Houston Lighting & Power Co. (South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2); Exemption

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499]

Houston Lighting & Power Co. (South Texas Project, Units 1 and

2); Exemption

I

On March 22, 1988, and March 28, 1989, the Commission issued

Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-80 to Houston Lighting &

Power Company, et al. (the licensee) for South Texas Project, Unit Nos.

1 and 2, respectively. These licenses provided, among other things,

that the facilities are subject to all rules, regulations, and orders

of the Commission.

II

Appendix A of part 20 of title 10 of the Code of Federal

Regulations, ``Protection Factors for Respirators,'' establishes

protection factors of air-purifying respirators for protection against

particulates only. Furthermore, footnoted d-2(c) states, ``No allowance

is to be made for the use of sorbents against radioactive material in

the form of gases or vapors.'' This restriction was needed since an

inadequate data base has existed for evaluating the complex interaction

of many factors affecting the service life and removal efficiency of

radioactive gases and vapors by sorbent canisters. Also, due to the

lack of a data base, a National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health/Mine Safety and Health Administration (NIOSH/MSHA) certification

schedule has not been established to ensure that the canisters meet

acceptable performance criteria.

Section 20.103(e) of 10 CFR part 20 allows the Commission to

authorize the use of respiratory equipment in lieu of an NIOSH/MSHA

certification when such an action is justified based on adequate

testing of material and performance characteristics.

By letter dated December 19, 1991, as supplemented by letters dated

July 1, 1993, and November 3, 1993, HL&P requested an exemption based

on 10 CFR 20.501 to allow the use of radioiodine Mine Safety Appliance

Company (MSA) GMR-1 canisters with a protection factor of 50 for

personnel respiratory protection. In support of the exemption request,

HL&P cited test results and a quality assurance plan that satisfies the

recommended qualification process of NUREG/CR-3403, ``Criteria and Test

Methods for Certifying Air-Purifying Respirator Cartridges and

Canisters Against Radioiodine.''

III

The NRC staff evaluated the information provided by HL&P. The

licensee provided reliable test information verifying that the MSA GMR-

1 canister is capable of providing a protection factor of 50 over a

period of 8 hours of continuous use, provided that the total challenge

of radioactive and non-radioactive iodine and other halogenated

compounds does not exceed 1 ppm, and temperature does not exceed

110 deg.F provided the dewpoint does not exceed 107 deg. F. The data

showed the breakthrough point to be well beyond 8 hours.

Testing has been conducted under acceptable conditions of cyclic

flow and under worst-case conditions for those environmental factors

affecting service life (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, and

challenge concentration of CH3I (methyliodide/methyl radioiodide),

the most penetrating of the challenge forms). The data showed that the

MSA GMR-I canisters performed adequately under acceptable test

conditions. These conditions, including criteria and test methods, are

consistent with those derived by the NRC staff from NUREG/CR-3403,

``Criteria and Test Methods for Certifying Air-Purifying Respirator

Cartridges and Canisters Against Radioiodine.''

HL&P, through acceptance of MSA QA controls, has provided

commitments that the MSA GMR-1 canisters will meet standards for

quality assurance and quality control that are recognized by NIOSH and

are compatible with NRC staff positions. This includes a commitment to

establish a 1 percent AQL (acceptable quality limit) in a 5 to 10 ppm

challenge concentration of CH3I, 90 percent relative humidity,

110 deg.F, 64 liters per minute cyclic flow, for a service life of 8

hours or more at a penetration equal to 1 percent of the challenge

concentration. Test data referenced by HL&P demonstrate that

performance (i.e., service life) of canisters at 100 percent relative

humidity is acceptable.

IV

Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR

20.501, this exemption is authorized by law and will not result in

undue hazard to life or property.

Accordingly, the Commission hereby grants an exemption as described

in Section III above from 10 CFR part 20, appendix A, footnote d-2(c)

to authorize the use of the MSA GMR-1 canister at South Texas Project,

Units 1 and 2. For additional details regarding the basis of this

exemption, including usage limitations and restrictions, see the

staff's safety evaluation dated December 30, 1993 available for public

inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman

Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC and at the Wharton County

Junior College, J.M. Hodges Learning Center, 911 Boling Highway,

Wharton, Texas 77488.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the

granting of the Exemption will have no significant impact on the

environment (58 FR 42112).

This Exemption is effective upon issuance.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 30th day of December 1993.

For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Elinor G. Adensam,

Acting Director, Division of Reactor Projects III/IV/V, Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 94-252 Filed 1-5-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590-01-M