Virginia Electric and Power Co. Surry Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; Exemption

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 84 (Monday, May 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23687-23688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11023]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-2 (50-280/281)]


Virginia Electric and Power Co. Surry Independent Spent Fuel 
Storage Installation; Exemption

I

    Virginia Electric and Power Company (Virginia Power), the licensee, 
holds Materials License SNM-2501 for receipt and storage of spent fuel 
from the Surry Power Station at an independent spent fuel storage 
installation (ISFSI) located on the Surry Power Station site. The 
facility is located in Surry County, Virginia.

II

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 
may grant exemptions from the requirements of the regulations in 10 CFR 
part 72 as it determines are authorized by law, will not endanger life 
or property or the common defense and security, and are otherwise in 
the public interest.
    Section 72.72(d) of 10 CFR part 72 requires each licensee to keep 
duplicate records of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste in 
storage. The duplicate set of records must be kept at a separate 
location sufficiently remote from the original records that a single 
event would not destroy both sets of records. The applicant stated 
that, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.140(d), the Virginia Power Operational 
Quality Assurance (QA) Program Topical Report will be used to satisfy 
the QA requirements for the ISFSI. The QA Program Topical Report states 
that QA records are maintained in accordance with commitments to ANSI 
N45.2.9-1974. ANSI N45.2.9-1974 allows for the storage of QA records in 
a duplicate storage location sufficiently remote from

[[Page 23688]]

the original records or in a record storage facility subject to certain 
provisions designed to protect the records from fire and other adverse 
conditions. The applicant seeks to streamline and standardize 
recordkeeping procedures and processes for the Surry Power Station and 
ISFSI spent fuel records. The applicant states that requiring a 
separate method of record storage for ISFSI records diverts resources 
unnecessarily.
    ANSI N45.2.9-1974 provides requirements for the protection of 
nuclear power plant QA records against degradation. It specifies design 
requirements for use in the construction of record storage facilities 
when use of a single storage facility is desired. It includes specific 
requirements for protection against degradation mechanisms such as 
fire, humidity, and condensation. The requirements in ANSI N45.2.9-1974 
have been endorsed by the NRC in Regulatory Guide 1.88, ``Collection, 
Storage and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plant Quality Assurance 
Records,'' as adequate for satisfying the recordkeeping requirements of 
10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B. ANSI N45.2.9-1974 also satisfies the 
requirements of 10 CFR 72.72 by providing for adequate maintenance of 
records regarding the identity and history of the spent fuel in 
storage. Such records would be subject to and need to be protected from 
the same types of degradation mechanisms as nuclear power plant QA 
records.

III

    By letter dated September 10, 1998, Virginia Power requested an 
exemption from the requirement in 10 CFR 72.72(d) which states in part 
that ``Records of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste in 
storage must be kept in duplicate. The duplicate set of records must be 
kept at a separate location sufficiently remote from the original 
records that a single event would not destroy both sets of records.'' 
The applicant proposes to maintain a single set of spent fuel records 
in storage at a record storage facility that satisfies the requirements 
set forth in ANSI N45.2.9-1974.

IV

    The staff considered the applicant's request and determined that 
granting the proposed exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
72.72(d) is authorized by law, will not endanger life or property or 
the common defense and security, and is otherwise in the public 
interest. The staff grants the exemption, subject to the following 
conditions:
    (1) Virginia Power may maintain records of spent fuel and high-
level radioactive waste in storage either in duplicate as required by 
10 CFR 72.72(d), or alternatively, a single set of records may be 
maintained at a record storage facility that satisfies the standards 
set forth in ANSI N45.2.9-1974.
    (2) All other requirements of 10 CFR 72.72(d) shall be met.
    The documents related to this proposed action are available for 
public inspection and for copying (for a fee) at the NRC Public 
Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20555 and at the Local 
Public Document Room at the College of William and Mary, Swem Library, 
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, NRC has determined that granting this 
exemption will have no significant impact on the quality of the human 
environment (64 FR 14277).
    This exemption is effective upon issuance.

    Dated at Rockville, MD, this 22nd day of April 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
E. William Brach,
Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 99-11023 Filed 4-30-99; 8:45 am]
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