Tennessee Valley Authority; Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, 36959-36961 [2019-16147]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 146 / Tuesday, July 30, 2019 / Notices
Office of the Secretary
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; Surface
Coal Mines Daily Inspection; Certified
Person; Reports of Inspection
Notice of availability; request
for comments.
ACTION:
The Department of Labor
(DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA)
sponsored information collection
request (ICR) titled, ‘‘Surface Coal Mines
Daily Inspection; Certified Person;
Reports of Inspection,’’ to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and approval for continued use,
without change, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA). Public comments on the ICR are
invited.
DATES: The OMB will consider all
written comments that agency receives
on or before August 29, 2019.
ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with
applicable supporting documentation;
including a description of the likely
respondents, proposed frequency of
response, and estimated total burden
may be obtained free of charge from the
RegInfo.gov website at https://
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201905-1219-001
(this link will only become active on the
day following publication of this notice)
or by contacting Frederick Licari by
telephone at 202–693–8073, TTY 202–
693–8064, (these are not toll-free
numbers) or by email at DOL_PRA_
PUBLIC@dol.gov.
Submit comments about this request
by mail to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk
Officer for DOL–MSHA Office of
Management and Budget, Room 10235,
725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC
20503; by Fax: 202–395–5806 (this is
not a toll-free number); or by email:
OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.
Commenters are encouraged, but not
required, to send a courtesy copy of any
comments by mail or courier to the U.S.
Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Attn:
Departmental Information Compliance
Management Program, Room N1301,
200 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20210; or by email:
DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frederick Licari by telephone at 202–
693–8073, TTY 202–693–8064, (these
are not toll-free numbers) or by email at
DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Jul 29, 2019
This ICR
seeks to extend PRA authority for the
Surface Coal Mines Daily Inspection;
Certified Person; Reports of Inspection
information collection requirements
codified in regulations 30 CFR 77.1713
that requires an operator of either or
both a surface coal mine and surface
facility to keep a record of the results of
required examinations for hazardous
conditions. These records consist of the
nature and location of any hazardous
condition found and the actions taken to
abate the hazardous condition. Federal
Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977
sections 101(a) and 103(h) authorize this
information collection. See 30 U.S.C.
811(a), 813(h).
This information collection is subject
to the PRA. A Federal agency generally
cannot conduct or sponsor a collection
of information, and the public is
generally not required to respond to an
information collection, unless it is
approved by the OMB under the PRA
and displays a currently valid OMB
Control Number. In addition,
notwithstanding any other provisions of
law, no person shall generally be subject
to penalty for failing to comply with a
collection of information that does not
display a valid Control Number. See 5
CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL
obtains OMB approval for this
information collection under Control
Number 1219–0083.
OMB authorization for an ICR cannot
be for more than three (3) years without
renewal, and the current approval for
this collection is scheduled to expire on
July 31, 2019. The DOL seeks to extend
PRA authorization for this information
collection for three (3) more years,
without any change to existing
requirements. The DOL notes that
existing information collection
requirements submitted to the OMB
receive a month-to-month extension
while they undergo review. For
additional substantive information
about this ICR, see the related notice
published in the Federal Register on
May 3, 2019 (84 FR 19128).
Interested parties are encouraged to
send comments to the OMB, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs at
the address shown in the ADDRESSES
section within thirty-(30) days of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. In order to help ensure
appropriate consideration, comments
should mention OMB Control Number
1219–0083. The OMB is particularly
interested in comments that:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
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36959
whether the information will have
practical utility:
• Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Agency: DOL–MSHA.
Title of Collection: Surface Coal Mines
Daily Inspection; Certified Person;
Reports of Inspection.
OMB Control Number: 1219–0083.
Affected Public: Private Sector—
business or other for-profits.
Total Estimated Number of
Respondents: 893.
Total Estimated Number of
Responses: 357,200.
Total Estimated Annual Time Burden:
535,800 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Other Costs
Burden: $0.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).
Dated: July 24, 2019.
Frederick Licari,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019–16104 Filed 7–29–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–43–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50–390 and 50–391; NRC–
2019–0138]
Tennessee Valley Authority; Watts Bar
Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Exemption; issuance.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC or the Commission)
has issued an exemption in response to
a July 23, 2018, request from Tennessee
Valley Authority (TVA or the licensee)
to implement Optimized ZIRLOTM fuel
rod cladding at the Watts Bar Nuclear
Plant (Watts Bar), Units 1 and 2.
