ML020510578

License Amendment, Administrative Changes to Technical Specifications

ML020510578
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	04/03/2002
From:	George Wunder NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1
To:	Feigenbaum T North Atlantic Energy Service Corp
Wunder G, NRR/DLPM, 415-1494
References
TAC MB2852
Download: ML020510578 (11)

Text

April 3, 2002 Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation c/o Mr. James M. Peschel P.O. Box 300 Seabrook, NH 03874

SUBJECT:

SEABROOK STATION, UNIT NO. 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TAC NO. MB2852)

Dear Mr. Feigenbaum:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 81 to Facility Operating License No.

NPF-86 for the Seabrook Station, Unit No 1, in response to your application dated August 6, 2001, as supplemented on November 2, 2001, and February 1, 2002.

The amendment changes the Seabrook Station Technical Specifications Sections 1.9, Core Alteration; 1.14, Engineered Safety Features Response Time; and 1.29, Reactor Trip Response Time. The February 1, 2002, supplement reduced the scope of the amendment request to only those changes needed to support refueling outage 08. This supplement did not change the staffs original proposed finding of no significant hazards considerations.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

George F. Wunder, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-443

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 81 to NPF-86

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page

April 3, 2002 Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation c/o Mr. James M. Peschel P.O. Box 300 Seabrook, NH 03874

SUBJECT:

SEABROOK STATION, UNIT NO. 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TAC NO. MB2852)

Dear Mr. Feigenbaum:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 81 to Facility Operating License No.

NPF-86 for the Seabrook Station, Unit No 1, in response to your application dated August 6, 2001, as supplemented on November 2, 2001, and February 1, 2002.

The amendment changes the Seabrook Station Technical Specifications Sections 1.9, Core Alteration; 1.14, Engineered Safety Features Response Time; and 1.29, Reactor Trip Response Time. The February 1, 2002, supplement reduced the scope of the amendment request to only those changes needed to support refueling outage 08. This supplement did not change the staffs original proposed finding of no significant hazards considerations.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

George F. Wunder, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-443

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 81 to NPF-86

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC EAdensam (EGA-1) OGC WBeckner PDI-2 Rdg. JClifford ACRS CCowgill, RGN-I GWunder TClark GHill (2) OChopra Accession Number: ML020510578 OFFICE PDI-2/PM PDI-2/LA STSB/BC OGC PDI-2/SC NAME GWunder TClark WBeckner RHoefling VNerses for JClifford DATE 03/11/02 03/07/02 03/13/02 03/22/02 03/26/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1 cc:

William J. Quinlan, Esq. Philip T. McLaughlin, Attorney General Assistant General Counsel Steven M. Houran, Deputy Attorney Northeast Utilities Service Company General P.O. Box 270 33 Capitol Street Hartford, CT 06141-0270 Concord, NH 03301 Mr. Peter Brann Mr. Woodbury Fogg, Director Assistant Attorney General New Hampshire Office of Emergency State House, Station #6 Management Augusta, ME 04333 State Office Park South 107 Pleasant Street Resident Inspector Concord, NH 03301 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Seabrook Nuclear Power Station Mr. Daniel G. Roy P.O. Box 1149 Nuclear Training Manager Seabrook, NH 03874 Seabrook Station North Atlantic Energy Service Corp.

Town of Exeter P.O. Box 300 10 Front Street Seabrook, NH 03874 Exeter, NH 03823 Mr. James M. Peschel Regional Administrator, Region I Manager - Regulatory Programs U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Seabrook Station 475 Allendale Road North Atlantic Energy Service Corp.

King of Prussia, PA 19406 P.O. Box 300 Seabrook, NH 03874 Office of the Attorney General One Ashburton Place Mr. Gene F. St. Pierre 20th Floor Station Director Boston, MA 02108 Seabrook Station North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation Board of Selectmen P.O. Box 300 Town of Amesbury Seabrook, NH 03874 Town Hall Amesbury, MA 01913 Mr. Frank W. Getman, Jr.

President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Dan McElhinney BayCorp Holdings, LTD Federal Emergency Management Agency 20 International Drive, Suite 301 Region I Portsmouth, NH 03801-6809 J.W. McCormack P.O. &

Courthouse Building, Room 401 Boston, MA 02109 Mr. Stephen McGrail, Director ATTN: James Muckerheide Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency 400 Worcester Road Framingham, MA 01702-5399

Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1 cc:

Mr. Bruce D. Kenyon President and Chief Executive Officer Northeast Utilities Service Company P.O. Box 270 Hartford, CT 06141-0270 Mr. Steve Allen Polestar Applied Technology, Inc.

77 Franklin Street, Suite 507 Boston, MA 02110

NORTH ATLANTIC ENERGY SERVICE CORPORATION, ET AL.*

DOCKET NO. 50-443 SEABROOK STATION, UNIT NO. 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 81 License No. NPF-86

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment filed by the North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation, et al. (the licensee), dated August 6, 2001, as supplemented November 2, 2001, and February 1, 2002, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commissions rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C.There is reasonable assurance: (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations; D.The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commissions regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

• North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation (NAESCO) is authorized to act as agent for the:

North Atlantic Energy Corporation, Canal Electric Company, The Connecticut Light and Power Company, Great Bay Power Corporation, Hudson Light & Power Department, Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company, Little Bay Power Corporation, New England Power Company, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc., Taunton Municipal Light Plant, The United Illuminating Company, and has exclusive responsibility and control over the physical construction, operation and maintenance of the facility.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. NPF-86 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 81, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B are incorporated into Facility License No. NPF-86. NAESCO shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

3. This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 60 days of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA VNerses for/

James W. Clifford, Chief, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: April 3, 2002

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 81 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-86 DOCKET NO. 50-443 Replace the following pages of the Appendix A, Technical Specifications, with the attached revised pages as indicated. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the area of change.

