Source: https://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2005/09/15/E5-5023.html
Timestamp: 2019-07-23 08:52:08
Document Index: 760218497

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 72', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 54', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 72', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art\n50', 'art 72', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 54', 'art 50', 'art\n50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 72']

Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company, Haddam Neck Plant; Partial Exemption from Requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), 54587-54589 [E5-5023] :: Nuclear Regulatory Commission :: Agencies And Commissions :: Regulation Tracker :: Justia
Justia Regulation Tracker Agencies And Commissions Nuclear Regulatory Commission Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company, Haddam Neck Plant; Partial Exemption from Requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), 54587-54589 [E5-5023]
Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company, Haddam Neck Plant; Partial Exemption from Requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), 54587-54589 [E5-5023]
Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 178 / Thursday, September 15, 2005 / Notices accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, http:// www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/html. Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1–800– 397–4209, or 301–415–4737 or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day of September 2005. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Brenda L. Mozafari, Senior Project Manager, Section 2, Project Directorate II, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. E5–5022 Filed 9–14–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 50–213] Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company, Haddam Neck Plant; Partial Exemption from Requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3) 1.0 Background Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (CY) is the licensee and holder of Facility Operating License No. DPR–61 for the Haddam Neck Plant (HNP), a permanently shutdown decommissioning nuclear plant. Although permanently shutdown, this facility is still subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). On December 5, 1996, CY notified NRC that operations had permanently ceased and that all fuel had been permanently removed from the reactor. On July 7, 2000, CY submitted its License Termination Plan (LTP), which the NRC approved on November 25, 2002. CY began actively decommissioning HNP in April 1999, through a contract with Bechtel Power Corporation. In June 2003, CY began managing the decommissioning using staff augmentation and subcontractors for speciality work. The nuclear reactor and all associated systems and components necessary for the safe generation of power have been removed from the facility and disposed or sold off-site. Additionally, the structures necessary for safe power VerDate Aug<18>2005 15:03 Sep 14, 2005 Jkt 205001 generation are either demolished or in an advanced state of demolition. There are no safety-related structures, systems and components (SSCs) remaining at the HNP. Transfer of the spent fuel (SF) and greater-than-Class C (GTCC) waste from the SF pool to the HNP Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) was completed on March 30, 2005, but the SF pool has not yet been drained, so it is not ready for demolition. On February 16, 2005, CY filed a request for NRC approval of an exemption from the recordkeeping requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3). 2.0 Request/Action Pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12, CY requested the following exemption, to the extent necessary, from the record retention requirements of: (1) 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, which requires certain records be retained ‘‘throughout the life of the unit’’; (2) 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Section XVII, which requires certain records be retained consistent with applicable regulatory requirements for a duration established by the licensee; and (3) 10 CFR Part 50.59(d)(3), which requires certain records be maintained until ‘‘termination of a license issued pursuant to’’ Part 50. CY proposes to eliminate these records when: (1) The nuclear power unit and associated support systems no longer exist for SSCs associated with safe power generation, or (2) spent nuclear fuel has been completely transferred from the spent fuel pool and the building is ready for demolition. CY is not requesting any exemption associated with record keeping requirements for storage of spent fuel at its ISFSI under 10 CFR Part 50 or the general license requirements of 10 CFR Part 72. Most of these records are for SSCs that have been removed from HNP and disposed of offsite. Disposal of these records will not adversely impact the ability to meet other NRC regulatory requirements for the retention of records [e.g., 10 CFR 50.54(a), (p), (q), and (bb); 10 CFR 50.59(d); 10 CFR 50.57(g)]. These regulatory requirements ensure that records from operation and decommissioning activities are maintained for safe decommissioning, spent nuclear fuel storage, completion and verification of final site survey, and license termination. PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54587 3.0 Discussion NRC licensees are required to maintain their records according to the NRC regulatory recordkeeping requirements. Pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12, ‘‘Specific Exemptions,’’ CY filed a request for a partial exemption from the NRC recordkeeping requirements contained in 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59 (d)(3). The NRC recordkeeping requirements at issue in CY’s request for exemption are as follows. 