DATES: The exemption was issued on
July 25, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2019–0138 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
SUMMARY:
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36960
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 146 / Tuesday, July 30, 2019 / Notices
information regarding this document.
You may obtain publicly-available
information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/ and search
for Docket ID NRC–2019–0138. Address
questions about NRC docket IDs to
Jennifer Borges; telephone: 301–287–
9127; email: Jennifer.Borges@nrc.gov.
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 obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at
https://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 pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The
ADAMS accession number for each
document referenced (if it is available in
ADAMS) is provided the first time that
it is mentioned in this document. In
addition, for the convenience of the
reader, the ADAMS accession numbers
are provided in a table in the
‘‘Availability of Documents’’ section of
this document.
• 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:
Robert Schaaf, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001; telephone: 301–415–6020, email:
Robert.Schaaf@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
I. Background
TVA is the holder of Facility
Operating License Nos. NPF–90 and
NPF–96, which authorize operation of
Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2, respectively.
The licenses provide, among other
things, that the facilities are subject to
all rules, regulations, and orders of the
NRC now or hereafter in effect. The
facilities consist of pressurized-water
reactors located in Spring City,
Tennessee.
II. Request/Action
By application dated July 23, 2018
(ADAMS Accession No. ML18205A492),
TVA, pursuant to section 50.12 of title
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Jul 29, 2019
Jkt 247001
(10 CFR), ‘‘Specific exemptions,’’
requested an exemption from certain
requirements of 10 CFR 50.46,
‘‘Acceptance criteria for emergency core
cooling systems [ECCS] for light-water
nuclear power reactors,’’ and appendix
K, ‘‘ECCS Evaluation Models,’’ to 10
CFR part 50 to allow the use of fuel rod
cladding with Optimized ZIRLOTM alloy
for future reload applications. The
regulations in 10 CFR 50.46 contain
acceptance criteria for the ECCS for
reactors fueled with zircaloy or
ZIRLOTM fuel rod cladding material. In
addition, 10 CFR part 50, appendix K,
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
assumes the use of a zirconium alloy,
which is a material different from
Optimized ZIRLOTM. The licensee
requested the exemption because these
regulations do not have provisions for
the use of fuel rod cladding material
other than zircaloy or ZIRLOTM. Because
the material specifications of Optimized
ZIRLOTM differ from the specifications
for zircaloy or ZIRLOTM, a plant-specific
exemption is required to support the
reload applications for Watts Bar, Units
1 and 2.
This exemption request relates solely
to the specific type of cladding material
specified in these regulations for use in
light-water reactors. As written, the
regulations presume use of either
Zircaloy or ZIRLOTM 1 fuel rod cladding.
The exemption is required because
Optimized ZIRLOTM has a slightly
different composition than Zircaloy or
ZIRLOTM. Therefore, TVA has requested
an exemption to consider Optimized
ZIRLOTM as an approved fuel rod
cladding material. TVA is not seeking
an exemption from the acceptance and
analytical criteria of 10 CFR 50.46 and
appendix K to 10 CFR part 50. The
requirements regarding the acceptance
and analytical criteria will be
maintained.
Along with the exemption request, the
submittal from TVA described above
also contains a license amendment
request to modify Technical
Specifications 4.2.1, ‘‘Fuel Assemblies,’’
and 5.9.5, ‘‘Core Operating Limits
Report (COLR),’’ to allow the use of
Optimized ZIRLOTM as an approved fuel
rod cladding material. This exemption
and the proposed Technical
Specification changes are subject to a
concurrent review that is being
documented in the safety evaluation
1 ‘‘Optimized ZIRLO’’ and ‘‘ZIRLO’’ are
trademarks or registered trademarks of
Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC.
PO 00000
Frm 00077
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Sfmt 4703
with the license amendments (ADAMS
Accession No. ML19112A004).
The NRC has previously approved
exemption requests that were similar in
nature to that requested by TVA.
Precedent exemptions have been
approved for other pressurized-water
reactor plants, including Beaver Valley
Power Station, Units 1 and 2 (ADAMS
Accession Nos. ML18022B116 and
ML17313A550); Palo Verde Nuclear
Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3
(ADAMS Accession Nos. ML17319A107
and ML17319A214); and Wolf Creek
Generating Station, Unit 1 (ADAMS
Accession Nos. ML16179A293 and
ML16179A440).
III. 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. The
requested exemption to apply the
acceptance criteria to Optimized
ZIRLOTM fuel rod cladding rather than
Zircaloy or ZIRLOTM at Watts Bar, Units
1 and 2, satisfies the criteria as
described below.
