B15162, Application for Amend to License NPF-49,revising 24-month Fuel Cycle

Application for Amend to License NPF-49,revising 24-month Fuel Cycle

ML20087J012
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	05/01/1995
From:	Debarba E NORTHEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY CO., NORTHEAST UTILITIES SERVICE CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML20087J015	List: B15162, Application for Amend to License NPF-49,revising 24-month Fuel Cycle ML20087J017
References
B15162, NUDOCS 9505050182
Download: ML20087J012 (4)

Text

p q l

't ~

h Nrrthe:st 107 sei&n swn sunn, cm037 l

eg,_ Utilities System .Nonheastvenu semcomany l e P.O. Box 270 t liartford, CT 06141-0270 l

(203) 665-5(X)0 g l

May 1, 1995 Docket No. 50-423 B15162

{

Re: 10CFR50.90 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission  !

Attention: Document Control Desk  !

Washington, DC 20555 Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 Proposed Revision to Technical Specifications 24-Month Fuel Cycle Pursuant to 10CFR50.90, Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (NNECO) hereby proposes to amend its Operating License, NPF-49, by incorporating the attached proposed changes into the Millstone Unit ro. 3 Technical Specifications.

Millstone Unit No. 3 is presently shut down for refueling.

Cycle 6 will begin in June 1995 and be the first full 24-month cycle. The conversion to a 24-month fuel cycle will enable the plant' to operate at full power. for a longer time between refueling outages. An integrated technical and licensing program has been established to address regulatory requirements resulting from changing to a 24-month fuel cycle for Millstone Unit No. 3.

This program addresses fuel-related and nonfuel-related issues and includes consideration of NRC guidance in Generic Letter (GL) 91-04. To take advantage of this longer fuel cycle, NNECO will be proposing to modify the surveillance requirements existing in the Millstone Unit No. 3 Technical Specifications. Specifically, technical specifications that specify an 18-month surveillance will be changed to state that these surveillances are to be performed at least once each refueling (i.e., 24 months). The proposed changes to the Millstone Unit No. 3 Technical Specifications are consistent with the guidance contained in Generic Letter (GL) 91-04.

The amendment request included in this letter represents the first of a group of submittals to support the 24-month fuel cycle surveillance extensions for Millstone Unit No. 3. We expect to submit license amendment requests at regular intervals, with the last request to be submitted in July 1995.

(. .e: ,.

'V- .d*)

Ot0422 RF1144 I

9505050182 950501 PDR ADOCK 05000423 I l

4 P. PDR a

O~

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission B15162/Page 2 May 1, 1995 This submittal is considered a cost beneficial licensing action by NNECO. Implementation of a 24-month fuel cycle would save in excess of the $100,000 guideline identified by the NRC Staff with no reduction in public health and safety.

Discussion This submittal modifies the frequency of several surveillance requirements of the Millstone Unit No. 3 Technical Specifications. These surveillance requirements pertain to:

Flow Paths - Operating Position Indication System Rod Drop Time Seismic Monitoring System Loose Part Detection System Quench Spray System Containment Recirculation Spray System Containment Isolation Valves In addition, the submittal modifies the surveillance interval notation in Table 1.1 of the Millstone Unit No. 3 Technical Specifications to include the term " REFUELING INTERVAL - R." In the near future, NNECO will be proposing additional technical specification changes to facilitate for conversion to 24-month fuel cycles.

In support of this license amendment request, the following information is provided:

Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 forward the marked-up technical specification pages and retyped technical specification pages and reflects the currently issued version of technical specifications.

Attachment 3 describes the proposed technical specification changes.

• Attachment 4 provides a safety assessment and significant hazards consideration (SHC) evaluation for the changes.

NNECO has reviewed the proposed technical specification changes in accordance with 10CFR50.92 and has determined that the changes do not involve an SHC. The basis for this determination is discussed in Attachment 4.

Moreover, the commission has provided guidance concerning the application of standards in 10CFR50.92 by providing certain examples (March 6, 1986, 51 FR 7751) of amendments that are

C I l

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission B15162/Page 3 I May 1, 1995 l considered not likely to involve an SHC. The proposed changes contained in Attachment 2 and described in Attachment 3 are not enveloped by a specific example. However, it has been-demonstrated (i.e., Attachment 4) that the proposed changes do not involve a significant increase in the consequences of an i accident previously evaluated. Therefore, the proposed changes '

do not negatively impact the public health or safety.

Environmental Consideration  ;

NNECO has reviewed the proposed license amendment against the criteria of 10CFR51.22 for environmental considerations. The proposed changes do not involve an SHC, do not significantly increase the types and amounts of affluents that may be released off site, nor significantly increase individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposures. Based on the foregoing, NNECO concludes that the proposed changes meet the criteria delineated in 10CFR51. 22 (c) (9) for a categorical exclusion from the requirements of an environmental impact statement.

Nuclear Safety Assessment Board Reviev ,

The Nuclear Safety Assessment Board has reviewed this proposed amendment request and concurs with the above determination.

State Motification '

In accordance with 10CFR50.91(b) , we are providing the State of Connecticut with a copy of this proposed amendment request to ensure their awareness of this request.

Schedule Reauired for NRC Accroval As stated earlier, the remaining amendment requests will be submitted at regular intervals, with the last request to be submitted in July 1995. Currently, Cycle 6 operation (i.e., the start of the 24-month fuel cycle) is scheduled to begin in June 1995. It is our objective to obtain NRC approval of all the amendment requests related to the 24-month fuel cycle by

, September 1996. NNECO requests that the license amendment be effective upon issuance with implementation within 90 days.

l i

l l

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission B15162/Page 4 May 1, 1995 If the NRC Staff should have any questions or comments regarding this submittal, please contact Mr. R. G. Joshi at (203) 440-2080.

Very truly yours, NORTHEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY COMPANY FOR: J. F. Opeka Executive Vice President i f

BY: E. A. DeBarba Vice President cc: T. T. Martin, Region I Administrator V. L. Rooney, NRC Project Manager, Millstone Unit No. 3 P. D. Swetland, Senior Resident Inspector, Millstone Unit Nos. 1, 2, and 3 Mr. Kevin T.A. McCarthy, Director i Monitoring and Radiation Division Department of Environmental Protection 79 Elm Street P.O. Box 5066 Hartford, CT 06102-5066 Subscribed and sworn to before me this / day of DM/ , 1995

\ /'tA// naad Date Commission Expires 16 Bf /fF

/

+ - - -