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, ‘‘General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants,’’ establishes the necessary design, fabrication, construction, testing, and performance requirements for structures, systems, and components important to safety. Specifically, CY requests an exemption from Criterion 1, ‘‘Quality standards and records,’’ which states in part: Appropriate records of the design, fabrication, erection, and testing of structures, systems, and components important to safety shall be maintained by or under the control of the nuclear power unit licensee throughout the life of the unit. 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, ‘‘Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants,’’ establishes quality assurance requirements for the design, construction, and operation of structures, systems, and components that prevent or mitigate the consequences of postulated accidents that could cause undue risk to the health and safety of the public. Specifically, CY requests an exemption from Criterion XVII, ‘‘Quality Assurance Records’’, which states: Sufficient records shall be maintained to furnish evidence of activities affecting quality. The records shall include at least the following: Operating logs and the results of reviews, inspections, tests, audits, monitoring of work performance, and materials analyses. The records shall also include closely-related data such as qualifications of personnel, procedures, and equipment. Inspection and test records shall, as a minimum, identify the inspector or data recorder, the type of observation, the results, the acceptability, and the action taken in connection with any deficiencies noted. Records shall be identifiable and retrievable. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the applicant shall establish requirements concerning record retention, such as duration, location, and assigned responsibility. CY also requests an exemption from 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), which states: ‘‘The records of changes in the facility must be maintained until the termination of a license issued pursuant to this part or E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1 54588 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 178 / Thursday, September 15, 2005 / Notices the termination of a license issued pursuant to 10 CFR Part 54, whichever is later. Records of changes in procedures and records of tests and experiments must be maintained for a period of 5 years.’’ Exemption Requirements In order to be granted an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, Criterion I, Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), the licensee must meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50.12(a)(1), and demonstrate that special circumstances, as defined in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2) exist. In its exemption request dated February 16, 2005, CY provides the following justification for granting the exemption request and regulatory basis for meeting the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12(a)(1), and that the special circumstances, as defined in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2), exist: I. General Justification for Granting the Exemption Request A. Nuclear Power Generation SSCs The HNP power generation unit no longer exists. Its systems and components have been removed to various offsite disposal facilities or reuse applications. The structures that have not yet been fully demolished have been remediated or partially demolished to the point of rendering them useless for any application. The general justification for disposition of records associated with these SSCs is that the SSCs no longer exist, they no longer serve, nor can they conceivably serve, any function regulated by the NRC. While the safe power generation SSCs no longer exist, the HNP site and the power generation ‘‘footprint’’ continue to be under NRC regulation due, primarily, to presence of residual radioactivity. The radiological controls (and other programmatic controls such as quality assurance) of the ‘‘footprint’’ and the implementation of cleanup criteria are fully covered through the current plant documents such as the updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR), which includes the HNP License Termination Plan and the Quality Assurance Program. These programmatic elements and their associated records are unaffected by the exemption request. B. Spent Fuel and Associated SSCs With all spent fuel and GTCC transferred from the spent fuel pool (SFP) to the ISFSI on March 30, 2005, the SFP and its associated SSCs no longer have a safety function. All records necessary for spent fuel storage have been retained for the ISFSI. Similar VerDate Aug<18>2005 15:03 Sep 14, 2005 Jkt 205001 to the power generation SSC records, once the SFP is drained and ready for demolition, there is no safetysignificance or other regulatory value in retaining SFP SSC records. Also, similar to the power generation ‘‘footprint’’, the SFP SSCs ‘‘footprint’’ is included under the radiological control provided by the UFSAR, Quality Assurance Program, and their programmatic elements. Finally, CY believes that when the NRC developed record retention requirements, there was little, if any discussion related to decommissioning facilities. In the case of ISFSI records, however, recent clarification was provided. Specifically, when updating 10 CFR 72.48 requirements (72.48 is the