A. Special Circumstances
The special circumstance that
necessitates the request for exemption to
10 CFR 50.46 and appendix K to 10 CFR
part 50 is that neither of these
regulations explicitly allows the use of
Optimized ZIRLOTM fuel rod cladding
material. The ultimate objective of 10
CFR 50.46 is to ensure that nuclear
power reactors fueled with uranium
oxide pellets within Zircaloy or
ZIRLOTM cladding must be provided
with ECCS that must be designed to
provide core cooling following
postulated loss-of-coolant accidents. It
has been demonstrated in the NRCapproved Westinghouse Topical Report
WCAP–14342–A & CENPD–404–NP–A,
Addendum 1–A (ADAMS Accession No.
ML062080569) that the effectiveness of
the ECCS will not be affected by a
change from Zircaloy or ZIRLOTM clad
fuel to Optimized ZIRLOTM clad fuel.
Normal reload safety analyses will
confirm that there is no adverse impact
on ECCS performance.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 146 / Tuesday, July 30, 2019 / Notices
The objective of 10 CFR 50.46(b)(2)
and (b)(3) and paragraph I.A.5 of
appendix K to 10 CFR part 50 is to
ensure that cladding oxidation and
hydrogen generation are appropriately
limited during a loss-of-coolant accident
and conservatively accounted for in the
ECCS evaluation model. Appendix K of
10 CFR 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 Addendum 1–A to WCAP–
12610–P–A that the Baker-Just model is
conservative in all post-loss-of-coolant
accident scenarios with respect to the
use of the Optimized ZIRLOTM
advanced alloy as a fuel cladding
material.
B. The Exemption Is Authorized by Law
The NRC has the authority under 10
CFR 50.12 to grant exemptions from the
requirements of 10 CFR part 50 upon
showing proper justification. The fuel
that will be irradiated at Watts Bar,
Units 1 and 2, contains cladding
material that does not conform to the
cladding material that is explicitly
defined in 10 CFR 50.46 and implicitly
defined in appendix K to 10 CFR part
50. However, the criteria of these
sections will continue to be satisfied for
the operation of the Watts Bar, Units 1
and 2, core containing Optimized
ZIRLOTM fuel cladding.
jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
C. The Exemption Presents No Undue
Risk to Public Health and Safety
The standards for exemption are also
satisfied since the exemption will not
present an undue risk to public health
and safety. The NRC-approved
Westinghouse topical report discussed
above has demonstrated that predicted
chemical, thermal, and mechanical
characteristics of the Optimized
ZIRLOTM alloy cladding are bounded by
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 COLR.
Thus, the granting of this exemption
request will not pose an undue risk to
public health and safety.
D. The Exemption Is Consistent With the
Common Defense and Security
The exemption request is to allow the
licensee to use an improved fuel rod
cladding material. The licensee has
documented compliance with the
conditions and limitations of the NRC
safety evaluation regarding the use of
Optimized ZIRLOTM fuel rod cladding
at Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Jul 29, 2019
Jkt 247001
and 2, and has committed to ensuring
compliance for future reloads in the
current application for Watts Bar, Units
1 and 2. Use of Optimized ZIRLOTM fuel
rod cladding in the Watts Bar, Units 1
and 2, cores will not affect plant
operations and is consistent with
common defense and security.
E. Environmental Considerations
A review has determined that the
proposed amendments would change a
requirement with respect to installation
or use of a facility component located
within the restricted area, as defined in
10 CFR part 20, or would change an
inspection or surveillance requirement.
However, the proposed amendments do
not involve (i) a significant hazards
consideration, (ii) a significant change
in the types or significant increase in
the amounts of any effluents that may be
released offsite, or (iii) a significant
increase in individual or cumulative
occupational radiation exposure.
Accordingly, the proposed amendments
meet the eligibility criterion 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
need be prepared in connection with the
proposed amendments.
IV. 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. Therefore, the Commission
hereby grants TVA 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 at Watts Bar, Units 1
and 2. As stated in this notice, this
exemption relates solely to the cladding
material specified in these regulations.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day
of July 2019.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Blake D. Welling,
Deputy Director, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2019–16147 Filed 7–29–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
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36961
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[NRC–2016–0233]
Pressurized Water Reactor Control
Rod Ejection and Boiling Water
Reactor Control Rod Drop Accidents
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of reissuance of draft
regulatory guide; request for comment.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is reissuing for
public comment draft regulatory guide
(DG), DG–1327, ‘‘Pressurized Water
Reactor Control Rod Ejection and
Boiling Water Reactor Control Rod Drop
Accidents.’’ This DG proposes new
guidance for analyzing accidents such
as a control rod ejection for pressurized
water reactors and a control rod drop for
boiling-water reactors. It defines fuel
cladding failure thresholds for ductile
failure, brittle failure, and pellet-clad
mechanical interaction and provides
radionuclide release fractions for use in
assessing radiological consequences. It
also describes analytical limits and
guidance for demonstrating compliance
with regulations governing reactivity
limits.
