HBL-86-017, Application for Amend to License DPR-7,consisting of License Amend Request 86-02,upgrading Capabilities of Stack Gas Monitoring Sys & Reducing Number of Condensate Demineralizer Beds
| ML20198B948 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Humboldt Bay |
| Issue date: | 05/16/1986 |
| From: | Brand D, Locke R PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO. |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20198B910 | List: |
| References | |
| HBL-86-017, HBL-86-17, NUDOCS 8605220185 | |
| Download: ML20198B948 (6) | |
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PGandE Letter No.: HBL-86-017 ENCLOSURE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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Docket No. 50-133 In the Matter of
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Facility OperatinD License PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY )
No. DPR-7
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Humboldt Bay Power Plant
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License Amendment Request Unit 3
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No. 86-02
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Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.90, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGandE) hereby applies to amend its Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3 (HBPP-3) Facility Operating License No. DPR-7 (License).
The proposed changes amend the Technical Specifications (Appendix A of the License) to upgrade the capabilities of the stack gas monitoring system and to reduce the number of condensate demineralizer beds described from three to two.
Information on the proposed changes is provided in Attachments A and B.
These changes have been reviewed and are considered not to involve a significant hazards consideration as defined in 10 CFR 50.92 or an unreviewed environmental question.
Further, there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by the proposed changes.
Subscribed to in San Francisco, California this 16th day of May 1986.
Respectfully submitted, Pacific Gas and Electric C pany t
y By
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D M 'B/a W Robert Ohlbach Vice President Philip A. Crane, Jr.
Engineering Richard F. Locke Attorneys for Pacific Subscribed and sworn to before me Gas and E1"ctric Company this 16th day of May 1986
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By / /'
v Ricfiard F. Locke Hildred J. Killiams, Notary Public in
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and for the City and County of
$$f2gD San Francisco, State of California 0033 P
PDR My commission expires August 7, 1989.
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i Attachment A HBPP UNIT 3 1
J A.
DESCRIPTION OF' AMENDMENT REQUEST:
I This Amendment Request describes proposed plant modifications and l
Technical Specification revisions as follows:
1.
Upgrading of the stack gas monitoring system as described in Technical Specification VII A.1 and revision of the Operating Limits f
and Requirements VII B.2.
This upgrading will make the monitor more l
sensitive to Kr85, which is the most significant fission product gas remaining in the spent fuel assemblies.
l 2.
Revision of Technical Specification IV A.5e describing the condensate half-capacity mixed-bed demineralizers to reduce the number of condensate demineralizer beds described from three to i
two. One of the three demineralizers will be converted to a spent fuel storage pool demineralizer, which will enhance system water l_
chemistry maintenance.
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B.
PRESENT CONDITION OF LICENSE:
1 The Humboldt Bay Power Plant is presently licensed as a possession-only facility, with all spent fuel removed from the reactor vessel and stored in the spent fuel storage pool.
C.
PROPOSED CONDITION OF LICENSE:
l 1.
Stack Radiation Monitoring System The system will be modified to increase the monitor's sensitivity to the noble gas Kr85 Additionally, the halogen gas monitoring i
system will be removed.
Technical Specification VII.A.2 is revised to read:
Stack Gas Monitorina System - A system shall be provided to determine routine releases of particulate radioactivity and to provide monitoring and annunciation of nonroutine releases of radioactive noble gases. The stack gas monitoring system shall consist of a particulate filter holder, a beta sensitive detector system, and a sample pump to produce a sample flow controlled at approximately 2 cfm. The particulate filters are removed for laboratory counting. The detector system shall have two detectors (one is an operating spare) which respond to radioactive (beta emitting) gases that pass through the system.
The detector system I
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shall be designed to be sensitive to Kr85 in the stack gas for a range from approximately 5 x 10-7 to approximately 2 x 10-2 microcuries/cc.
Specification VII.B.2 is revised to read:
Stack Gas Monitorina System - The stack gas monitoring system shall be operable and capable of initiating the stack gas high radiation level alarm whenever the ventilation system is in operation.
It may be taken out of service for calibration or maintenance, but shall be returned to service as soon as practicable. The monitors shall be set to alarm at or below the level where the noble gas release rate would result in instantaneous offsite concentration of airborne radioactive material equal to the appropriate value given in 10 CFR 20, Appendix B, Table II, column 1.
The calibration of these monitors shall be checked at least once each year. Alarm functions shall be checked weekly for operability.