dry fuel storage equivalent of 10 CFR 50.59), the NRC clarified the retention period for records for changes in the facility or spent fuel storage cask design to be until ‘‘* * *. Spent fuel is no longer stored in the facility’’ (10 CFR 72.48(d)(3)(I). This is analogous to what CY is requesting—retention of related records until fuel is no longer stored in the SFP and the SFP building is ready for demolition. C. ISFSI SSCs and Spent Nuclear Fuel CY is not requesting any exemption associated with retention of these records. II. Specific Justification for Exemptions and Special Circumstances A. Specific Exemption Is Authorized by Law The CY exemption request to reduce record retention durations is authorized by law and within the Commission’s authority. CY believes that the Commission would have made these clarifying changes to the regulations had there been sufficient industry experience in performing decommissioning and license termination at Part 50 facilities when the record retention rules were originally promulgated. B. Specific Exemption Will Not Present an Undue Risk to the Public Health and Safety The public health and safety are not affected by the proposed exemption. Removal of the underlying SSCs associated with the records has been already determined by CY, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.59, to have no adverse public health and safety impact. Elimination of associated records for these SSCs will not impact health and safety. PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 C. Specific Exemption Consistent With the Common Defense and Security CY believes that the elimination of these records is administrative in nature and does not involve information or activities that could potentially impact the common defense and security of the United States. D. Special Circumstances Further CY provides the following regulatory basis for meeting the requirements of: 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) ‘‘Application of the regulation in the particular circumstances would not serve the underlying purpose of the rule * * *’’ The common and underlying purpose for the regulations cited above is to ensure that the current license and design basis of the facility is understood, documented, preserved and retrievable. The current license basis encompasses all those elements of SSCs functionally necessary to ensure, within the boundaries of nuclear regulation, safe operation of the facility. In order to ensure future safe operation, a license basis is maintained current by evaluating changes against up-to-date information. The terms such as ‘‘safety functions’’, and ‘‘safe operation’’ is meaningless if a facility has been dismantled and disposed. In this case, retention of records associated with nonexistent SSCs serves no safety or regulatory purpose. Therefore, application of these record requirements in CY’s circumstances does not serve the underlying purpose of the regulations. 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(iii) ‘‘Compliance would result in undue hardship or other costs that are significantly in excess of those contemplated when the regulation was adopted,* * *’’ The records retention itself is an expensive proposition. Retention of records alone is not sufficient. They must be legible, retrievable and stored in a safe condition. This expense was understood on the part of the Commission and the nuclear industry for the current license basis to ensure the continued safe operation of the facility. However, what was not well understood (when the regulation was adopted) was the effect of explicit record retention durations that survived the life of a facility and no longer served an underlying safety purpose. This is the current situation at the decommissioning facilities. CY’s available record storage capacity continues to shrink as buildings are E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 178 / Thursday, September 15, 2005 / Notices remediated, surveyed and demolished. CY is less than one year from demolishing the administrative building where many of the records are stored and retained. Retaining records associated with non-existent SSCs and a non-existent nuclear power generator is a significant hardship today as records are shuffled between buildings and administrative support personnel are reduced. It will become more of a hardship and cost increase as they must make provisions for offsite storage well in advance of building demolition. 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(vi) ‘‘There is present any other material circumstances not considered when the regulation was adopted for which it would be in the public interest to grant an exemption.’’ First, the cost associated with maintaining records that no longer serve a safety purpose can be significant, particularly for a facility at an advanced stage in the decommissioning process. Decommissioning costs, including record maintenance, are paid by the ratepayers throughout the multi-state region that benefitted from the power produced by the HNP when it was operating. Since HNP is no longer generating electric power and is in decommissioning, the requested records exemption helps towards maintaining a cost-efficient decommissioning. Second, elimination of these records ensures their future unavailability to individuals and groups interested in adversely affecting commercial nuclear facilities. 