Northern States Power Company-Minnesota, Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2; Exemption, 76051-76052 [2010-30653]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 7, 2010 / Notices
subsidiary of the Russian State Atomic
Energy Corporation JSC ROSATOM
(Rosatom). Approval of the proposed
transaction will result in an indirect
change of control of the licenses from
Uranium One to Rosatom.1
Notice of the application, and
opportunity to request a hearing and
submit comments for Materials License
SUA–1341 and SUA–1596 was
published in the Federal Register on
September 20, 2010 (75 FR 57300) with
a deadline for submitting a request for
hearing of October 12, 2010, and a
deadline for submitting comments of
October 20, 2010. No requests for
hearing were received; however, four
comments were received. Notice of the
application and opportunity to request a
hearing for Materials License 49–29384–
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50–282 and 50–306; NRC–
2010–0324]
Northern States Power Company—
Minnesota, Prairie Island Nuclear
Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2;
Exemption
1.0
Background
[FR Doc. 2010–30638 Filed 12–6–10; 8:45 am]
Northern States Power Company, a
Minnesota corporation (NSPM, the
licensee) is the holder of Facility
Operating License Nos. DPR–42 and
DPR–60, which authorize operation of
the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating
Plant, Units 1 and 2 (PINGP). The
licenses provide, among other things,
that the facility is subject to all rules,
regulations, and orders of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC, the
Commission) now or hereafter in effect.
The facility consists of two
pressurized-water reactors located in
Goodhue County in Minnesota.
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
2.0
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day
of November 2010.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Keith I. McConnell,
Deputy Director, Decommissioning and
Uranium Recovery Licensing Directorate,
Division of Waste Management and
Environmental Protection, Office of Federal
and State Materials and Environmental
Management Programs.
Request/Action
Pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), § 50.12,
‘‘Specific exemptions,’’ NSPM has, by
1 With respect to the remaining two pending
license applications, Jab & Antelope Project (Docket
No. 40–9079) and Ludeman Project (Docket No. 40–
VerDate Mar<15>2010
with the standards and requirements of
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended, and NRC’s rules and
regulations.
In
accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the
NRC’s ‘‘Rules of Practice,’’ the details
with respect to this action, including the
SER and accompanying documentation,
and license amendment, are available
electronically at the NRC’s Electronic
Reading Room at https://www.nrc.gov/
reading-rm/adams.html. From this site,
you can access the NRC’s Agencywide
Document Access and Management
System (ADAMS), which provides text
and image files of NRC’s public
documents. The ADAMS accession
numbers for the documents related to
this notice are:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Applicant’s application, July 20, 2010 ........................................................................................................
FEDERAL REGISTER Notice, Opportunity for Hearing, September 20, 2010 ...............................................
Applicant Response to Request for Additional Information, October 18, 2010 .........................................
Request to Amend License No. 49–29384–01, June 23, 2010 .................................................................
Response to Request for Additional Information .......................................................................................
NRC Letter approving change of control, November 23, 2010 .................................................................
NRC Order dated November 23, 2010 ......................................................................................................
Materials License SUA–1341, Amendment 18, November 23, 2010 ........................................................
Materials License SUA–1596, Amendment 2, November 23, 2010 ..........................................................
Materials License 49–29384–01, Amendment 01, November 24, 2010 ....................................................
NRC Safety Evaluation Report dated November 22, 2010 .......................................................................
If you do not have access to ADAMS,
or if there are problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS, contact
the NRC Public Document Room (PDR)
Reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–
415–4737, or via e-mail to
pdr.resource@nrc.gov.
These documents may also be viewed
electronically on the public computers
located at the NRC’s PDR, O–F21, One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR
reproduction contractor will copy
documents for a fee.
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
01 was published on the NRC’s public
webpage on October 1, 2010, with a
deadline for submitting a request for
hearing of November 30, 2010. While
the deadline for requesting a hearing for
Materials License 49–29384–01 has not
expired, 10 CFR 2.1316 directs the staff
to promptly issue approval or denial of
transfer requests consistent with staff’s
finding in the Safety Evaluation Report
(SER).
By Order dated November 23, 2010,
NRC approved the indirect transfer of
control of NRC Materials Licenses SUA–
1341, SUA–1596, and 49–29384–01.
