[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77082-77083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31608]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-261]


Carolina Power & Light Company; H. B. Robinson Steam Electric 
Plant, Unit No. 2; Exemption

1.0 Background

    Carolina Power & Light Company (CP&L) is the holder of Facility 
Operating License No. DPR-23, which authorizes operation of the H. B. 
Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2 (HBRSEP2). The license 
provides, among other things, that the facility is subject to all 
rules, regulations, and orders of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC, the Commission) now or hereafter in effect.
    The facility consists of a pressurized-water reactor located in 
Darlington County, South Carolina.

2.0 Request/Action

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 55.59(c), a facility's licensed operator 
requalification program must be conducted for a continuous period not 
to exceed 2 years (24 months) and upon conclusion must be promptly 
followed, pursuant to a continuous schedule, by successive 
requalification programs. Each 2-year requalification program must 
include a comprehensive biennial written examination and annual 
operating tests.
    By letter dated October 11, 2002, CP&L requested a one-time 
exemption from the schedular requirements of 10 CFR 55.59(c). 
Specifically, for HBRSEP2, CP&L has requested a one-time extension from 
December 31, 2002, to March 31, 2003, for completing the licensed 
operator requalification annual operating test and comprehensive 
biennial written examination. This requested exemption would allow an 
extension of 3 months beyond the schedule for completion of the 
operating test and written examination as required by 10 CFR 55.59(c). 
CP&L's letter constitutes a request for exemption under 10 CFR 55.11, 
which states: ``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.'' The exemption is being requested 
for HBRSEP2 due to an unusually high workload associated with a plant 
refueling outage (RFO21) and a power uprate project, which occurred 
just prior to the originally scheduled examinations. Due to the 
refueling outage and power uprate activities, which included modifying 
the plant-specific simulator and extensive training of personnel on new 
and modified procedures, development and administration of the written 
examination and operating test within the required schedule is viewed 
as a schedule and workload hardship by the licensee.

3.0 Discussion

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 55.11, 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

[[Page 77083]]

property and are otherwise in the public interest.
    The Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 55.11, 
granting an exemption to the facility licensee from the schedular 
requirements in 10 CFR 55.59(c) by allowing HBRSEP2 a one-time 
extension in the allowed time for completing the licensed operator 
requalification annual operating test and comprehensive biennial 
written examination is authorized by law and will not endanger life or 
property and is otherwise in the public interest. Although the 
schedular requirements of 10 CFR 55.59(c) at HBRSEP2 will be exceeded, 
operator performance continues to be satisfactory, as demonstrated both 
in the plant and during other aspects of operator requalification 
training. Granting this exemption will allow HBRSEP2 to continue with 
safe plant operations during the refueling outage, which includes a 
power uprate project, without undue hardship to plant personnel and 
HBRSEP2 licensed operators.

4.0 Conclusion

    Accordingly, the Commission hereby grants the facility licensee an 
exemption on a one-time basis from the schedular requirements of 10 CFR 
55.59(c) to allow the current HBRSEP2 requalification program to be 
extended beyond the 24 months, from December 31, 2002, to March 31, 
2003. The NRC understands that, following the completion of the 
operating test and written examination, the next 24-month licensed 
operator requalification program will begin on April 1, 2003, and 
continue for a 24-month period.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the 
granting of this exemption will not have a significant effect on the 
quality of the human environment (67 FR 72983).
    This exemption is effective upon issuance and expires on March 31, 
2003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 10th day of December, 2002.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bruce A. Boger,
Director, Division of Inspection Program Management, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 02-31608 Filed 12-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P