4.0 Conclusion Based on its evaluation, the staff concludes the requirements for a specific exemption in 10 CFR 50.12 have been satisfied. The staff concludes that the requested exemption from the recordkeeping requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety. The destruction of the identified records will not impact remaining decommissioning activities; plant operations, configuration, and/or radiological effluents; operational and/ or installed SSCs that are quality-related or important to safety; or nuclear security. Further, the staff concludes that the destruction of the identified records is administrative in nature and does not involve information or activities that could potentially impact the common defense and security of the United States. VerDate Aug<18>2005 15:03 Sep 14, 2005 Jkt 205001 The staff agrees that an underlying purpose of the record keeping regulations in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3) is to ensure that the NRC staff has access to information in order for the NRC to perform its regulatory functions including inspection and licensing. For example, in the event of any accident, incident, or condition that could impact public health and safety, the records would assist in the protection of public health and safety during recovery from the given accident, incident, or condition, and also could help prevent future events or conditions at the site adversely impacting public health and safety. Because the CY–HNP reactor primary systems, including the reactor vessel, steam generators, pressurizer, reactor coolant pumps and piping, and their associated support systems have been removed for offsite disposal or resale, there are no longer regulatory functions for NRC to perform associated with these systems or components. Thus, the records identified in the exemption would not provide the NRC with information for carrying out its regulatory function. To the extent that CY had sold components, the new user of the components may have need for the associated records, however, that is an issue for the new owner and not a regulatory issue under CY’s license. Therefore, the Commission grants CY the requested exemption to the recordkeeping requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), as described in the February 16, 2005, letter. Specifically, pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12, CY is exempted from the record retention requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion I, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3) for: (1) Records pertaining to structures, systems, and components, or activities associated with the nuclear power unit and associated support systems that no longer exist at the CY site; and (2) records pertaining to the spent fuel pool and associated support systems for the safe storage of fuel in the spent fuel pool after the spent nuclear fuel and GTCC has been completely transferred from the spent fuel pool and the spent fuel pool is ready for demolition. This exemption does not apply to any recordkeeping requirements for storage of spent fuel at the CY ISFSI under 10 CFR Part 50 or the general requirements of 10 CFR Part 72. In addition, this exemption does not apply to any PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54589 records reflecting spills, releases or other information relevant to remaining decommissioning requirements and activities at the CY site. 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 documented in Federal Register (70 FR 53258, September 7, 2005). This exemption is effective upon issuance. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of September, 2005. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Claudia M. Craig, Acting Deputy Director, Decommissioning Directorate, Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. E5–5023 Filed 9–14–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Joint Meeting of the Subcommittees on Plant License Renewal and on Plant Operations; Notice of Meeting The ACRS Subcommittees on Plant License Renewal and on Plant Operations will hold a joint meeting on September 21, 2005, Room T–2B3, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The entire meeting will be open to public attendance. The agenda for the subject meeting shall be as follows: Wednesday, September 21, 2005— 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to gather information regarding the current status and condition of Browns Ferry Unit 1 in preparation for ACRS reviews of the license renewal application for Browns Ferry Units 1, 2, and 3, and the restart of Browns Ferry Unit 1. The Subcommittees will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff, Tennessee Valley Authority, and other interested persons regarding this matter. The Subcommittees will gather information, analyze relevant issues and facts, and formulate proposed positions and actions, as appropriate, for deliberation by the full Committee. Members of the public desiring to provide oral statements and/or written comments should notify the Designated Federal Official, Mr. Cayetano Santos (telephone 301/415–7270) five days prior to the meeting, if possible, so that E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1
[Pages 54587-54589]
[FR Doc No: E5-5023]
Partial Exemption from Requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A,
Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR
50.59(d)(3)
Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (CY) is the licensee and
holder of Facility Operating License No. DPR-61 for the Haddam Neck
Plant (HNP), a permanently shutdown decommissioning nuclear plant.
Although permanently shutdown, this facility is still subject to all
the reactor. On July 7, 2000, CY submitted its License Termination Plan
(LTP), which the NRC approved on November 25, 2002.
CY began actively decommissioning HNP in April 1999, through a
contract with Bechtel Power Corporation. In June 2003, CY began
managing the decommissioning using staff augmentation and
subcontractors for speciality work.
