ML021280339

License Amendment, Cycle-Specific Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio

ML021280339
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	05/31/2002
From:	Tam P NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1
To:	Skolds J Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
Tam P
References
TAC MB2891
Download: ML021280339 (11)

Text

May 31, 2002 Mr. John L. Skolds, President and Chief Nuclear Officer Exelon Nuclear Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

SUBJECT:

OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: CYCLE-SPECIFIC SAFETY LIMIT MINIMUM CRITICAL POWER RATIO (TAC NO. MB2891)

Dear Mr. Skolds:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 228 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-16 for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, in response to your application dated September 11, 2001, as supplemented by a letter dated April 8, 2002.

The amendment revises the Technical Specifications, deleting the cycle-specific footnote regarding the safety limit minimum critical power ratio in Section 2.1.A, and making associated administrative changes.

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/

Peter S. Tam, Senior Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-219

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 228 to DPR-16

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

Mr. John L. Skolds, President and Chief Nuclear Officer Exelon Nuclear Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

SUBJECT:

OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: CYCLE-SPECIFIC SAFETY LIMIT MINIMUM CRITICAL POWER RATIO (TAC NO. MB2891)

Dear Mr. Skolds:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 228 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-16 for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, in response to your application dated September 11, 2001, as supplemented by a letter dated April 8, 2002.

The amendment revises the Technical Specifications, deleting the cycle-specific footnote regarding the safety limit minimum critical power ratio in Section 2.1.A, and making associated administrative changes.

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/

Peter S. Tam, Senior Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-219

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 228 to DPR-16

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

PUBLIC OGC SRichards PD1-1 R/F GHill (2) RLaufer WBeckner PTam SLittle ACRS JRogge, RI THuang Accession Number: ML021280339 OFFICE PD1-1/PM PD1-1/LA SRXB/SC OGC PDI-1/SC NAME PTam SLittle RCaruso* RWeisman RLaufer DATE 5/8/02 5/8/02 4/23/02 5/28/02 5/30/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

• Memo of 4/23/02 used essentially as-is

AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC DOCKET NO. 50-219 OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 228 License No. DPR-16

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

A. The application for amendment by AmerGen Energy Company, LLC, et al., (the licensee), dated September 11, 2001, as supplemented on April 8, 2002, 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. DPR-16 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendices A and B, as revised through Amendment No. 228, are hereby incorporated in the license.

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC, shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

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

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

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

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: May 31, 2002

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 228 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-16 DOCKET NO. 50-219 Replace the following pages of 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 areas of change.

Remove Insert 2.1-1 2.1-1 2.1-2 2.1-2 2.1-3 2.1-3

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 228 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-16 AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LCC OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-219

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated September 11, 2001 (Reference 1), AmerGen Energy Company, LLC, (AmerGen or the licensee) submitted an application for changes to the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Technical Specifications (TSs), deleting the cycle-specific footnote regarding the safety limit minimum critical power ratio (SLMCPR) in TS 2.1.A, and making associated administrative changes. By letters dated April 8 and May 7, 2002 (References 2 and 3), the licensee provided clarifying information within the scope of the original application and did not change the staff's initial proposed no significant hazards consideration determination.

The licensee stated that the plant is currently (Cycle 18) operating with GE9 fuel. The licensee will introduce GE11 fuel into the core for Cycle 19, but has no plan to operate Cycle 19 with GE14 fuel (Reference 2).

2.0 EVALUATION The licensee requested changes to the TSs in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 50.90 (10 CFR 50.90). Following are details of the changes.

2.1 TS 2.1, Safety Limit - Fuel Cladding Integrity The licensee proposed to delete the cycle-specific footnote on page 2.1-1 for the SLMCPR.

This footnote has the wording Applicable for cycle 18 only, and was instituted in the TSs by Amendment No. 192, dated August 26, 1997, because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) had not then approved the General Electric (GE) methodology used for calculating the SLMCPR limits.

