ML022480427
| ML022480427 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 09/05/2002 |
| From: | Tam P NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1 |
| To: | Skolds J Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear |
| Tam P, NRR/DLPM, 415-1451 | |
| References | |
| TAC MB2890 | |
| Download: ML022480427 (11) | |
Text
September 5, 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: SOURCE RANGE MONITOR OPERABILITY (TAC NO. MB2890)
Dear Mr. Skolds:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 229 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-16 for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, in response to your application dated September 10, 2001.
The amendment revised the requirements in Technical Specification Section 3.9, changing the number of operable source range monitors (SRMs) from one SRM nearest the core alteration to two SRM channels, one with its detector located in the core quadrant where core alterations are being performed, and another with its detector located in an adjacent quadrant.
A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions 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. 229 to DPR-16
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page
September 5, 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: SOURCE RANGE MONITOR OPERABILITY (TAC NO. MB2890)
Dear Mr. Skolds:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 229 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-16 for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, in response to your application dated September 10, 2001.
The amendment revised the requirements in Technical Specification Section 3.9, changing the number of operable source range monitors (SRMs) from one SRM nearest the core alteration to two SRM channels, one with its detector located in the core quadrant where core alterations are being performed, and another with its detector located in an adjacent quadrant.
A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions 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. 229 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 ZAbdullahi Accession Number: ML022480427 OFFICE PD1-1/PM PD1-1/LA OGC PDI-1/SC SRXB*
NAME PTam SLittle AHodgdon RLaufer ZAbdullahi DATE 8/28/02 8/28/02 8/30/02 9/4/02 8/19/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
- Safety Evaluation input of 8/19/02 substantially unchanged
AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC DOCKET NO. 50-219 OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 229 License No. DPR-16 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by AmerGen Energy Company, LLC (the licensee), dated September 10, 2001, 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.
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. 229, 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: September 5, 2002
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 229 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-16 DOCKET NO. 50-219 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 areas of change.
Remove Insert 3.9-1 3.9-1 3.9-2 3.9-2 3.9-3 3.9-3
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 229 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-16 AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-219
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated September 10, 2001, AmerGen Energy Company, LLC (AmerGen or the licensee) requested to amend the Technical Specifications (TSs) for Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (Oyster Creek). The licensees proposed amendment would revise the limiting condition for operation (LCO) 3.9.D, under Section 3.9, Refueling. Specifically, the revision would change the number of operable source range monitors (SRMs) from one SRM nearest where core alteration is taking place to 2 SRM channels, one with its detector located in the core quadrant where core alterations are being performed, and another with its detector located in an adjacent quadrant. The proposed amendment would also change the TSs Bases to reflect the proposed TS changes.
SRMs provide the only on-scale neutron monitoring during refueling, shutdown, and low power operations. There are four SRMs available for core monitoring, with one channel per SRM detector. The SRM detectors are symmetrically located at four radial positions, with each detector 18 inches above the core mid-plane. The SRMs provide indications, alarms, and control rod (CR) blocks during fuel or CR movements, when core reactivity would be changing.
Only one SRM channel can be bypassed at a time. The SRMs can initiate high neutron flux scram if the reactor protection system shorting links are removed.
The purpose of the proposed amendment is to provide improved clarity with respect to the implementation of the SRM operability requirements. The current wording requires one SRM nearest to the core alteration to be operable. The SRM nearest to the core alteration is not clearly defined for all cases. Such ambiguity further complicates the process of ensuring that the current operability requirements are met. Therefore, to clearly determine which SRMs must be operable, the proposed requirement specifies that one operable detector shall be located in the core quadrant where core alterations are being performed, and another shall be located in an adjacent quadrant.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
Section 50.36 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 50.36) provides that the TSs will be derived from the analyses and evaluation included in the safety analysis report, and amendments thereto, submitted pursuant to 10 CFR 50.34 (which addresses, among other things, contents of the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR)). The existing TSs requirements, as well as the proposed amendment, are based, on such analyses and evaluation.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
Section 3.9 of the TSs and the corresponding surveillance requirements in Section 4.9 were worded to achieve the following objectives: (1) two activities that change core reactivity should not be performed simultaneously (i.e., CR withdrawals and fuel movement), (2) the design-basis refueling equipment interlocks are operable to prevent reactivity-initiated events, (3) the core is adequately monitored during changes in core reactivity, and (4) the shutdown margin is maintained at all times. In general, reactivity in boiling-water reactors (BWRs) during refueling can be changed by either CR withdrawals or by fuel movements.
Safe reactivity management during refueling restricts parallel activities that affect core reactivity. Instead of analyzing the possible reactivity-initiated events and their radiological consequence, General Electric designed refueling interlocks to prevent inadvertent reactivity-initiated events. With the reactor mode switch in the refuel position, the refueling interlocks receive and process signals from the refueling equipment to block CR movement and operation of the fuel-loading equipment. Since these design-basis refueling interlocks are assumed to function and prevent reactivity-initiated events, their safety functions need to be ensured, and this is accomplished by specifying the LCOs in Section 3.9. The LCO also requires SRM operability to ensure that core reactivity changes are adequately monitored.
