[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 35741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15121]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Potential Impact of Debris Blockage on Emergency Sump
Recirculation at Pressurized-Water Reactors
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of issuance.
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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Bulletin
(BL) 2003-01 to all holders of operating licenses for pressurized-water
reactors (PWRs), except those who have permanently ceased operations
and have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the
reactor vessel. The bulletin informs PWR licensees of the results of
NRC-sponsored research which identified the potential susceptibility of
recirculation sump screens to debris blockage in the event of a high-
energy line break requiring recirculation operation of the emergency
core cooling system (ECCS) or containment spray system (CSS), and of
the potential for debris blockage of flowpaths necessary for system
recirculation operation and containment drainage. In light of these
potentially adverse effects of debris blockage, the bulletin requests
that licensees confirm their compliance with section 50.46(b)(5) of
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 50.46(b)(5))
concerning long term ECCS performance, and other existing applicable
regulatory requirements, or describe any compensatory measures
implemented to reduce the potential risk due to post-accident debris
blockage as evaluations to determine compliance proceed.
DATES: The bulletin was issued on June 9, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Not applicable.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ralph Architzel, at 301-415-2804, John
Lehning, at 301-415-3285, or John Lamb, at 301-415-1446.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bulletin 2003-01 may be examined and/or
copied for a fee at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland, and is accessible electronically from the Agencywide
Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Public Electronic
Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The ADAMS Accession No. for the bulletin is
ML031600259.
If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in
accessing documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document
Room (PDR) Reference staff at 301-415-4737 or 1-800-397-4209, or by e-
mail to [email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 10th day of June 2003.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William D. Beckner,
Program Director, Operating Reactor Improvements Program, Division of
Regulatory Improvement Programs, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 03-15121 Filed 6-13-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P