The Order was accompanied by a Safety
Evaluation Report (SER) documenting
the basis for the NRC staff’s approval
and a license amendment for each of the
affected licenses. These actions comply
18:39 Dec 06, 2010
Jkt 223001
9095), as a license has yet to be issued, the July 20,
2010, submittal will be treated as a revision to the
information regarding the corporate identity of the
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76051
ML102090404
ML102630318
ML102940435
ML102100530
ML102670746
ML103120152
ML103120183
ML103120213
ML103120221
ML103120342
ML103120321
letter dated November 24, 2009, as
supplemented by letter dated May 26,
2010 (Agencywide Documents Access
and Management System Accession
Nos. ML093280883 and ML101480083,
respectively), requested an exemption
from 10 CFR 50.46, ‘‘Acceptance criteria
for emergency core cooling systems for
light-water nuclear power reactors,’’ and
appendix K to 10 CFR part 50, ‘‘ECCS
Evaluation Models,’’ (appendix K). The
regulations in 10 CFR 50.46 contain
acceptance criteria for the emergency
core cooling system (ECCS) for reactors
fueled with zircaloy or ZIRLOTM
cladding. In addition, appendix K to 10
CFR part 50 requires that the Baker-Just
equation be used to predict the rates of
energy release, hydrogen concentration,
and cladding oxidation from the metal/
water reaction. The Baker-Just equation
assumed the use of a zirconium alloy
different than Optimized ZIRLOTM. The
exemption request relates solely to the
specific types of cladding material
specified in these regulations. As
written, the regulations presume the use
of zircaloy or ZIRLOTM fuel rod
cladding. Thus, an exemption from the
requirements of 10 CFR 50.46 and
Appendix K is needed to support the
applicant that is contained in the respective license
applications.
E:\FR\FM\07DEN1.SGM
07DEN1
76052
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 7, 2010 / Notices
use of different fuel rod cladding
material. Therefore, the licensee
requested an exemption that would
allow the use of Optimized ZIRLOTM
fuel rod cladding at PINGP. The NRC
staff will prepare a separate safety
evaluation, fully addressing NSPM’s
application for a related license
amendment.
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. Under 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2),
special circumstances include, among
other things, when application of the
specific regulation in the particular
circumstance would not serve, or is not
necessary to achieve, the underlying
purpose of the rule.
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Authorized by Law
This exemption would allow the use
of Optimized ZIRLOTM fuel rod
cladding material at PINGP. As stated
above, 10 CFR 50.12 allows the NRC to
grant exemptions from the requirements
of 10 CFR part 50. The NRC staff has
determined that granting of the
licensee’s proposed exemption will not
result in a violation of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or the
Commission’s regulations. Therefore,
the exemption is authorized by law.
No Undue Risk to Public Health and
Safety
The underlying purpose of 10 CFR
50.46 is to establish acceptance criteria
for ECCS performance. Westinghouse
topical reports WCAP–12610–P–A and
CENPD–404–P–A, Addendum 1–A,
‘‘Optimized ZIRLOTM,’’ dated July 2006,
contain the justification to use
Optimized ZIRLOTM fuel rod cladding
material in addition to Zircaloy-4 and
ZIRLOTM (these topical reports are nonpublicly available because they contain
proprietary information). The NRC staff
approved the use of these topical
reports, subject to the conditions stated
in the staff’s safety evaluations for each.
In these topical reports, Westinghouse
evaluated the structural and material
properties of Optimized ZIRLOTM and
determined that the use of Optimized
ZIRLOTM as cladding would have either
no significant impact or would produce
a reduction in corrosion or oxidation
and a corresponding reduction in
hydrogen pickup. Westinghouse also
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:39 Dec 06, 2010
Jkt 223001
evaluated the impact of Optimized
ZIRLOTM fuel cladding on the loss-ofcoolant accident (LOCA) and non-LOCA
accident analyses. The evaluations
determined that the LOCA analyses for
fuel with Optimized ZIRLOTM cladding
complied with 10 CFR 50.46, and that
there was a negligible difference in the
non-LOCA analyses between fuel clad
with standard ZIRLOTM and fuel clad
with Optimized ZIRLOTM.
The underlying purpose of 10 CFR
Part 50, Appendix K, Section I.A.5,
‘‘Metal-Water Reaction Rate,’’ is to
ensure that cladding oxidation and
hydrogen generation are appropriately
limited during a LOCA and
conservatively accounted for in the
ECCS evaluation model. Appendix K of
10 CFR part 50 requires that the BakerJust equation be used in the ECCS
evaluation model to determine the rate
of energy release, cladding oxidation,
and hydrogen generation. Westinghouse
has shown in WCAP–12610–P–A that
the Baker-Just model is conservative in
all post-LOCA scenarios with respect to
the use of the Optimized ZIRLOTM
advanced alloy as a fuel cladding
material.