Currently LCO 3.9.D states, During core alterations the source range monitor nearest the alteration shall be operable. The corresponding wording in the Bases states Specification 3.9.D assures that the neutron flux is monitored as close as possible to the location where fuel or controls are being moved. Specifications 3.9.E and F require the operability of at least two source range monitors when control rods are to be removed. The licensee proposed replacing the SRM operability requirements in LCO 3.9.D with During CORE ALTERATIONS at least two (2) source range monitor (SRM) channels shall be OPERABLE and inserted to the normal operating level. One of the OPERABLE SRM channel detectors shall be located in the core quadrant where CORE ALTERATIONS are being performed, and another shall be located in an adjacent quadrant.
The licensee states that the proposed changes to LCO 3.9.D provide (1) redundant monitoring capability, (2) consistency with the requirements in LCOs 3.9.E and F, and (3) clarity in implementing the requirements. LCOs 3.9.E and F specify the restrictions and controls for conducting single and multiple CR or CR drive (CRD) removal and maintenance. LCOs 3.9 E.2 and F.2 require two SRM channels to be operable and fully inserted, with SRM in the quadrant where CR is being removed and one in the adjacent quadrant. The licensee states that fuel movement and CR removal affect core reactivity and the proposed change would make LCO 3.9.D consistent with LCOs 3.9.E and F. The licensee states that the current requirement that an operable SRM be located nearest to where the core alteration is in progress is not clearly defined and is difficult to follow. In contrast, the core is divided into clearly defined quadrants in order to determine the SRM required to be operable during CR or CRD removal (based on LCOs 3.9.E and F). The licensee proposed to use the same core quadrant configuration as in LCOs 3.9.E.2 and F.2 for LCO 3.9.D in defining the SRMs required to be operable.
Requiring two operable SRM channels - one detector in the quadrant where core alteration is being performed and another in adjacent quadrant - is consistent with the SRM operability requirements in most BWR refueling TSs, including the Standard Technical Specification. The proposed change will maintain the same number of SRMs monitoring the core. The quadrant where core reactivity is changing will be monitored, with the adjacent quadrants operable SRM providing redundant neutron monitoring. Therefore, the proposed change will provide equivalent neutron monitoring protection. It is important to note that the Section 3.9.D only specifies the minimum number of SRMs required to be operable to monitor core reactivity changes. However, it is desirable that all four SRMs be operable to monitor any fueled quadrant, even if core alterations or reactivity changes are not taking place. Since the proposed change will provide adequate and redundant neutron monitoring capability, and the refueling interlocks will be operable to preclude fuel loading and CR withdrawal errors, the NRC staff finds the proposed change acceptable. The NRC staff notes that Section 3.9 uses SRM detector and SRM channel synonymously. Since there is one SRM channel per detector, this synonymous use of wording is acceptable.
The licensee proposed to also revise the TS Bases on Pages 3.9-2 and 3.9-3. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.36(a), the TS Bases are not part of the TS. The NRC staff reviewed the proposed changes and found them to be consistent with and supportive of the proposed changes to the TS.
4.0 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.
5.0 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 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.
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: Z. Abdullahi Date: September 5, 2002
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station cc:
Chief Operating Officer Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Senior Vice President - Nuclear Services Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Vice President - Mid-Atlantic Operations Support Exelon Generation Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N Kennett Square, PA 19348 Senior Vice President -
Mid Atlantic Regional Operating Group Exelon Generation Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N Kennett Square, PA 19348 Kevin P. Gallen, Esquire Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP 1800 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20036-5869 Kent Tosch, Chief New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Nuclear Engineering CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625 Vice President -
Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Site Vice President Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station AmerGen Energy Company, LLC PO Box 388 Forked River, NJ 08731 H. J. Miller Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Mayor of Lacey Township 818 West Lacey Road Forked River, NJ 08731 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 445 Forked River, NJ 08731 Director - Licensing Exelon Generation Company, LLC Correspondence Control Desk P.O. Box 160 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Oyster Creek Generating Station Plant Manager AmerGen Energy Company, LLC P.O. Box 388 Forked River, NJ 08731 Regulatory Assurance Manager Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station AmerGen Energy Company, LLC P.O. Box 388 Forked River, NJ 08731 Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary Exelon Generation Company, LLC 300 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348 J. Rogge, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Manager Licensing - Oyster Creek and Three Mile Island Exelon Generation Company, LLC Nuclear Group Headquarters Correspondence Control P.O. Box 160 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Correspondence Control Desk Exelon Generation Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 1-N-1 Kennett Square, PA 19348