[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26465-26466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12100]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 72-10 (50-282/306)


Northern States Power Co. Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant 
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Exemption

I

    Northern States Power Company (NSP or the licensee) holds materials 
license (SNM-2506) for receipt and storage of spent fuel from its 
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant at an independent spent fuel 
storage installation (ISFSI) located on the Prairie Island Nuclear 
Generating Plant site. This facility is located at the licensee's site 
in Goodhue County, Minnesota.

II

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 
may grant exemptions from the requirements of the regulations in 10 CFR 
Part 72 as it determines are authorized by law and will not endanger 
life or property or the common defense and security and are otherwise 
in the public interest.
    Section 72.82(e) of 10 CFR Part 72 requires each licensee to 
provide a report of preoperational test acceptance criteria and test 
results to the appropriate NRC Regional Office with a copy to the 
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, at least 30 
days prior to receipt of spent fuel or high level radioactive waste for 
storage in an ISFSI. The purpose of the 30-day period is to allow the 
NRC an opportunity to review test results prior to initial operation of 
the ISFSI.

III

    By letter dated January 4, 1995, the licensee requested a schedular 
exemption pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7 from the requirement of 10 CFR 
72.82(e). The licensee committed to submit its report no less than 3 
days prior to receipt of spent fuel at its ISFSI.
    In July 1993, NSP suspended cask fabrication and site construction 
activities until the Minnesota State Legislature authorized the ISFSI 
on May 10, 1994. After authorization, NSP resumed the ISFSI 
construction and the facility was completed in November 1994. The fist 
cask was received on January 26, 1995.
    The NRC conducted an inspection of the quality assurance records 
related to the manufacture of the cask at vendor sites, and on October 
11, 1994, and January 25, 1995, issued Inspection Reports Nos. 72-0010/
94-210 and 72-0010/94-212, respectively, to NSP. On February 23, 1995, 
and March 8, 1995, NSP responded to the Notice of 
[[Page 26466]] Violation in the inspection report and provided 
additional information. In a letter dated March 21, 1995, NRC found 
NSP's corrective actions acceptable. Since receipt of the first cask on 
site, NRC has observed selected portions of the preoperational testing 
activities and has reviewed associated test procedures and results. In 
addition, during the weeks of April 17, and April 24, 1995, the NRC 
conducted a special team inspection of cask fabrication records and 
preoperational test results at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating 
Plant. On April 28, 1995, NRC held an inspection exit meeting, which 
was open to public attendance, in Red Wing, Minnesota, to discuss its 
inspection findings and conclusions. NSP submitted the report of 
preoperational test acceptance criteria and test results required by 10 
CFR 72.83(e) to the NRC on April 20, 1995. At the inspection exit 
meeting held on April 28, 1995, the following five outstanding issues 
and their resolution were:
    Issue (1): Fabrication of the temperature and pressure monitoring 
equipment was not complete.
    Resolution: NRC Resident Inspectors observed completion of 
installation of fabricated equipment.
    Issue (2): NRC review of the unloading procedure was not complete.
    Resolution: NRC Resident Inspectors have completed their review and 
all identified concerns have been acceptably resolved.
    Issue (3): NRC review of licensee disposition of weld discrepancies 
was not complete.
    Resolution: NRC staff have completed their review and have accepted 
the licensee's dispositions.
    Issue (4): Resolution of cask hydrostatic testing requirements was 
not complete.
    Resolution: NRC staff have resolved the cask hydrostatic testing 
requirements. In addition, the licensee performed a 10 CFR 72.48 
evaluation to revise the Safety Analysis Report. The Resident 
Inspectors have reviewed the evaluation and found it acceptable.
    Issue (5): NRC review of adequate spent fuel retrievability was not 
complete.
    Resolution: The licensee provided information regarding 
retrievability in a letter dated May 3, 1995. In a letter to NSP dated 
May 5, 1995, NRC found NSP's rationale acceptable.
    Based on the resolutions described above, the staff has completed 
its review and is granting the exemption.
    An exemption to the requirement of 10 CFR 72.82(e) for a 30-day 
waiting period would allow NSP to start loading the first cask before 
May 20, 1995, the end of the 30-day period.

IV

    As previously described in the foregoing discussion, and based on 
its oversight and inspection of NSP's ISFSI preoperational testing 
activities, the NRC finds that NSP has satisfactorily addressed all of 
the outstanding safety issues associated with cask loading, handling, 
and storage. The results of the NRC activities described above confirm 
there is adequate assurance that the cask can perform its intended 
safety functions and that NSP has the necessary equipment and 
procedures in place to safely conduct spent fuel cask handling 
activities.
    Accordingly, the NRC has determined in accordance with 10 CFR 72.7 
that this exemption is authorized by law, will not endanger life or 
property or the common defense and security, and is otherwise in the 
public interest. Therefore, the NRC hereby grants the licensee an 
exemption from the 30-day waiting period required by 10 CFR 72.82(e) as 
requested by the licensee's letter of January 4, 1995.
    The documents related to this proposed action are available for 
public inspection and for copying (for a fee) at the NRC Public 
Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20555, and at the 
Local Public Document Room located in the Minneapolis Public Library, 
300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the NRC has determined that granting this 
exemption will have no significant impact on the quality of the human 
environment (60 FR 13477).
    This exemption is effective upon issuance.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11 day of May 1995.

Donald A. Cool,
Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 95-12100 Filed 5-16-95; 8:45 am]
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