New Physical Security Plans (FR 43280-285) (Generic Letter 79-34)

                                                            GL 79-34

                                UNITED STATES 
                        NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 

                                July 30, 1979 

TO ALL NONPOWER REACTOR LICENSEES 

Background

On July 24, 1979, the Commission published in the Federal Register (FR
43280-285) amendments to 10 CFR Parts 70 and 73 that will provide for physical
protection measures to detect theft of special nuclear material (SNM) of
moderate and low strategic significance.  These amendments apply to nonpower
reactor licensees and have been promulgated to apply the international
standards of physical protection as outlined in Information Circular 225 (Rev
1) and recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency.  As noted in the
notice issued Feb 28, 1979, the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Safeguards planned visits at all affected nonpower reactor facilities to
assist in the review and assessment of site specific characteristics.  Most of
the sites have now been visited.  The new rule (10 CFR 73.47) is provided at
Enclosure "A" as excerpted from the Federal Register Notice.

As noted in 10 CFR 73.47, all affected licensees must submit new physical
security plans by 120 days from Nov 21, 1979 following the content and format
of Regulatory Guide 5.XX, which was previously provided to you.  Along with
this submission and to insure licensing conditions reflect the category of
physical protection to be maintained, each license must be changed to include
the implementation and maintenance of the physical security plan as a license
condition.  As the new regulation defines the categories by quantity and
enrichment of SNM authorized by the license also must contain these values. 
Therefore, submit within 30 days of receipt of this notice, the total amount
of SNM required to be possessed, the total amount required in the core, the
total amount required in storage, and the amounts of each of the foregoing to
be exempt and nonexempt.  It should be noted that with the implementation of
the Safeguards Upgrade Rule, all fuel previously exempted that was in the core
and had been irradiated is no longer exempt.  The only exemption criteria is
the self-protection criterion.  If SNM is to be exempt an amendment to the
Technical Specifications also must be made establishing surveillance
requirements for measuring the radiation levels of the exempted fuel.

                                    Sincerely,

                                    Robert W. Reid, Chief
                                    Operating Reactors Branch #4
                                    Division of Operating Reactors

Enc: Federal Register Notice (FR 43280-285)

7909100225.


                       ATTACHMENT TO GENERIC LETTER TO 
                        ALL NONPOWER REACTOR LICENSEES
                              DATED JULY 30, 1979


SUBJECT:   TRANSMITTING FR 43280-285

DOCKET NO.    DOCKET NO.    DOCKET NO.

50-70          50-113        50-186
50-184         50-224        50-123
50-13          50-336        50-396
50-360         50-357        50-62
50-225         50-151        50-139
50-394         50-166        50-124
50-77          50-192        50-87
50-276         50-407        50-134
50-284         50-156
50-538         50-131        ADD ADDITIONAL 
50-106         50-27         DOCKET NO FOR 
50-59          50-99         DECOMMISSIONED 
50-598         50-262        & NONOPERATING 
50-406         50-97         FACILITIES
50-98          50-73
50-            50-160        50-111
50-112         50-116        50-129
50-72          50-199
50-228         50-20
50-170         50-297
50-208         50-375
50-157         50-150
50-264         50-182
50-163         50-193
50-89          50-57
50-274         50-54
50-188         50-142
50-294         50-433
50-187         50-83
50-243         50-356
50-5           50-148
50-288         50-223
50-128         50-2