[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 206 (Thursday, October 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63504-63506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24886]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 52-027 and 52-028; NRC-2008-0441]
Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Units 2 and 3; South Carolina
Electric and Gas; Changes to the Primary Sampling System
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Exemption and combined license amendment; issuance.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is granting an
exemption to allow a departure from the certification information of
Tier 1 of the generic design control document (DCD) and issuing License
Amendment No. 8 to Combined Licenses (COL), NPF-93 and NPF-94. The COLs
were issued to South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) and South
Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper) (the licensee), for
construction and operation of the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station
(VCSNS), Units 2 and 3 located in Fairfield County, South Carolina. The
amendment requests to modify the Primary Sampling System (PSS) design,
including changes to Tier 1 information located in Tables 2.2.1-2,
2.3.13-1, and 2.3.13-3, Figures 2.2.1-1 ``Containment System'' and
2.3.13-1 ``Primary Sampling System,'' and Subsection 2.3.13, ``Primary
Sampling System'' of the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR).
The granting of the exemption allows the changes to Tier 1 information
asked for in the amendment. Because the acceptability of the exemption
was determined in part by the acceptability of the amendment, the
exemption and amendment are being issued concurrently.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2008-0441 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may access publicly-available information related to this action by the
following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2008-0441. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may access publicly
[[Page 63505]]
available documents online in the NRC Library at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public
Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For
problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room
(PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to
[email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for each document
referenced in this document (if that document is available in ADAMS) is
provided the first time that a document is referenced. The request for
the amendment and exemption were submitted by letter dated February 7,
2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13042A004). The licensee supplemented this
request on July 11, 2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13197A431).
NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise McGovern, Office of New
Reactors, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001; telephone: 301-415-0681; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is granting an exemption from Paragraph B of Section III,
``Scope and Contents,'' of Appendix D, ``Design Certification Rule for
the AP1000,'' to Part 52 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(10 CFR), and issuing License Amendment No. 8 to COLs, NPF-93 and NPF-
94, to the licensee. The exemption is required by paragraph A.4 of
Section VIII, ``Processes for Changes and Departures,'' Appendix D to
10 CFR Part 52 to allow the licensee to depart from Tier 1 information.
With the requested amendment, the licensee sought to modify the design
of the PSS. As part of this request, the licensee needed to change Tier
1 information located in Tables 2.2.1-2, 2.3.13-1, and 2.3.13-3,
Figures 2.2.1-1 ``Containment System'' and 2.3.13-1 ``Primary Sampling
System,'' and Subsection 2.3.13, ``Primary Sampling System'' of the
UFSAR. These changes were necessary as part of a design modification
which changes the type of valve used as the air return check valve from
a check valve to a solenoid-operated valve (SOV); redesigns the PSS
inside-containment header; and adds a PSS containment penetration.
Part of the justification for granting the exemption was provided
by the review of the amendment. Because the exemption is necessary in
order to issue the requested license amendment, the NRC granted the
exemption and issued the amendment concurrently, rather than in
sequence. This included issuing a combined safety evaluation containing
the NRC staff's review of both the exemption request and the license
amendment. The exemption met all applicable regulatory criteria set
forth in 10 CFR 50.12, 10 CFR 52.7, and Section VIII.A.4. of Appendix D
to 10 CFR Part 52. The license amendment was found to be acceptable as
well. The combined safety evaluation is available in ADAMS under
Accession No. ML13212A242.
Identical exemption documents (except for referenced unit numbers
and license numbers) were issued to the licensee for VCSNS Units 2 and
3 (COLs NPF-93 and NPF-94). These documents can be found in ADAMS under
Accession Nos. ML13212A226 and ML13212A228. The exemption is reproduced
(with the exception of abbreviated titles and additional citations) in
Section II of this document. The amendment documents for COLs NPF-93
and NPF-94 are available in ADAMS under Accession Nos. ML13212A208 and
ML13212A211. A summary of the amendment documents is provided in
Section III of this document.
