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Home NRC Library Document Collections Generic Communications Generic Letters 1980

Clarification of NRC Requirements for Emergency Response Facilities at Each Site (Generic Letter 80-34)



GL80034 

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

                              April 25, 1980 

ALL POWER REACTOR LICENSEES 

Gentlemen: 

SUBJECT:  CLARIFICATION OF NRC REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
          FACILITIES AT EACH SITE 

Over the past several months the NRC staff has been conducting reviews of 
each licensee's proposal to upgrade their plant to cope with emergencies. 
The lessons learned and emergency planning review teams have identified 
areas where clarification of the NRC position is necessary. Our previous 
requirements for the TSC have been modified to allow an onsite TSC in close 
proximity to the control room that would not meet the habitability 
requirements, provided that a backup, habitable TSC is located near the 
site. 

It is the purpose of this letter to set forth clarification of NRR's 
requirements for the three emergency response facilities defined in my 
September 13, 1979 letter to "All Operating Nuclear Power Plants". 
Additional specific criteria for these facilities is under development. The 
schedule for implementing these requirements has not changed. 

If you have, any questions regarding this clarification, please contact the 
NRC Project Manager for your facility. 

                                   Sincerely, 


                                   Darrell G. Eisenhut, Acting Director 
                                   Division of Reactors 
                                   Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Enclosure: 
Emergency Response 
     Facilities
.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE FACILITIES 

Onsite Technical Support Center 

An onsite technical support center (TSC) shall be maintained by each 
operating nuclear power plant. The TSC shall be separate from, but in very 
close proximity to, the control room and be within the plant security 
boundary. While care must be taken in selecting technical input available in
the TSC, it appears likely that access to additional control room data would
be required during an emergency. The location of the TSC shall also be such 
as to facilitate occasional face-to-face contact between key control room 
and TSC supervisors (management presence). The emphasis in designing the TSC
information displays should be on reactor systems status. Those individuals 
who are knowledgeable of and responsible for engineering and management 
support of reactor operations in the event of an accident will report to the
TSC (minimum size 25 persons including 5 NRC). Those persons who are 
responsible for the overall management of the utility resources including 
recovery following an accident (e.g., corporate mangers) should report to 
the EOF (see below). Upon activation, the TSC will provide the main 
communication link between the plant and the operator's near-site Emergency 
Operations Facility, and the main communication link to the NRC for plant 
operations matters. The TSC must be habitable because of site-specific 
considerations, a backup TSC which does meet the habitability requirements 
must be provided on or near the site. Parameters transmitted by any nuclear 
data link installed to meet future NRC requirements should be available for 
display in the TSC and the EOF. 

Onsite Operational Support Center (Assembly Area) 

The Operational Support Center shall be the place to which the operations 
support personnel report in an emergency situation. Communications will be 
provided with the control room, OTSC and EOF. 

Emergency Operations Facility (Near-Site) 

The Emergency Operations Facility (EOF) will be operated by the licensee for
continued evaluation and coordination of licensee activities related to an 
emergency having or potentially having environmental consequences. The EOF 
must have the capability to display the same plant data and radiological 
information as will be  required for transmittal to the NRC. The EOF will 
have sufficient space to accommodate representatives from Federal, State and
local governments if desired by those agencies, including facilities for the
senior NRC representative (10) on-site. In addition, the major State and 
local response agencies may perform data analysis jointly with the licensee.
Overall management of utility resources including recovery operations 
following an accident (e.g., by corporate management) shall be managed from 
this facility. Press facilities for about 20 people shall be available at 
the Emergency Operation Facility (periodic use). Site meteorology should be 
used to the extend practical for determining the EOF location. THe EOF 
should be located within about one mile of the reactor. The EOF should be a 
substantial structure, providing significant shielding factors from direct 
radiation and the capability to isolate ventilation systems. Filtration 
systems (at least HEPA filters) shall be provided in new structures. 
Arrangements shall be made to activate an alternate EOF in the event that 
the nearsite EOF becomes uninhabitable. 
.

                         PLANTS UNDER OL REVIEW 

1.   Farley 2                                     50-364 

2.   Byron 1/2                                    50-454, 455 

3.   Braidwood 1/2                                50-456/457 

4.   LaSalle 1/2                                  50-373,374 

5.   Midland 1/2                                  50-329, 330 

6.   McGuire                                      50-369, 370 

7.   So. Texas 1/2                                50-498, 499 

8.   Shoreham                                     50-322 

9.   Waterford                                    50-382 

10.  Grand Gulf 1/2                               50-416/417 

11.  Diablo Canyon 1/2                            50-275, 323 

12.  Susquehana 1/2                               50-387,388 

13.  Salem 2                                      50-311 

14.  Summer 1                                     50-395 

15.  San Onofre 2/3                               50-361, 362 

16.  Bellefonte 1/2                               50-438, 439 

17.  Watts Bar 1/2                                50-390, 391 

18.  Sequoyah 1/2                                 50-327, 328 

19.  Comanche Peak 1/2                            50-445, 446 

20.  North Anna 2                                 50-339 

21.  WPPSS-2                                      50-397 

22.  Fermi 2                                      50-341 

23.  Zimmer 1                                     50-358

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021