salem 
Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, at the licensee's site 
located in Salem County, New Jersey.

II

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5), each licensed operator applicant is 
required to perform at least five significant control manipulations 
which affect reactivity or power level on the facility for which the 
license is sought. In addition, for a facility which has completed 
preoperational testing and is in an extended shutdown which precludes 
manipulation of the control of the facility, the Commission may process 
the application and may administer the required written examination and 
operating test, but may not issue the license until the required 
evidence of control manipulations is supplied.

III

    By letter dated May 10, 1996, as supplemented by letters dated June 
20, 1996, and July 9, 1996, the licensee requested an exemption from 
the requirements of 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5) for 10 applicants for operator 
and senior operator licenses. The requested exemption would allow 
issuance of operator and senior operator licenses to the applicants 
prior to their performance of the required control manipulations. 
Performance of the control manipulations on the Salem facility has not 
been possible since both Units 1 and 2 have been shutdown for 
approximately 1 year for extensive upgrades of both equipment and 
personnel. In lieu of performing the control manipulations on its 
facility, the licensee requests acceptance of satisfactory performance 
of simulated control manipulations on its certified, plant-referenced 
simulator, since all of the applicants have significant and extensive 
commercial nuclear power plant experience, although only six of the 10 
applicants have previously been licensed and performed reactor controls 
manipulations. The licensee further committed to the performance of the 
required control manipulations by each applicant on the Salem Nuclear 
Generating Station, Unit 2, prior to or at the time the unit achieves 
100 percent power following the current plant outage. The requested 
relief would constitute a one-time exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR 55.31(a)(5).
    In support of its request for exemption, the licensee stated that 
the 10 applicants have significant commercial nuclear power plant 
experience--from 5 to 22 years--and leadership capabilities important 
to improve the quality of the staff. They have received additional 
simulator training on their certified, plant-referenced simulator, 
including the performance of simulated control manipulations beyond the 
number required by 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5). The licensee stated that the 
seven senior operator applicants conducted control manipulations at 
other facilities and that six of these applicants have also performed 
licensed senior operator duties within approximately the last 2 years. 
Finally, the licensee asserts that the 10 applicants have the specific 
leadership characteristics, determined through a rigorous screening and 
interview process, considered vital for reliable shift performance. The 
licensee further stated that failure to grant the exemption would not 
serve an underlying purpose of the rule in that the safety of nuclear 
power plant operations would not be improved and the increased level of 
experience of the operators available would enhance safe restart of 
Unit 2.
    The licensee concludes that the proposed alternate qualifications 
and training will not adversely affect the capabilities of the operator 
and senior operator applicants, and it is in the public interest to 
grant the exemption since inclusion of these individuals on the 
operations staff will facilitate the increased level of safety as part 
of the Salem Restart Action Plan.

IV

    The underlying purpose of 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5) is to ensure that 
applicants for operator and senior operator licenses have some minimum 
level of actual on-the-job training and experience manipulating the 
controls in the power plant control room prior to license issuance. The 
six previously licensed senior operator applicants possess recent 
significant licensed senior operator experience at other pressurized 
water reactors and have successfully conducted actual control 
manipulations. By their previous licensed experience, they have 
demonstrated that they possess the required levels of practical skills 
and abilities needed to safely operate a nuclear plant. Because of 
their considerable licensed operating experience and the additional 
training provided on the Salem certified, plant-referenced simulator, 
the lack of manipulations of the actual controls of the Salem facility 
is not significant. Furthermore, the six applicants will complete the 
manipulations prior to or at the time that Unit 2 achieves 100% power 
following the current outage. Therefore, the NRC staff has concluded 
that the licensee's proposed use of simulated control manipulations for 
these six senior operator applicants, combined with their prior 
experience, meets the intent of the requirement of 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5) 
to have actual experience manipulating the controls in the power plant 
control room prior to licensing. Meeting the requirement for the 
completion of the control manipulations on the actual plant for all of 
the licensed operator applicants would significantly delay issuance of 
licenses for these applicants, with a resultant adverse effect on the 
facility licensee's operating crew experience level without a net 
benefit to safety, and would otherwise have a detrimental effect on the 
public interest. This one-time exemption will allow additional 
experienced licensed senior operator support during the upcoming Salem 
Unit 2 restart, which will provide a safety enhancement during plant 
startup operations and testing.

V

    The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's request and has concluded 
that issuance of this exemption will not endanger life or property and 
will have no significant effect on the safety of the public or the 
plant.
    Accordingly, the Commission has determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 
55.11, that this exemption as described in Section III (for the six 
senior operator license applicants with previous licensed senior 
operator experience--Messrs Armando, Downey, Fitzgerald, Jackson, 
Gumbert and Soens) is authorized by law, will not endanger life or 
property, and is otherwise in the public interest. Therefore, the

[[Page 50886]]

Commission hereby grants a one-time exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR 55.31(a)(5) to the six senior operator license applicants with 
previous licensed senior operator experience prior to their performance 
of at least five significant control manipulations which affect 
reactivity or power level on the Salem Nuclear Generating Station. Each 
of the six applicants named above shall have completed at least five 
significant control manipulations which affect reactivity or power 
level on the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 2, prior to or at 
the time of the unit achieving 100% power following the current outage, 
or they shall be removed from licensed duties.
    The exemption request is denied for the four applicants with no 
prior licensed operating experience since simulator training alone is 
not deemed to be an acceptable alternative to 10 CFR 55.31(a)(5).
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the 
granting of this exemption will have no significant impact on the 
environment (61 FR 49501).
    This exemption is effective upon issuance.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 24th day of September 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William T. Russell,
Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-24857 Filed 9-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M