[Federal Register: December 16, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 241)]
[Notices]
[Page 77082-77083]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16de02-76]
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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