The NRC-approved topical reports
have demonstrated that predicted
chemical, thermal, and mechanical
characteristics of the Optimized
ZIRLOTM alloy cladding are bounding
for those approved for ZIRLOTM under
anticipated operational occurrences and
postulated accidents. Reload cores are
required to be operated in accordance
with the operating limits specified in
the technical specifications and the core
operating limits report.
Based on the above, no new accident
precursors are created by using
Optimized ZIRLOTM; thus, the
probability of postulated accidents is
not increased. Also, based on the above,
the consequences of postulated
accidents are not increased. Therefore,
there is no undue risk to public health
and safety due to using Optimized
ZIRLOTM.
Consistent With Common Defense and
Security
The proposed exemption would allow
the use of Optimized ZIRLOTM fuel rod
cladding material at PINGP. This change
to the plant configuration has no
relation to security issues. Therefore,
the common defense and security is not
impacted by this exemption.
Special Circumstances
Special circumstances, in accordance
with 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), are present
whenever application of the regulation
in the particular circumstances is not
necessary to achieve the underlying
PO 00000
Frm 00101
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
purpose of the rule. The underlying
purpose of 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix
K to 10 CFR part 50 is to establish
acceptance criteria for ECCS
performance. The wording of the
regulations in 10 CFR 50.46 and
Appendix K is not directly applicable to
Optimized ZIRLOTM, even though the
evaluations above show that the intent
of the regulation is met. Therefore, since
the underlying purposes of 10 CFR
50.46 and Appendix K are achieved
through the use of Optimized ZIRLOTM
fuel rod cladding material, the special
circumstances required by 10 CFR
50.12(a)(2)(ii) for the granting of an
exemption from 10 CFR 50.46 and
Appendix K exist.
4.0 Conclusion
Accordingly, the Commission has
determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR
50.12, the exemption is authorized by
law, will not present an undue risk to
the public health and safety, and is
consistent with the common defense
and security. Also, special
circumstances are present. Therefore,
the Commission hereby grants NSPM an
exemption from the requirements of 10
CFR 50.46 and Appendix K to 10 CFR
part 50, to allow the use of Optimized
ZIRLOTM fuel rod cladding material, for
the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating
Plant, Units 1 and 2.
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 as published in the
Federal Register on October 14, 2010
(75 FR 63213).
This exemption is effective upon
issuance.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd
day of November, 2010.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph G. Giitter,
Director, Division of Operating Reactor
Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2010–30653 Filed 12–6–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50–348 and 50–364; NRC–
2009–0375]
Southern Nuclear Operating Company,
Inc. Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant,
Units 1 and 2; Exemption
1.0
Background
Southern Nuclear Operating
Company, Inc. (SNC, the licensee), is
the holder of Renewed Facility
E:\FR\FM\07DEN1.SGM
07DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76051-76052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30653]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-282 and 50-306; NRC-2010-0324]
Northern States Power Company--Minnesota, Prairie Island Nuclear
Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2; Exemption
1.0 Background
Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota corporation (NSPM, the
licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-42 and
DPR-60, which authorize operation of the Prairie Island Nuclear
Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 (PINGP). The licenses provide, among
other things, that the facility is subject to all rules, regulations,
and orders of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission)
now or hereafter in effect.
The facility consists of two pressurized-water reactors located in
Goodhue County in Minnesota.
2.0 Request/Action
Pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
Sec. 50.12, ``Specific exemptions,'' NSPM has, by letter dated
November 24, 2009, as supplemented by letter dated May 26, 2010
(Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession Nos.
ML093280883 and ML101480083, respectively), requested an exemption from
10 CFR 50.46, ``Acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems
for light-water nuclear power reactors,'' and appendix K to 10 CFR part
50, ``ECCS Evaluation Models,'' (appendix K). The regulations in 10 CFR
50.46 contain acceptance criteria for the emergency core cooling system
(ECCS) for reactors fueled with zircaloy or ZIRLO\TM\ cladding. In
addition, appendix K to 10 CFR part 50 requires that the Baker-Just
equation be used to predict the rates of energy release, hydrogen
concentration, and cladding oxidation from the metal/water reaction.
The Baker-Just equation assumed the use of a zirconium alloy different
than Optimized ZIRLO\TM\. The exemption request relates solely to the
specific types of cladding material specified in these regulations. As
written, the regulations presume the use of zircaloy or ZIRLO\TM\ fuel
rod cladding. Thus, an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 50.46
and Appendix K is needed to support the
[[Page 76052]]
use of different fuel rod cladding material. Therefore, the licensee
requested an exemption that would allow the use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\
fuel rod cladding at PINGP. The NRC staff will prepare a separate
safety evaluation, fully addressing NSPM's application for a related
license amendment.
