Preliminary Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirements (Generic Letter 80-80)
GL80080
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
September 5, 1980
TO ALL LICENSEES OF OPERATING PLANTS AND APPLICANTS FOR OPERATING LICENSES
AND HOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION PERMITS
GENTLEMEN:
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY CLARIFICATION OF THE ACTION PLAN REQUIREMENTS
Over the past months since TMI-2 accident, the NRC has developed a number of
requirements that must be implemented on operating reactors and on plants
under construction. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a
summary listing of all approved TMI-2 related requirements for operating
reactors and for applicants for an operating license as we understand them
today. Also included for many items are proposed revisions or
clarifications. This letter is for your information and review prior to NRC
regional meetings to be held during the week of September 22, 1980. It is
hoped that such a listing will put together in one place a tabulation of all
such requirements for ease of use. Enclosure 1 contains a listing of all
approved TMI-related requirements for applicants for an operating license.
Enclosure 3 to this letter contains revisions and clarifications of the NRC
position on most of these requirements.
One of two types of NRC reviews is specified for each requirement listed on
Enclosure 1. "Pre-implementation review" requires that the licensee proposal
be reviewed and approved by NRC prior to implementation. Post-implementation
review requires that the licensee submit sufficient documentation to permit
NRC review following implementation reviews.
To facilitate NRC review on all pre-implementation items, in a time frame
consistent with the implementation schedule, dates for the submittal of
required information or documentation for licensees are also listed on
Enclosure 1. Information or documentation for Operating License Applicant
requirements is to be submitted four months prior to the expected issuance
of an operating license or four months prior to the listed implementation
date, whichever is later.
A preliminary indication concerning whether the development of Technical
Specifications to a facility license will be required for each of the action
items is also listed on Enclosures 1 and 2. For those items which require
Technical Specifications, the proposed Technical Specification should be
submitted with the required documentation.
8009260046
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- 2 - September 5, 1980
Experience with the implementation of these and previous TMI Action Plan
requirements indicate that the scheduled implementation deadlines in some
cases may not allow reasonable time for completion of the work required. In
some instances, the schedules, review categories, or clarifications have
been changed from previous correspondence, or the requirement is being
formally transmitted for the first time. A summary of these principle
changes is listed as Enclosure 5.
The licensee/applicant should formally notify the staff as soon as any
delays beyond the required implementation dates become apparent. The
licensee/applicant submittal for these cases should include justification
for the delay, a discussion of the work that will be completed by the
required date including any planned compensatory actions, and an indication
of the date for completion of the required actions. The staff intends to
allow case-by-case exceptions only for good cause.
In general, if a completion deadline for a requirement falls later than the
operating license date for a new plant, that requirement need not be met by
the newly licensed plant until the completion deadline. If a completion
deadline falls before an operating license decision date, that requirement
is a prerequisite for the new operating license, except when a good cause is
shown for any such exception.
In view of the complexity and number of issues discussed herein, the NRC is
planning regional meetings to discuss these requirements. Such meetings
which will be similar to those held a year ago on the Short-term Lessons
Learned requirements, will be principally for the purpose of discussing our
proposed clarification and revision requirements, and to provide a forum for
obtaining licensee/applicant feedback. Licensees and applicants for
operating licenses are strongly encouraged to attend and participate. A
Federal Register Notice is being issued in the near future stating the exact
time and location of such meetings which will be held during the week of
September 22, 1980. To facilitate your review, Enclosure 4 contains a
listing of previous correspondence sent to licensees/applicants setting
forth TMI-related requirements.
Although the requirements (Scope and Schedules) contained herein will not be
put in final form until after consideration of comments received at the
regional meetings, all licensees and applicants should anticipate that the
final requirements will closely resemble those identified in the Enclosures.
As such, utilities should continue plans to implement these requirements.
Sincerely,
Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director
Division of Licensing
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
.
- 3 - September 5, 1980
ENCLOSURES:
1. TMI Action Plan Requirements for Operating Reactors
2. TMI Action Plan Requirements for Applicants for an Operating License
3. TMI-2 Action Plan Requirements
4. Correspondence Concerning TMI Related Requirements
5. Summary of Changes and New Requirements TMI-2 Action Plan Implementation
.
7590-01
FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE
CLARIFICATION OF TMI-2 RELATED REQUIREMENTS
AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
ACTION: NOTICE OF MEETING
SUMMARY: As a result of the accident at TMI-2 in March 1979, the NRC has
developed a number of new requirements for nuclear power plants.
The staff has recently developed a document describing in more
detail certain of these requirements that are being implemented at
operating plants and plants under construction. In connection with
this document, which clarifies and in some cases revises the scope
and and schedule of these requirements the NRC will hold regional
meetings to explain these requirements in more detail.
DATES AND LOCATIONS:
Region I September 22, 1980 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 P.M.
Twin Bridges Marriott
333 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Virginia
Region III September 23, 1980 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Region IV & September 24, 1980 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Region V
Region II September 26, 1980 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Specific locations will be provided in NRC regional press releases.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jack, W. Roe, Division of Licensing
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, D.C. 20555
(301) 492-8102
8009260053
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- 2 -
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The primary purpose of these meetings will be
(1) to provide a more detailed explanation of these requirements
including revisions; (2) explain the Regulatory approach and schedule
to be taken in implementing the requirements; and (3) to obtain
industry comments on these requirements including the implementation
schedules.
Persons other than the NRC staff and Licensee Representatives may
observe the proceedings but will be permitted to participate in the
discussions only as time will allow.
Registration of attendees will be conducted prior to each meeting at
the designated locations.
Comments on the document from interested persons would be welcome.
Copies are being furnished to all local NRC Public Document Rooms and
it is available for inspection at the Public Document Room in
Washington, D. C. (1717 H Street, N. W.). Since many of the
requirements have near-term implementation dates and the detailed
clarifications, therefore, must be available promptly to the nuclear
industry any such comments must be received as soon as practicable. The
document is scheduled for finalization in early October 1980.
Dated at Bethesda, Maryland, this the 7th day of September, 1980 for
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director
Division of Licensing
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021