Control of Heavy Loads (Generic Letter 80-113)

GL80113 

                               UNITED STATES 
                       NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                          WASHINGTON, D.C.  20555 
                                     
                             December 22, 1980 
                                     
                 TO ALL LICENSEES OF OPERATING PLANTS AND 
                   APPLICANTS FOR OPERATING LICENSES AND 
                     HOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION PERMITS* 

Gentlemen: 

Subject:  Control of Heavy Loads 

In January 1978, the NRC published NUREG-0410 entitled, "NRC PRogram for the
Resolution of Generic Issues RElated to Nuclear Power Plants - Report to 
Congress."  As part of this program, the Task Action Plan for Unresolved 
Safety Issue Task No. A-36, "Control of Heavy Loads Near Spent Fuel," was 
issued. 

We have completed our review of load handling operations at nuclear power 
plants.  A report describing the results of this review has been issued as 
NUREG-0612, "Control of Heavy Loads at Nuclear Power Plants - Resolution of 
TAP A-36."  This report contains several recommendations to be implemented 
by all licensees and applicants to ensure the safe handling of heavy loads. 

The purpose of this letter is to request that you review your controls for 
the handling of heavy loads to determine the extent to which the guidelines 
of Enclosure 1 are presently satisfied at your facility, and to identify the
changes and modifications that would be required in order to fully satisfy 
these guidelines. 

To expedite your compliance with this request, we have enclosed the 
following: 

     NUREG-0612, "Control of Heavy Loads at Nuclear Power Plants" (Enclosure 1). 

     Staff Position - Interim Actions for Control of Heavy Loads (Enclosure 2). 

     Request for Additional Information on Control of Heavy Loads (Enclosure 3). 

  *  With the exception of licensees for Indian Point 2 and 3, Zion 1 and 2 
     and Three Mile Island 1 (These were previously sent a letter) 
.

                                  - 2 -                  December 22, 1980 

You are requested to implement the interim actions described in Enclosure 2 
as soon as possible but no later than 90 days from the date of this letter. 

In order to enable the NRC to determine whether operating licenses should be
modified (10 CFR 50.54 (f)), operating reactor licensees are requested to 
provide the following: 

     1.   Submit a report documenting the results of your review and the 
          required changes and modifications.  This report should include 
          the information identified in Sections 2.1 through 2.4 of 
          Enclosure 3, on how the guidelines of NUREG-0612 will be 
          satisfied.  This report should be submitted in two parts according 
          to the following schedule: 
          
               -    Submit the Section 2.1 information within six months 
                    from the date of this letter. 

               -    Submit the Sections 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 information within 
                    nine months. 

     2.   Furnish confirmation within six months that implementation of 
          those changes and modifications you find are necessary will 
          commence as soon as possible without waiting staff review, so that 
          all such changes, beyond the above interim actions, will be 
          completed within two years of submittal of Section 2.4 for the 
          above report. 
          
     3.   Furnish justification within six months for any changes or 
          modifications that would be required to fully satisfy the 
          guidelines of Enclosure 1 which you believe are not necessary. 

The criteria in NUREG-0612 are also applicable to applicants for operating 
licenses.  Such applicants are expected to provide the information requested
by item 1 above and to meet the same schedule of implementation as indicated
in 2 above.  Any item for which the implementation date is prior to the 
expected date of issuance of an operating license will be considered to be a 
prerequisite to obtaining that license. 

For any date that cannot be met, furnish a proposed revised date, 
justification for the delay, and any planned compensating safety actions 
during the interim. 
.

                                  - 3 -

This request for information was approved by GAO under a blanket clearance 
number ROO72 which expires November 30, 1983.  Comments on burden and 
duplication may be directed to the U.S. General Accounting Office, 
Regulatory Reports Review, Room 5106, 441 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20548. 

                                        Sincerely, 


                                        Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director 
                                        Division of Licensing 

Enclosures:
1.  NUREG-0612
2.  Staff Position
3.  Request for Additional Information

cc:  w/o Enclosure (1)
     Service List