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. Under 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2),
special circumstances include, among other things, when application of
the specific regulation in the particular circumstance would not serve,
or is not necessary to achieve, the underlying purpose of the rule.
Authorized by Law
This exemption would allow the use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod
cladding material at PINGP. As stated above, 10 CFR 50.12 allows the
NRC to grant exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 50. The
NRC staff has determined that granting of the licensee's proposed
exemption will not result in a violation of the Atomic Energy Act of
1954, as amended, or the Commission's regulations. Therefore, the
exemption is authorized by law.
No Undue Risk to Public Health and Safety
The underlying purpose of 10 CFR 50.46 is to establish acceptance
criteria for ECCS performance. Westinghouse topical reports WCAP-12610-
P-A and CENPD-404-P-A, Addendum 1-A, ``Optimized ZIRLO\TM\,'' dated
July 2006, contain the justification to use Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel
rod cladding material in addition to Zircaloy-4 and ZIRLO\TM\ (these
topical reports are non-publicly available because they contain
proprietary information). The NRC staff approved the use of these
topical reports, subject to the conditions stated in the staff's safety
evaluations for each. In these topical reports, Westinghouse evaluated
the structural and material properties of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ and
determined that the use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ as cladding would have
either no significant impact or would produce a reduction in corrosion
or oxidation and a corresponding reduction in hydrogen pickup.
Westinghouse also evaluated the impact of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel
cladding on the loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) and non-LOCA accident
analyses. The evaluations determined that the LOCA analyses for fuel
with Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ cladding complied with 10 CFR 50.46, and that
there was a negligible difference in the non-LOCA analyses between fuel
clad with standard ZIRLO\TM\ and fuel clad with Optimized ZIRLO\TM\.
The underlying purpose of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix K, Section
I.A.5, ``Metal-Water Reaction Rate,'' is to ensure that cladding
oxidation and hydrogen generation are appropriately limited during a
LOCA and conservatively accounted for in the ECCS evaluation model.
Appendix K of 10 CFR part 50 requires that the Baker-Just equation be
used in the ECCS evaluation model to determine the rate of energy
release, cladding oxidation, and hydrogen generation. Westinghouse has
shown in WCAP-12610-P-A that the Baker-Just model is conservative in
all post-LOCA scenarios with respect to the use of the Optimized
ZIRLO\TM\ advanced alloy as a fuel cladding material.
The NRC-approved topical reports have demonstrated that predicted
chemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics of the Optimized
ZIRLO\TM\ alloy cladding are bounding for those approved for ZIRLO\TM\
under anticipated operational occurrences and postulated accidents.
Reload cores are required to be operated in accordance with the
operating limits specified in the technical specifications and the core
operating limits report.
Based on the above, no new accident precursors are created by using
Optimized ZIRLO\TM\; thus, the probability of postulated accidents is
not increased. Also, based on the above, the consequences of postulated
accidents are not increased. Therefore, there is no undue risk to
public health and safety due to using Optimized ZIRLO\TM\.
Consistent With Common Defense and Security
The proposed exemption would allow the use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\
fuel rod cladding material at PINGP. This change to the plant
configuration has no relation to security issues. Therefore, the common
defense and security is not impacted by this exemption.
Special Circumstances
Special circumstances, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii),
are present whenever application of the regulation in the particular
circumstances is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of the
rule. The underlying purpose of 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K to 10 CFR
part 50 is to establish acceptance criteria for ECCS performance. The
wording of the regulations in 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K is not
directly applicable to Optimized ZIRLO\TM\, even though the evaluations
above show that the intent of the regulation is met. Therefore, since
the underlying purposes of 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K are achieved
through the use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod cladding material, the
special circumstances required by 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) for the
granting of an exemption from 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K exist.
4.0 Conclusion
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR
50.12, the exemption is authorized by law, will not present an undue
risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with the common
defense and security. Also, special circumstances are present.
Therefore, the Commission hereby grants NSPM an exemption from the
requirements of 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K to 10 CFR part 50, to allow
the use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod cladding material, for the
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2.
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 as published in the Federal Register
on October 14, 2010 (75 FR 63213).
This exemption is effective upon issuance.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of November, 2010.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph G. Giitter,
Director, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2010-30653 Filed 12-6-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