The licensee stated that the Oyster Creek cycle-specific SLMCPR value is currently calculated using NRC-approved methodology described in General Electric Standard Application for Reactor Fuel, NEDE-24011-P-A-13 (GESTAR-II), and Amendment 25 to NEDE-24011-P-A (on cycle-specific SLMCPR). The Cycle 19 SLMCPR analysis will be based on the original GETAB

[GE Boiling Water Reactor Thermal Analysis Basis] approach as referenced in GESTAR II and Amendment 25 to NEDE-240110-P-A. Amendment 25 was approved by the NRC staff on

March 11, 1999. Before that date, Amendment 25 was approved for use on a cycle-specific basis, as stated in the above paragraph.

The NRC staff has reviewed the licensees justification for the removal of the cycle-specific footnote. The NRC staff noted that the licensee has already used NRC-approved methodologies, including Amendment 25 to NEDE-24011-P-A, GESTAR II, and GETAB to calculate the SLMCPR value for the current (Cycle 18) operation, and will use the same approach to perform the SLMCPR calculation for the upcoming Cycle 19 operation. Since Amendment 25 was approved for generic use, the subject cycle-specific footnote is no longer needed. The deletion of the footnote is, therefore, acceptable.

2.2 TS 2.1 Bases The licensee proposed to relocate this section, which currently begins on page 2.1-1, to page 2.1-2. This change is purely editorial and is acceptable.

2.3 TS 2.1 References The licensee proposed to delete a specific reference to Revision 11 of NEDE-24011-P-A (NEDE-24011-P-A-11). The licensee proposed to state this reference without revision number, as NEDE-24011-P-A, General Electric Standard Application for Reactor Fuel (latest approved version as specified in the COLR [core operating limits report]. This change will conform this section to TS 6.9.1.f, where the COLR requirments are specified. This change is only administrative and, therefore, acceptable.

3.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the New Jersey State 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 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 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. 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 (66 FR 59501). 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 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 amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

6.0 REFERENCES

1. Letter from Ron J. DeGregorio to NRC, Technical Specification Change Request No. 294

- Cycle Specific Safety Limit MCPR, September 11, 2001.

2. Letter from Michael P. Gallagher to NRC, Additional Information - Technical Specification Change Request No. 294, Cycle-Specific Safety Limit MCPR (TAC No. MB2891), April 8, 2002.

3. Letter from Michael P. Gallagher to NRC, providing reprinted Technical Specification pages, May 7, 2002.

Principal Contributor: T. Huang Date: May 31, 2002

Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station cc:

Chief Operating Officer Mayor of Lacey Township Exelon Generation Company, LLC 818 West Lacey Road 4300 Winfield Road Forked River, NJ 08731 Warrenville, IL 60555 Senior Resident Inspector Senior Vice President - Nuclear Services U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Exelon Generation Company, LLC P.O. Box 445 4300 Winfield Road Forked River, NJ 08731 Warrenville, IL 60555 Director - Licensing Vice President - Mid-Atlantic Operations Exelon Generation Company, LLC Support Correspondence Control Desk Exelon Generation Company, LLC P.O. Box 160 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N Kennett Square, PA 19348 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Oyster Creek Generating Station Plant Senior Vice President - Manager Mid Atlantic Regional Operating Group AmerGen Energy Company, LLC Exelon Generation Company, LLC P.O. Box 388 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N Forked River, NJ 08731 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Regulatory Assurance Manager Kevin P. Gallen, Esquire Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 1800 M Street, NW P.O. Box 388 Washington, DC 20036-5869 Forked River, NJ 08731 Kent Tosch, Chief Vice President, General Counsel and New Jersey Department of Secretary Environmental Protection Exelon Generation Company, LLC Bureau of Nuclear Engineering 300 Exelon Way CN 415 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Trenton, NJ 08625 J. Rogge, Region I Vice President - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Licensing and Regulatory Affairs 475 Allendale Road Exelon Generation Company, LLC King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Manager Licensing - Oyster Creek and Three Mile Island Site Vice President Exelon Generation Company, LLC Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Nuclear Group Headquarters AmerGen Energy Company, LLC Correspondence Control PO Box 388 P.O. Box 160 Forked River, NJ 08731 Kennett Square, PA 19348 H. J. Miller Correspondence Control Desk Regional Administrator, Region I Exelon Generation Company, LLC U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 200 Exelon Way, KSA 1-N-1 475 Allendale Road Kennett Square, PA 19348 King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415