[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 50695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24869]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265]


Exelon Generation Company, LLC and Midamerican Energy Company, 
Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2; Revocation of 
Exemptions

1.0  Background

    Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGC, the licensee), is the holder 
of Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-29 and DPR-30, which authorize 
operation of the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2 (Quad 
Cities). The licenses provide, among other things, that the facility is 
subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC, or the Commission) now or hereafter in 
effect.
    The facility consists of two boiling water reactors located in Rock 
Island County, Illinois.

2.0  Request/Action

    Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Sec. 50.48, 
10 CFR part 50, Appendix A, Criterion 3, and 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix 
R, establish requirements and design criteria for fire protection at 
operating nuclear power plants. Exemptions from certain of these 
regulations had previously been granted for Quad Cities. These 
exemptions are described as: (1) An exemption which allows fuse pulling 
to preclude operation of the reactor relief valves; (2) an exemption 
which allows for a lack of emergency lighting for suppression pool 
level instrumentation; (3) an exemption which allows a lack of 
suppression in the vicinity of electrical equipment; (4) an exemption 
which allows a lack of 3-hour fire barriers in fire zones 1.1.1.1 (Unit 
1) and 1.1.2.1 (Unit 2); (5) an exemption which allows a lack of 3-hour 
fire barriers between redundant residual heat removal trains in the 
reactor building and turbine building (Units 1 and 2); (6) an exemption 
which allows for a lack of 3-hour fire barriers between equivalent fire 
area 23-1 (8.2.8.D) and the northern and central zone groups; (7) an 
exemption which allows for a lack of 3-hour fire barriers for certain 
4-kV bus duct penetrations; (8) an exemption which allows a lack of 3-
hour-rated dampers in certain standby gas treatment and reactor 
building ventilation ducts; and (9) an exemption which allows a lack of 
complete detection and suppression throughout the reactor building 
(Units 1 and 2).
    The licensee evaluated the above exemptions using the NRC's 
guidance and concluded that the exemptions are no longer needed. 
Therefore, by adopting the letters dated June 2 and August 3, 2000, 
from the predecessor licensee of the facility, the Commonwealth Edison 
Company (ComEd), as supplemented by letters dated May 23 and September 
18, 2001, the licensee requested revocation of the above exemptions. By 
letter dated February 7, 2001, EGC assumed responsibility for all 
pending NRC actions that were requested by ComEd.

3.0  Discussion

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, the Commission may, upon application by 
any interested person or upon its own initiative, grant exemptions from 
the requirements of 10 CFR part 50 when (1) the exemptions are 
authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to public health or 
safety, and are consistent with the common defense and security; and 
(2) when special circumstances are present. On June 23, 1983, July 21, 
1988, and February 25, 1991, the NRC granted the above exemptions from 
the technical requirements of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, Section III.G 
or III.J, related to fire protection of safe shutdown capability or 
emergency lighting, respectively.
    Through analysis or plant modification, the licensee has shown that 
the above exemptions are no longer required. The staff examined the 
licensee's rationale to support the exemption revocation requests. The 
staff concluded that the proposed revocations are acceptable because 
the licensee had established compliance with 10 CFR part 50, Appendix 
R, for these items.
    The staff has prepared a safety evaluation describing its rationale 
in granting the requested exemption revocations. The safety evaluation 
may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document 
Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first 
floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be 
accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Library component on 
the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic Reading Room).
    Therefore, the staff concludes that the subject exemptions from the 
requirements of the regulations in 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, are no 
longer required.

4.0 Conclusion

    Accordingly, the Commission has determined that the exemptions 
granted June 23, 1983, July 21, 1988, and February 25, 1991, related to 
(1) fuse pulling to preclude operation of the reactor relief valves; 
(2) a lack of emergency lighting for suppression pool level 
instrumentation; (3) a lack of suppression in the vicinity of 
electrical equipment; (4) a lack of 3-hour fire barriers in fire zones 
1.1.1.1 (Unit 1) and 1.1.2.1 (Unit 2); (5) a lack of 3-hour fire 
barriers between redundant residual heat removal trains in the reactor 
building and turbine building (Units 1 and 2); (6) a lack of 3-hour 
fire barriers between equivalent fire area 23-1 (8.2.8.D) and the 
northern and central zone groups; (7) a lack of 3-hour fire barriers 
for certain 4-kV bus duct penetrations; (8) a lack of 3-hour-rated 
dampers in certain standby gas treatment and reactor building 
ventilation ducts; and (9) a lack of complete detection and suppression 
throughout the reactor building (Units 1 and 2), are hereby revoked.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the 
revocation of these exemptions will not have a significant effect on 
the quality of the human environment (66 FR 49218).
    This exemption revocation is effective upon issuance.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of September 2001.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John A. Zwolinski,
Director, Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-24869 Filed 10-3-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P