[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 139 (Tuesday, July 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39115-39116]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19363]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Potential for Degradation of the Emergency Core Cooling System 
and the Containment Spray System After a Loss-of-Coolant Accident 
Because of Construction and Protective Coating Deficiencies and Foreign 
Material in Containment; Issue

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Issuance.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Generic 
Letter (GL) 98-04 to all holders of operating licenses for nuclear 
power reactors, except those who have permanently ceased operations and 
have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor 
vessel, to alert licensees to the fact that foreign material continues 
to be found inside operating nuclear power plant containments. During a 
design basis loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), this foreign material 
could block the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) or safety-related 
containment spray system (CSS) flow paths or damage ECCS or safety-
related CSS equipment. In addition, construction deficiencies and 
problems with the material condition of ECCS structures, systems, and 
components (SSCs) inside the containment continue to be found. Design 
deficiencies also have been found which could potentially degrade the 
ECCS or safety-related CSS. No actions or information are requested 
regarding these issues. The NRC has issued many previous generic 
communications on this subject and expects licensees to have considered 
possible actions at their facilities to address these concerns.
    The NRC is also issuing this generic letter to alert licensees to 
the problems associated with the material condition of protective 
coatings inside the containment and to request information under 10 CFR 
50.54(f) for the purpose of evaluating their programs for ensuring that 
protective coatings do not detach from their substrate during a design 
basis LOCA and interfere with the operation of the ECCS and the safety-
related CSS. The NRC intends to use this information to assess whether 
current regulatory requirements are being correctly implemented and 
whether they should be revised.
    The NRC expects addressees to ensure that the ECCS and the safety-
related CSS remain capable of performing their intended safety 
functions. The NRC will conduct inspections to ensure

[[Page 39116]]

compliance with existing licensing bases and respond to discovered 
inadequacies with aggressive enforcement consistent with its 
enforcement policy.
    The generic letter is available in the NRC Public Document Room 
under accession number 9807010291.

DATES: The generic letter was issued on July 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James A. Davis, at (301) 415-2713.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This generic letter does not constitute a 
backfit as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1) since it does not impose 
modifications of or additions to structures, systems or components or 
to design or operation of an addressee's facility. It also does not 
impose an interpretation of the Commission's rules that is either new 
or different from a previous staff position. The staff, therefore, has 
not performed a backfit analysis.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of July 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Jack W. Roe,
Acting Director, Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-19363 Filed 7-20-98; 8:45 am]
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