[Federal Register: June 11, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 112)]
[Notices]               
[Page 31654]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11jn99-115]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 
Laboratory Testing of Nuclear-Grade Activated Charcoal; Issue

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of issuance.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Generic 
Letter (GL) 99-02 to all holders of operating licenses for nuclear 
power reactors, except those who have permanently ceased operations and 
have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor 
vessel. It concerns the laboratory testing of nuclear-grade activated 
charcoal that is used in the safety-related air-cleaning units of 
engineered safety feature ventilation systems of nuclear power plants 
to reduce the potential onsite and offsite consequences of a 
radiological accident by adsorbing iodine. The purpose of the generic 
letter is to request licensees of operating nuclear power reactors to 
amend their facility technical specifications to reference either the 
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard ASTM D3803-
1989, ``Standard Test Method for Nuclear-Grade Activated Carbon,'' or 
an alternate test protocol that has been demonstrated to give 
comparable results. Licensees may also propose another course of 
action, which would be subject to NRC review and approval. The 
objective is to assure licensee compliance with the licensing bases of 
their respective facilities, as they relate to the onsite and offsite 
dose consequences of General Design Criterion 19 of Appendix A to 10 
CFR part 50 and the guideline values of subpart A of 10 CFR part 100, 
respectively.
    The generic letter also requests that licensees submit information. 
The requested information will enable the NRC staff to determine to 
which testing standard licensees are currently testing the nuclear-
grade activated charcoal of their engineered safety features 
ventilation systems.

DATES: The generic letter was issued on June 3, 1999.

ADDRESSEES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John P. Segala, at (301) 415-1858.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This generic letter is available in the NRC 
Public Document Room under accession number 9906030055. This generic 
letter is discussed in Commission information paper SECY-99-132 which 
is also available in the NRC Public Document Room.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of June 1999.

    For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Scott F. Newberry,
Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-14842 Filed 6-10-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P