ML020710816

Issuance of Amendment 157 Source Range Neutron Flux Instrumentation, TAC MB2821

ML020710816
Person / Time
Site:	Summer
Issue date:	03/08/2002
From:	Edison G NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD2
To:	Byrne S South Carolina Electric & Gas Co
Edison G E, NRR/DLPM, 415-1448
References
TAC MB2821
Download: ML020710816 (10)

Text

March 8, 2002 Mr. Stephen A. Byrne Senior Vice President, Nuclear Operations South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Post Office Box 88 Jenkinsville, South Carolina 29065

SUBJECT:

VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT NO. 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: SOURCE RANGE NEUTRON FLUX INSTRUMENTATION (TAC NO. MB2821)

Dear Mr. Byrne:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 157 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-12 for the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1.

The amendment changes the Technical Specifications (TS) in response to your application dated August 7, 2001.

This amendment adds a response time requirement to the TS for the Source Range Neutron Flux Reactor Trip function.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's Bi-weekly Federal Register notice. This completes the staff's efforts on TAC No.

MB2821.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Gordon E. Edison, Senior Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-395

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 157 to NPF-12

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

ML020710816 Document Name: G:\PDII-1\SUMMER\AMD2821.WPD OFFICE PM:PDII-1 LA:PDII-1 (A)SC:PDII-1 OGC NAME GEdison:mw EDunnington LOlshan for RLaufer RHoefling DATE 2/22/2002 2/19/2002 3/1/2002 2/27/2002 SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY DOCKET NO. 50-395 VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT NO. 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 157 License No. NPF-12

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

A. The application for amendment by South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (the licensee), dated August 7, 2001, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's 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 Commission's 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 Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

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-12 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 157, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. South Carolina Electric &

Gas Company shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

3. This amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 30 days of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA by Leonard N. Olshan for/

Richard J. Laufer, Acting Chief, Section 1 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: March 8, 2002

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 157 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-12 DOCKET NO. 50-395 Replace the following page of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains a marginal line indicating the area of change.

Remove Page Insert Page 3/4 3-9 3/4 3-9

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 157 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-12 SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT NO. 1 DOCKET NO. 50-395

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated August 7, 2001, South Carolina Electric & Gas Company proposed a license amendment to change the Technical Specifications (TS) for Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station. The proposed changes would revise TS Table 3.3-2 by specifying the source range neutron flux (SRNF) reactor trip instrumentation response to be <0.5 seconds. The current TS Table 3.3-2 indicates Not Applicable for the response time of the SRNF reactor trip instrumentation.

2.0 EVALUATION In its Nuclear Safety Advisory Letter NSAL-00-016 dated December 4, 2000, Westinghouse identified an issue regarding the protection functions assumed for the typical Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) safety analysis of the Uncontrolled Rod Cluster Control Assembly Bank Withdrawal from a Low Power or Subcritical Condition (RWFS) event. In the safety analysis of this event currently documented in the FSAR, the primary protection for this event is provided by the Power Range Neutron Flux (PRNF) - Low Setpoint. However, for an RWFS event with the plant operating in Modes 3, 4, or 5, where the PRNF is not required to be operable, the SRNF is implicitly credited as the primary protection function and it is assumed that an RWFS event occurring in Modes 3, 4, or 5 is bounded by the standard FSAR analysis performed in Mode 2. Although the SRNF reactor trip function is typically not time response tested, Westinghouse suggested that in order to credit the SRNF reactor trip function for RWFS in Modes 3, 4, or 5, the time response issue must be addressed in the TS.

To address the SRNF time response issue raised in Westinghouse NSAL-00-016, the licensee proposed a change to TS Table 3.3-2, Reactor Trip System Instrumentation Response Times at the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station to require a response time test of <0.5 seconds for the SRNF reactor trip instrumentation. This proposed time response for the SRNF is consistent with the current time response required for the PRNF currently specified in TS Table 3.3-2, which is also consistent with the time response assumed in the safety analysis for the RWFS event. The staff has evaluated the licensees proposed change and finds that the proposed response time of <0.5 seconds for the SRNF reactor trip instrumentation is acceptable. Our

conclusion is based on the following: 1) the consequences of an RWFS occurring from Mode 3, 4, or 5 are less severe than from Mode 2 due to a lower reactivity level of the reactor under subcritical conditions (Modes 3, 4, or 5); 2) if the response time of the reactor protection system is the same, the analysis of the RWFS event in Mode 2 will bound the event occurring in Modes 3, 4, or 5; and 3) the proposed change provides a more restrictive requirement for the operability of the SRNF reactor trip instrumentation relative to the requirement of the current TS at the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station.

3.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the State of South Carolina official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.

4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendment changes a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC staff has determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant changes 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. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (67 FR 5332). Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.

5.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed in section 2.0 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 Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: C. Liang Date: March 8, 2002

Mr. Stephen A. Byrne VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION South Carolina Electric & Gas Company cc:

Mr. R. J. White Ms. Kathryn M. Sutton, Esquire Nuclear Coordinator Winston & Strawn Law Firm S.C. Public Service Authority 1400 L Street, NW c/o Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Washington, DC 20005-3502 Post Office Box 88, Mail Code 802 Jenkinsville, South Carolina 29065 Resident Inspector/Summer NPS c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 576 Stairway Road Jenkinsville, South Carolina 29065 Chairman, Fairfield County Council Drawer 60 Winnsboro, South Carolina 29180 Mr. Henry Porter, Assistant Director Division of Waste Management Bureau of Land & Waste Management Department of Health & Environmental Control 2600 Bull Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Mr. Gregory H. Halnon, General Manager Nuclear Plant Operations South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Mail Code 303 Post Office Box 88 Jenkinsville, South Carolina 29065 Mr. Melvin N. Browne, Manager Nuclear Licensing & Operating Experience South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Mail Code 830 Post Office Box 88 Jenkinsville, South Carolina 29065