The nuclear reactor and all associated systems and components
necessary for the safe generation of power have been removed from the
facility and disposed or sold off-site. Additionally, the structures
necessary for safe power generation are either demolished or in an
advanced state of demolition. There are no safety-related structures,
systems and components (SSCs) remaining at the HNP. Transfer of the
spent fuel (SF) and greater-than-Class C (GTCC) waste from the SF pool
to the HNP Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) was
completed on March 30, 2005, but the SF pool has not yet been drained,
so it is not ready for demolition.
On February 16, 2005, CY filed a request for NRC approval of an
exemption from the recordkeeping requirements of 10 CFR Part 50
Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and
10 CFR 50.59(d)(3).
Pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12, CY requested the
following exemption, to the extent necessary, from the record retention
(1) 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, which requires certain
records be retained ``throughout the life of the unit'';
(2) 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Section XVII, which requires certain
records be retained consistent with applicable regulatory requirements
for a duration established by the licensee; and
(3) 10 CFR Part 50.59(d)(3), which requires certain records be
maintained until ``termination of a license issued pursuant to'' Part
CY proposes to eliminate these records when: (1) The nuclear power
unit and associated support systems no longer exist for SSCs associated
with safe power generation, or (2) spent nuclear fuel has been
completely transferred from the spent fuel pool and the building is
CY is not requesting any exemption associated with record keeping
requirements for storage of spent fuel at its ISFSI under 10 CFR Part
50 or the general license requirements of 10 CFR Part 72.
Most of these records are for SSCs that have been removed from HNP
and disposed of offsite. Disposal of these records will not adversely
impact the ability to meet other NRC regulatory requirements for the
retention of records [e.g., 10 CFR 50.54(a), (p), (q), and (bb); 10 CFR
50.59(d); 10 CFR 50.57(g)]. These regulatory requirements ensure that
NRC licensees are required to maintain their records according to
the NRC regulatory recordkeeping requirements. Pursuant to the
requirements of 10 CFR 50.12, ``Specific Exemptions,'' CY filed a
request for a partial exemption from the NRC recordkeeping requirements
contained in 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50
Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59 (d)(3). The NRC
recordkeeping requirements at issue in CY's request for exemption are
10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, ``General Design Criteria for Nuclear
Power Plants,'' establishes the necessary design, fabrication,
construction, testing, and performance requirements for structures,
systems, and components important to safety. Specifically, CY requests
an exemption from Criterion 1, ``Quality standards and records,'' which
Appropriate records of the design, fabrication, erection, and
testing of structures, systems, and components important to safety
shall be maintained by or under the control of the nuclear power
unit licensee throughout the life of the unit.
10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, ``Quality Assurance Criteria for
Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants,'' establishes
quality assurance requirements for the design, construction, and
operation of structures, systems, and components that prevent or
mitigate the consequences of postulated accidents that could cause
undue risk to the health and safety of the public. Specifically, CY
requests an exemption from Criterion XVII, ``Quality Assurance
Records'', which states:
Sufficient records shall be maintained to furnish evidence of
activities affecting quality. The records shall include at least the
following: Operating logs and the results of reviews, inspections,
tests, audits, monitoring of work performance, and materials
analyses. The records shall also include closely-related data such
as qualifications of personnel, procedures, and equipment.
Inspection and test records shall, as a minimum, identify the
inspector or data recorder, the type of observation, the results,
the acceptability, and the action taken in connection with any
deficiencies noted. Records shall be identifiable and retrievable.
Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the applicant
shall establish requirements concerning record retention, such as
duration, location, and assigned responsibility.
CY also requests an exemption from 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), which
states: ``The records of changes in the facility must be maintained
until the termination of a license issued pursuant to this part or
[[Page 54588]]
the termination of a license issued pursuant to 10 CFR Part 54,
whichever is later. Records of changes in procedures and records of
tests and experiments must be maintained for a period of 5 years.''