Remove Insert 1-2 1-2 1-3 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-5 1-5 1-6 1-6 1-7 1-7

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 81 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-86 NORTH ATLANTIC ENERGY SERVICE CORPORATION SEABROOK STATION, UNIT NO. 1 DOCKET NO. 50-443

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated August 6, 2001, as supplemented by letters dated November 2, 2001, and February 1, 2002, North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation (North Atlantic/licensee) proposed changes to the Seabrook Station Technical Specifications (TSs) Sections 1.9, Core Alteration; 1.14, Engineered Safety Features Response Time; and 1.29, Reactor Trip Response Time.

The February 1, 2002, supplement reduced the scope of the amendment request to only those changes needed to support refueling outage 08. This supplement did not change the staffs original proposed finding of no significant hazards considerations.

2.0 BACKGROUND

This amendment request proposed to revise the Seabrook Station TSs in order to implement the improvements endorsed in the NRCs Final Policy Statement on Technical Specification Improvement for Nuclear Power Reactors (58 FR 39132) dated July 22, 1993 (the policy statement). The policy statement addresses the benefits to be derived from the Improved Standard Technical Specifications (ISTS) and encourages licensees to use the ISTS as the basis for plant-specific TS amendments. The policy statement not only encourages licensees to use the ISTS as the basis for complete conversions, but also states that licensees may adopt portions of the improved STS without fully implementing all STS improvements.

In 10 CFR 50.36, the Commission established its regulatory requirements related to the content of TSs. In doing so, the Commission placed emphasis on those matters related to the prevention of accidents and the mitigation of accident consequences; the Commission noted that applicants were expected to incorporate into their TSs those items that are directly related to maintaining the integrity of the physical barriers designed to contain radioactivity. Statement of Consideration, "Technical Specifications for Facility Licenses; Safety Analysis Reports,"

(33 FR 18610) December 17, 1968. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.36, TSs are required to include items in the following five specific categories related to station operation: (1) safety limits, limiting safety system settings, and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operation (LCOs); (3) SRs; (4) design features; and (5) administrative controls. The rule does not, however, specify the particular requirements to be included in a plant's TSs.

3.0 EVALUATION TS Section 1.9, Core Alteration, states that core alteration is ...the movement or manipulation of any component within the reactor pressure vessel with the vessel head removed and fuel in the vessel. The proposed amendment would modify this definition to state that core alteration is ...the movement of any fuel, sources, or reactivity control components within the reactor vessel with the vessel head removed and fuel in the vessel. The proposed change also modifies wording to ensure consistency. The proposed definition more precisely defines the type of activity that constitutes core alteration. The effect of this more precise wording would be to relax the current TS by limiting the definition of core alteration to those activities that create the potential for a reactivity excursion and, thus warrant special precautions or controls in the TSs. Under the proposed definition, in-vessel movement of instruments, cameras, lights, tools, etc., will not be considered to be core alterations. The proposed change will support station operation and refueling activities. The staff finds that the proposed change to TS Section 1.9 is acceptable because it limits the definition to only those components that should be in the TSs under the requirements of 10 CFR 50.36.

TS Section 1.14 defines Engineered Safety Features (ESF) Response Time. The proposed change would add a statement that ...response time may be measured by means of any series of sequential, overlapping, or total steps so that the entire response time is measured. In lieu of measurement, response time may be verified for selected components provided that the components and methodology for verification have been previously reviewed and approved by the NRC. This proposed change would make the Seabrook Station TSs consistent with the improved Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Plants (NUREG-1431).

The staff finds that the proposed change to Definitions Section 1.14 is administrative in nature.

The staff also finds that this proposed change is consistent with the improved Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Plants and with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.36; therefore, the proposed change is acceptable.

TS Section 1.29 defines Reactor Trip System (RTS) Response Time. The proposed change would add a statement that ...response time may be measured by means of any series of sequential, overlapping, or total steps so that the entire response time is measured. In lieu of measurement, response time may be verified for selected components provided that the components and methodology for verification have been previously reviewed and approved by the NRC. This proposed change would make the Seabrook Station TSs consistent with the improved Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Plants (NUREG-1431).

The staff finds that the proposed change to Definitions Section 1.29 is administrative in nature.

The staff also finds that this proposed change is consistent with the improved Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Plants and with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.36; therefore, the proposed change is acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the New Hampshire and Massachusetts State officials were notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State officials had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.21, 51.32, and 51.35, an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact has been prepared and published in the Federal Register on April 3, 2002 (67 FR 15835). Accordingly, based on the environmental assessment, the staff has determined that the issuance of the amendment will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.

6.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: G. Wunder Date: April 3, 2002