II. Exemption
Reproduced below is the exemption document issued to VCSNS Units 2
and 3. It makes reference to the combined safety evaluation that
provides the reasoning for the findings made by the NRC (and listed
under Item 1) in order to grant the exemption:
1. In a letter dated February 7, 2013, and supplemented by a letter
dated July 11, 2013, the licensee requested from the Commission an
exemption from the provisions of 10 CFR Part 52, Appendix D, Section
III.B, ``Design Certification Rule for the AP1000 Design, Scope, and
Contents,'' as part of license amendment request 13-06, ``Changes to
the Primary Sampling System.''
For the reasons set forth in Section 3.1, ``Evaluation of
Exemption,'' of the NRC staff's Safety Evaluation, which can be found
in ADAMS under Accession No. ML13212A242, the Commission finds that:
A. The exemption is authorized by law;
B. the exemption presents no undue risk to public health and
safety;
C. the exemption is consistent with the common defense and
security;
D. special circumstances are present in that the application of the
rule in this circumstance is not necessary to serve the underlying
purpose of the rule;
E. the special circumstances outweigh any decrease in safety that
may result from the reduction in standardization caused by the
exemption; and
F. the exemption will not result in a significant decrease in the
level of safety otherwise provided by the design.
2. Accordingly, the licensee is granted an exemption to the
provisions of 10 CFR Part 52, Appendix D, Section III.B, to allow
deviations from the certified DCD Tier 1 Section 2.3.13, Tables 2.2.1-
2, 2.3.13-1, and 2.3.13-3, and Figures 2.2.1-1 and 2.3.13-1, as
described in the licensee's request dated February 7, 2013, and as
supplemented on July 11, 2013. This exemption is related to, and
necessary for the granting of License Amendment No. 8, which is being
issued concurrently with this exemption.
3. As explained in Section 5.0, ``Environmental Consideration,'' of
the NRC staff Safety Evaluation (ADAMS Accession No. ML13212A242), this
exemption meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set
forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no
environmental impact statement or environmental assessment needs to be
prepared in connection with the issuance of the exemption.
4. This exemption is effective as of August 22, 2013.
III. License Amendment Request
By letter dated February 7, 2013, the licensee requested that the
NRC amend the COLs for VCSNS Units 2 and 3, COLs NPF-93 and NPF-94. The
licensee supplemented this application on July 11, 2013. The proposed
amendment would depart from Tier 2 Material previously incorporated
into the UFSAR. Additionally, these Tier 2 changes involve changes to
Tier 1 Information in the UFSAR, and the proposed amendment would also
revise the associated material that has been included in Appendix C of
each of the VCSNS, Units 2 and 3 COLs. The requested amendment will
revise the Tier 2 UFSAR information pertaining to the PSS air return
valve, and various Tier 2 tables and sections regarding the PSS design.
These Tier 2 changes require modifications to particular Tier 1
information located in Tables 2.2.1-2, 2.3.13-1, and 2.3.13-3, Figures
2.2.1-1 ``Containment System'' and 2.3.13-1 ``Primary Sampling
System,'' and Subsection 2.3.13, ``Primary Sampling System'' of the
UFSAR, as well as the corresponding information in Appendix C. These
changes were necessary as part of a design modification which changes
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the type of valve used as the air return check valve from a check valve
to a SOV; redesigns the PSS inside-containment header; and adds a PSS
containment penetration.
The Commission has determined for these amendments that the
application complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules
and regulations. The Commission has made appropriate findings as
required by the Act and the Commission's rules and regulations in 10
CFR Chapter I, which are set forth in the license amendment.
A notice of consideration of issuance of amendment to facility
operating license or combined license, as applicable, proposed no
significant hazards consideration determination, and opportunity for a
hearing in connection with these actions, was published in the Federal
Register on March 4, 2013 (78 FR 14126). No comments were received
during the 60-day comment period.
The Commission has determined that these amendments satisfy the
criteria for categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22.
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact
statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for these
amendments.
IV. Conclusion
Using the reasons set forth in the combined safety evaluation, the
staff granted the exemption and issued the amendment that the licensee
requested on February 7, 2013, and supplemented by letter dated July
11, 2013. The exemption and amendment were issued on August 22, 2013 as
part of a combined package to the licensee. (ADAMS Accession No.
ML13212A108).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day of October 2013.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Denise McGovern,
Senior Project Manager, Licensing Branch 4, Division of New Reactor
Licensing, Office of New Reactors.
[FR Doc. 2013-24886 Filed 10-23-13; 8:45 am]
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