In order to be granted an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR
Part 50, Appendix A, Criterion I, Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10
CFR 50.59(d)(3), the licensee must meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part
50.12(a)(1), and demonstrate that special circumstances, as defined in
10 CFR 50.12(a)(2) exist. In its exemption request dated February 16,
2005, CY provides the following justification for granting the
exemption request and regulatory basis for meeting the requirements of
10 CFR 50.12(a)(1), and that the special circumstances, as defined in
10 CFR 50.12(a)(2), exist:
The HNP power generation unit no longer exists. Its systems and
components have been removed to various offsite disposal facilities or
reuse applications. The structures that have not yet been fully
demolished have been remediated or partially demolished to the point of
rendering them useless for any application. The general justification
for disposition of records associated with these SSCs is that the SSCs
no longer exist, they no longer serve, nor can they conceivably serve,
any function regulated by the NRC.
While the safe power generation SSCs no longer exist, the HNP site
and the power generation ``footprint'' continue to be under NRC
regulation due, primarily, to presence of residual radioactivity. The
radiological controls (and other programmatic controls such as quality
assurance) of the ``footprint'' and the implementation of cleanup
criteria are fully covered through the current plant documents such as
the updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR), which includes the
HNP License Termination Plan and the Quality Assurance Program. These
programmatic elements and their associated records are unaffected by
the exemption request.
With all spent fuel and GTCC transferred from the spent fuel pool
(SFP) to the ISFSI on March 30, 2005, the SFP and its associated SSCs
no longer have a safety function. All records necessary for spent fuel
storage have been retained for the ISFSI. Similar to the power
generation SSC records, once the SFP is drained and ready for
demolition, there is no safety-significance or other regulatory value
in retaining SFP SSC records. Also, similar to the power generation
``footprint'', the SFP SSCs ``footprint'' is included under the
radiological control provided by the UFSAR, Quality Assurance Program,
and their programmatic elements.
Finally, CY believes that when the NRC developed record retention
requirements, there was little, if any discussion related to
decommissioning facilities. In the case of ISFSI records, however,
recent clarification was provided. Specifically, when updating 10 CFR
72.48 requirements (72.48 is the dry fuel storage equivalent of 10 CFR
50.59), the NRC clarified the retention period for records for changes
in the facility or spent fuel storage cask design to be until ``* * *.
Spent fuel is no longer stored in the facility'' (10 CFR
72.48(d)(3)(I). This is analogous to what CY is requesting--retention
of related records until fuel is no longer stored in the SFP and the
SFP building is ready for demolition.
CY is not requesting any exemption associated with retention of
The CY exemption request to reduce record retention durations is
authorized by law and within the Commission's authority. CY believes
that the Commission would have made these clarifying changes to the
regulations had there been sufficient industry experience in performing
decommissioning and license termination at Part 50 facilities when the
record retention rules were originally promulgated.
B. Specific Exemption Will Not Present an Undue Risk to the Public
The public health and safety are not affected by the proposed
exemption. Removal of the underlying SSCs associated with the records
has been already determined by CY, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.59, to
have no adverse public health and safety impact. Elimination of
associated records for these SSCs will not impact health and safety.
CY believes that the elimination of these records is administrative
Further CY provides the following regulatory basis for meeting the
``Application of the regulation in the particular circumstances
would not serve the underlying purpose of the rule * * *''
The common and underlying purpose for the regulations cited above
is to ensure that the current license and design basis of the facility
is understood, documented, preserved and retrievable. The current
license basis encompasses all those elements of SSCs functionally
necessary to ensure, within the boundaries of nuclear regulation, safe
operation of the facility. In order to ensure future safe operation, a
license basis is maintained current by evaluating changes against up-
to-date information. The terms such as ``safety functions'', and ``safe
operation'' is meaningless if a facility has been dismantled and
disposed. In this case, retention of records associated with
nonexistent SSCs serves no safety or regulatory purpose. Therefore,
application of these record requirements in CY's circumstances does not
serve the underlying purpose of the regulations.