SUMMARY:
Submit comments by October 28,
2019. Comments received after this date
will be considered if it is practical to do
so, but the NRC is able to ensure
consideration only for comments
received on or before this date.
Although a time limit is given,
comments and suggestions in
connection with items for inclusion in
guides currently being developed or
improvements in all published guides
are encouraged at any time.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods (unless
this document describes a different
method for submitting comments on a
specific subject):
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/ and search
for Docket ID NRC–2016–0233. Address
questions about docket IDs in
Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges;
telephone: 301–287–9127; email:
Jennifer.Borges@nrc.gov. For technical
questions, contact the individuals listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document.
• Mail comments to: Office of
Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN–7–
A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001, ATTN: Program Management,
Announcements and Editing Staff.
For additional direction on obtaining
information and submitting comments,
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\30JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36959-36961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16147]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-390 and 50-391; NRC-2019-0138]
Tennessee Valley Authority; Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and
2
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Exemption; issuance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission)
has issued an exemption in response to a July 23, 2018, request from
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA or the licensee) to implement Optimized
ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod cladding at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (Watts Bar),
Units 1 and 2.
DATES: The exemption was issued on July 25, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2019-0138 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
[[Page 36960]]
information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly-available
information related to this document using any of the following
methods:
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ and search for Docket ID NRC-2019-0138. Address
questions about NRC docket IDs to Jennifer Borges; telephone: 301-287-
9127; 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 obtain publicly-available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://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 (if it is available
in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in this
document. In addition, for the convenience of the reader, the ADAMS
accession numbers are provided in a table in the ``Availability of
Documents'' section of this document.
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: Robert Schaaf, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-6020, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
TVA is the holder of Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-90 and
NPF-96, which authorize operation of Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2,
respectively. The licenses provide, among other things, that the
facilities are subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the NRC
now or hereafter in effect. The facilities consist of pressurized-water
reactors located in Spring City, Tennessee.
II. Request/Action
By application dated July 23, 2018 (ADAMS Accession No.
ML18205A492), TVA, pursuant to section 50.12 of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Specific exemptions,'' requested an
exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR 50.46, ``Acceptance
criteria for emergency core cooling systems [ECCS] for light-water
nuclear power reactors,'' and appendix K, ``ECCS Evaluation Models,''
to 10 CFR part 50 to allow the use of fuel rod cladding with Optimized
ZIRLOTM alloy for future reload applications. The
regulations in 10 CFR 50.46 contain acceptance criteria for the ECCS
for reactors fueled with zircaloy or ZIRLOTM fuel rod
cladding material. In addition, 10 CFR part 50, appendix K, 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 assumes the use of a zirconium
alloy, which is a material different from Optimized ZIRLOTM.
The licensee requested the exemption because these regulations do not
have provisions for the use of fuel rod cladding material other than
zircaloy or ZIRLOTM. Because the material specifications of
Optimized ZIRLOTM differ from the specifications for
zircaloy or ZIRLOTM, a plant-specific exemption is required
to support the reload applications for Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2.
This exemption request relates solely to the specific type of
cladding material specified in these regulations for use in light-water
reactors. As written, the regulations presume use of either Zircaloy or
ZIRLO\TM\ \1\ fuel rod cladding. The exemption is required because
Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ has a slightly different composition than Zircaloy
or ZIRLO\TM\. Therefore, TVA has requested an exemption to consider
Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ as an approved fuel rod cladding material. TVA is
not seeking an exemption from the acceptance and analytical criteria of
10 CFR 50.46 and appendix K to 10 CFR part 50. The requirements
regarding the acceptance and analytical criteria will be maintained.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``Optimized ZIRLO'' and ``ZIRLO'' are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Along with the exemption request, the submittal from TVA described
above also contains a license amendment request to modify Technical
Specifications 4.2.1, ``Fuel Assemblies,'' and 5.9.5, ``Core Operating
Limits Report (COLR),'' to allow the use of Optimized
ZIRLOTM as an approved fuel rod cladding material. This
exemption and the proposed Technical Specification changes are subject
to a concurrent review that is being documented in the safety
evaluation with the license amendments (ADAMS Accession No.