The stack particulate filter will normally be removed for laboratory counting on a weekly schedule (sample intervals shall not exceed 200 hours0.00231 days <br />0.0556 hours <br />3.306878e-4 weeks <br />7.61e-5 months <br />).
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2.
Fuel Pool Circulation Water System Technical Specification IV.A.5e is revised to reflect the removal of one condensate mixed Led demineralizer from the condensate and feedwater system.
D.
JUSTIFICATION 1.
The present stack gas monitoring system consists of two separate sample streams. One stream monitors halogen and particulates, while the other stream, in addition to also monitoring particulates, utilizes two gamma monitoring systems to detect noble gases.
Due to the length of time since the reactor was shut down (over 9-1/2 years), a significant quantity of halogen gases is no longer present in the fuel. The current possession-only license does not permit operation of the reactor, so new radioactive halogen gases will not be generated.
Therefore, it is no longer necessary to monitor for radioactive halogens.
Additionally, the only fission product noble gas remaining in significant quantities is Krypton-85 (Kr85).
The gamma monitoring system associated with the stack gas monitor was designed to be sensitive to the noble gas mixtures expected during operation and is relatively insensitive to Kr85 The stack gas monitor will be modified to replace the gamma monitoring system with a beta monitoring system which is calibrated for sensitivity to Kr85, 0820S/0044K l
The stack gas monitoring system will continue to contain a particulate filter to monitor for particulates.
The basis for the range of the new stack gas monitor will be to detect a fraction of the release rate that could result in exceeding the 40 CFR 190 limits for routine operations, and to measure the estimated maximum anticipated release rates following an accident that results in damage to spent fuel assamblies.
2.
The condensate demineralizer beds described in the current Technical Specification are only utilized during power operations.
Since the current possession-only license does not permit power operation, elimination of the requirement for one of the demineralizers will not affect plant conditions. This change will allow one of the demineralizer beds to be used as a spent fuel storage pool demineralizer, improving the ability to maintain spent fuel storage pool water quality.
E.
SAFETY EVALUATION PGandE has evaluated the hazard considerations involved with the proposed amendment, focusing on the three standards set forth in 10 CFR 50.92(c) as quoted below:
"The Commission may make a final determination, pursuant to the procedures in paragraph 50.91, that a proposed amendment to an operating license for a facility licensed under paragraph 50.21(b) or paragraph 50.22 or for a testing facility involves no significant hazards consideration, if operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not:
(1)
Involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) Create the possibility or a new of different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) Involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety."
The following evaluation is provided for the significant hazards consideration standards.
1.
Does the change involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
a.
The modification of the stack gas monitoring system will not increase the probability or consequences of an accide'1t previously evaluated since the system is a monitoring system 0820S/0044K.
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that is used to measure quantities of radioactivity actually being released. Since the monitoring system does not control any automatic actions, it is not possible that the modification could increase the probability of an accident.
The change would actually result in the monitor being more sensitive to i
potential releases.
The alarm setpoint will be more conservative than the current setpoint.
b.
Deletion of one condensate demineralizer bed from the Technical Specifications does not increase the probability or consequences of an accide:it since the demineralizer beds are only used during power operation.
Since the Unit 3 possession-only license restricts the unit from power 1
operation, the condensate demineralizers are no longer required.
2.
Does the change create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
a.
As described above, the stack gas monitoring system only performs a monitoring and alarm function. Therefore, the modification of the system does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident.
r b.
The deletion of one of the condensate demineralizers will not create the possibility of a new accident since operation of the unit, which would require use of the demineralizers, is no longer permitted under the possession-only license.
3.
Does the change involve a significant reduction in a margin of j
safety?
i a.
Modification of the stack monitor will not reduce a margin of safety since the system only performs monitoring and alarm i
functions. These functions will actually be enhanced since the new alarm setpoint will be more conservative than the current setpoint and the new monitor will be more sensitive to the most i
significant noble gas that currently exists at HBPP.
i b.
Elimination of one of the three condensate demineralizer beds' will not reduce a margin of safety since these beds are not operated under the plant conditions permitted by the current license.
F.
NO SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION DETERMINATION In conclusion, based on the above safety evaluation, PGandE submits that the activities associated with this license amendment request satisfy the no significant hazards consideration standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) and, 4
accordingly, a no significant hazards consideration finding is justified.
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G.
ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION This amendment involves a change in the installation or use of facility i
components located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR 20.
PGandE has determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types of any effluents that may be released offsite and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
Therefore, there are no unreviewed environmental questions.
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