``Compliance would result in undue hardship or other costs that are
adopted,* * *''
The records retention itself is an expensive proposition. Retention
of records alone is not sufficient. They must be legible, retrievable
and stored in a safe condition. This expense was understood on the part
of the Commission and the nuclear industry for the current license
basis to ensure the continued safe operation of the facility. However,
what was not well understood (when the regulation was adopted) was the
effect of explicit record retention durations that survived the life of
a facility and no longer served an underlying safety purpose. This is
the current situation at the decommissioning facilities.
CY's available record storage capacity continues to shrink as
[[Page 54589]]
remediated, surveyed and demolished. CY is less than one year from
demolishing the administrative building where many of the records are
stored and retained. Retaining records associated with non-existent
SSCs and a non-existent nuclear power generator is a significant
hardship today as records are shuffled between buildings and
administrative support personnel are reduced. It will become more of a
hardship and cost increase as they must make provisions for offsite
storage well in advance of building demolition.
``There is present any other material circumstances not considered
when the regulation was adopted for which it would be in the public
interest to grant an exemption.''
First, the cost associated with maintaining records that no longer
serve a safety purpose can be significant, particularly for a facility
at an advanced stage in the decommissioning process. Decommissioning
costs, including record maintenance, are paid by the ratepayers
throughout the multi-state region that benefitted from the power
produced by the HNP when it was operating. Since HNP is no longer
generating electric power and is in decommissioning, the requested
records exemption helps towards maintaining a cost-efficient
Second, elimination of these records ensures their future
unavailability to individuals and groups interested in adversely
affecting commercial nuclear facilities.
Based on its evaluation, the staff concludes the requirements for a
specific exemption in 10 CFR 50.12 have been satisfied.
The staff concludes that the requested exemption from the
recordkeeping requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion 1,
10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), will
not present an undue risk to the public health and safety. The
destruction of the identified records will not impact remaining
decommissioning activities; plant operations, configuration, and/or
radiological effluents; operational and/or installed SSCs that are
quality-related or important to safety; or nuclear security.
Further, the staff concludes that the destruction of the identified
The staff agrees that an underlying purpose of the record keeping
regulations in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, Criterion 1, 10 CFR Part 50,
Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3) is to ensure that
the NRC staff has access to information in order for the NRC to perform
its regulatory functions including inspection and licensing. For
example, in the event of any accident, incident, or condition that
could impact public health and safety, the records would assist in the
protection of public health and safety during recovery from the given
accident, incident, or condition, and also could help prevent future
events or conditions at the site adversely impacting public health and
safety. Because the CY-HNP reactor primary systems, including the
reactor vessel, steam generators, pressurizer, reactor coolant pumps
and piping, and their associated support systems have been removed for
offsite disposal or resale, there are no longer regulatory functions
for NRC to perform associated with these systems or components. Thus,
the records identified in the exemption would not provide the NRC with
information for carrying out its regulatory function. To the extent
that CY had sold components, the new user of the components may have
need for the associated records, however, that is an issue for the new
owner and not a regulatory issue under CY's license.
Therefore, the Commission grants CY the requested exemption to the
10 CFR 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3), as
described in the February 16, 2005, letter. Specifically, pursuant to
the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12, CY is exempted from the record
retention requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix A, Criterion I, 10
CFR Part 50 Appendix B, Criterion XVII, and 10 CFR 50.59(d)(3) for: (1)
Records pertaining to structures, systems, and components, or
activities associated with the nuclear power unit and associated
support systems that no longer exist at the CY site; and (2) records
pertaining to the spent fuel pool and associated support systems for
the safe storage of fuel in the spent fuel pool after the spent nuclear
fuel and GTCC has been completely transferred from the spent fuel pool
and the spent fuel pool is ready for demolition. This exemption does
not apply to any recordkeeping requirements for storage of spent fuel
at the CY ISFSI under 10 CFR Part 50 or the general requirements of 10
CFR Part 72. In addition, this exemption does not apply to any records
reflecting spills, releases or other information relevant to remaining
decommissioning requirements and activities at the CY site.
quality of the human environment as documented in Federal Register (70
FR 53258, September 7, 2005).