ML19112A004).
The NRC has previously approved exemption requests that were
similar in nature to that requested by TVA. Precedent exemptions have
been approved for other pressurized-water reactor plants, including
Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2 (ADAMS Accession Nos.
ML18022B116 and ML17313A550); Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station,
Units 1, 2, and 3 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML17319A107 and ML17319A214);
and Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 (ADAMS Accession Nos.
ML16179A293 and ML16179A440).
III. 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. The
requested exemption to apply the acceptance criteria to Optimized
ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod cladding rather than Zircaloy or ZIRLO\TM\ at Watts
Bar, Units 1 and 2, satisfies the criteria as described below.
A. Special Circumstances
The special circumstance that necessitates the request for
exemption to 10 CFR 50.46 and appendix K to 10 CFR part 50 is that
neither of these regulations explicitly allows the use of Optimized
ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod cladding material. The ultimate objective of 10 CFR
50.46 is to ensure that nuclear power reactors fueled with uranium
oxide pellets within Zircaloy or ZIRLO\TM\ cladding must be provided
with ECCS that must be designed to provide core cooling following
postulated loss-of-coolant accidents. It has been demonstrated in the
NRC-approved Westinghouse Topical Report WCAP-14342-A & CENPD-404-NP-A,
Addendum 1-A (ADAMS Accession No. ML062080569) that the effectiveness
of the ECCS will not be affected by a change from Zircaloy or ZIRLO\TM\
clad fuel to Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ clad fuel. Normal reload safety
analyses will confirm that there is no adverse impact on ECCS
performance.
[[Page 36961]]
The objective of 10 CFR 50.46(b)(2) and (b)(3) and paragraph I.A.5
of appendix K to 10 CFR part 50 is to ensure that cladding oxidation
and hydrogen generation are appropriately limited during a loss-of-
coolant accident and conservatively accounted for in the ECCS
evaluation model. Appendix K of 10 CFR 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 Addendum 1-A to WCAP-12610-P-A that the
Baker-Just model is conservative in all post-loss-of-coolant accident
scenarios with respect to the use of the Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ advanced
alloy as a fuel cladding material.
B. The Exemption Is Authorized by Law
The NRC has the authority under 10 CFR 50.12 to grant exemptions
from the requirements of 10 CFR part 50 upon showing proper
justification. The fuel that will be irradiated at Watts Bar, Units 1
and 2, contains cladding material that does not conform to the cladding
material that is explicitly defined in 10 CFR 50.46 and implicitly
defined in appendix K to 10 CFR part 50. However, the criteria of these
sections will continue to be satisfied for the operation of the Watts
Bar, Units 1 and 2, core containing Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel cladding.
C. The Exemption Presents No Undue Risk to Public Health and Safety
The standards for exemption are also satisfied since the exemption
will not present an undue risk to public health and safety. The NRC-
approved Westinghouse topical report discussed above has demonstrated
that predicted chemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics of the
Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ alloy cladding are bounded by 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
COLR. Thus, the granting of this exemption request will not pose an
undue risk to public health and safety.
D. The Exemption Is Consistent With the Common Defense and Security
The exemption request is to allow the licensee to use an improved
fuel rod cladding material. The licensee has documented compliance with
the conditions and limitations of the NRC safety evaluation regarding
the use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod cladding at Beaver Valley Power
Station, Units 1 and 2, and has committed to ensuring compliance for
future reloads in the current application for Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2.
Use of Optimized ZIRLO\TM\ fuel rod cladding in the Watts Bar, Units 1
and 2, cores will not affect plant operations and is consistent with
common defense and security.
E. Environmental Considerations
A review has determined that the proposed amendments would change a
requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component
located within the restricted area, as defined in 10 CFR part 20, or
would change an inspection or surveillance requirement. However, the
proposed amendments do not involve (i) a significant hazards
consideration, (ii) a significant change in the types or significant
increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite,
or (iii) a significant increase in individual or cumulative
occupational radiation exposure. Accordingly, the proposed amendments
meet the eligibility criterion 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 need be
prepared in connection with the proposed amendments.
IV. 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. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants TVA 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 at Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2. As stated in this
notice, this exemption relates solely to the cladding material
specified in these regulations.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of July 2019.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Blake D. Welling,
Deputy Director, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2019-16147 Filed 7-29-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
