Alert

Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Health Physics Questions and Answers - Question 18

Question 18: For power reactors, the Technical Specification instantaneous release rate limits are based on old Part 20 doses and concentrations (relative to an implied 500 mrem/yr limit). Will changes in the Technical Specifications and ODCMs be required as a result of the explicit 100-mrem/yr limit in the revised Part 20?

Answer: The instantaneous release rate limits for airborne releases will not be changed because they are imposed on licensees as a control to ensure that licensees meet Appendix I requirements. However, the instantaneous release rates for liquid effluents, to the extent that they directly reference Appendix B concentration values, will need to be changed. The corresponding bases and certain alarm set-points will have to be changed by license amendment.

(Reference: Reactor Technical Specifications)

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, November 08, 2017