ML030630639

License Amendment, Deletion of Alternate Repair Criteria Requirements from the Technical Specifications

ML030630639
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	03/04/2003
From:	Anand R NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD2
To:	Scalice J Tennessee Valley Authority
Anand R, NRR/DLPM, 415-1146
References
TAC MB5939, TS 02-02
Download: ML030630639 (11)

Text

March 4, 2003 Mr. J. A. Scalice Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT REGARDING DELETION OF ALTERNATE REPAIR CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS FROM THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TAC NO. MB5939) (TS 02-02)

Dear Mr. Scalice:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 282 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-77 for the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Unit 1. This amendment is in response to your application dated March 29, 2002.

The amendment deletes several of the Unit 1 Technical Specification surveillance requirements contained in TS 3/4.4.5, Steam Generators (SGs), associated with the voltage-based SG alternative repair criteria. In addition the proposed changes would delete License Condition 2.C.9.d, which references commitment letters associated with SG inspection activities.

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

Sincerely,

/RA/

Raj K. Anand, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-327

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 282 to License No. DPR-77

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

March 4, 2003 Mr. J. A. Scalice Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT REGARDING DELETION OF ALTERNATE REPAIR CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS FROM THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TAC NO. MB5939) (TS 02-02)

Dear Mr. Scalice:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 282 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-77 for the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Unit 1. This amendment is in response to your application dated March 29, 2002.

The amendment deletes several of the Unit 1 Technical Specification surveillance requirements contained in TS 3/4.4.5, Steam Generators (SGs), associated with the voltage-based SG alternative repair criteria. In addition the proposed changes would delete License Condition 2.C.9.d, which references commitment letters associated with SG inspection activities.

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

Sincerely,

/RA/

Raj K. Anand, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-327

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 282 to License No. DPR-77

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

PUBLIC R. Anand E. Brown A. Howe B. Clayton (Hard Copy)

PDII-2 Reading H. Berkow K. Karwoski L. Lund G. Hill (2 Hard Copies)

OGC ACRS R. Dennig ADAMS Accession: ML030630639 *See previous concurrence OFFICE PDII-2/PM PDII-2/PM PDII-2/LA RORP/SC

• OGC

• PDII-2/SC NAME EBrown RAnand BClayton R. Dennig RWeisman A. Howe DATE 2/26/03 2/26/03 2/26/03 2/3/03 2/12/03 3/4/03 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY DOCKET NO. 50-327 SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 282 License No. DPR-77

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

A. The application for amendment by Tennessee Valley Authority (the licensee) dated March 29, 2002, as supplemented October 10, 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.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Operating License and Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. DPR-77 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendices A and B, as revised through Amendment No. 282 , are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

3. This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance, to be implemented during the 2003 Sequoyah Unit 1 Cycle 12 Refueling Outage.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Allen G. Howe, Chief, Section 2 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: March 4, 2003

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 282 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-77 DOCKET NO. 50-327 Replace page 5 of Operating License No. DPR-77 with the attached page.

Replace the following pages of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

REMOVE INSERT 3/4.4-7 3/4.4-7 3/4.4-9 3/4.4-9 3/4.4-9a ---

3/4.4-9b ---

3/4.4-10 3/4.4-10 3/4.4-10a ---

B3/4.4-3 B3/4.4-3 B3/4.4-4 B3/4.4-4 B3/4.4-4a B3/4.4-4a

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 282 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-77 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-327

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated March 29, 2002, as supplemented by letter dated October 10, 2002, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, the licensee) submitted an amendment to the Sequoyah, Unit 1 (SQN1) Technical Specifications (TSs). The licensee has requested the TS amendment since the steam generators at SQN1 are being replaced during their Cycle 12 refueling outage, which is scheduled to begin in March 2003. The licensee requested that the revised TSs be made effective during the Unit 1 cycle 12 refueling outage. The licensee has proposed to delete requirements associated with two alternate steam generator tube repair criteria, which are contained in TS section 3/4.4.5, "Steam Generators," its associated Bases, and in License Condition 2.C.9.d. Specifically, in the TSs the licensee has proposed to delete the following Surveillance Requirements (SRs): 4.4.5.2.b.4, 4.4.5.2.d, 4.4.5.2.e, a portion of 4.4.5.4.a.6, 4.4.5.4.a.10, 4.4.5.4.a.11, 4.4.5.5.d, and 4.4.5.5.e. The licensee requested that the revised TSs be made effective during the Unit 1 cycle 12 refueling outage.

The October 10, 2002, letter withdrew a portion of the original submittal that affected the original no significant hazards consideration determination. A revised no significant hazards consideration determination was published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2002.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50 Section 50.36 defines those items that must be included in the TSs. The SQN1 TSs contain surveillance requirements for steam generator (SG) tubes consistent with this regulation. As the SG tubes at SQN1 degraded, the licensee, sought license amendments to modify the TS SG tube repair criteria with the requirements in 10 CFR 50.90. These amendments incorporated into the TSs alternate tube repair criteria which permitted degradation to remain in service under certain conditions. These tube repair criteria were developed based on the design of the current steam generators at SQN1. These repair criteria were reviewed and approved by the staff after consideration of the guidance in Regulatory Guide 1.121, "Bases for Plugging Degraded PWR [pressurized water reactor] Steam Generator Tubes." Since SQN1 will be replacing their original SGs with a new design (including different materials of construction), this evaluation focuses on the appropriateness of using these previously approved alternate tube repair criteria for the new design. In its review, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff considered the guidance in Regulatory Guide 1.121 and the increased resistance to tube degradation as a result of the changes in the SG design as discussed by the Licensee in Section II of their submittal.

TECHNICAL EVALUATION As a result of degradation associated with the mill annealed alloy 600 SG tubes in their original Model 51 SGs, TVA incorporated two alternate repair criteria into their TSs (including the Bases and License Condition 2.C.9.d). These two alternate repair criteria addressed (1) outside diameter stress corrosion cracking at non-dented tube support plates and (2) axial primary water stress corrosion cracking at dented tube support plates. The replacement SGs incorporate a number of design and material changes that make the SGs more resistant to stress corrosion cracking. These design changes potentially invalidate the basis for the repair criteria and/or reduce the need for these repair criteria.

TVA has proposed to eliminate reference to the two alternate repair criteria discussed above (voltage-based limit for outside diameter stress corrosion cracking at non-dented tube support plates and the depth-based limit for axial primary water stress corrosion cracking at dented tube support plates). TVAs proposal to remove the references to these alternate repair criteria would result in the licensee having to plug/repair degradation that has a depth at or above the standard 40 percent through-wall plugging limit. TVAs proposal to delete these alternate repair criteria results in a more conservative plugging/repair limit than what is currently required. In addition, the basis for these two alternate repair criteria relied on information specific to the original SGs which may no longer be valid with the replacement SGs. As a result of these considerations, the staff finds the proposed changes to the TSs and License Condition 2.C.9.d acceptable.

Based on the fact that deletion of the alternate repair criteria from the TSs and License will result in a more conservative limit than current requirements, the staff has determined that the proposed changes are acceptable. Therefore, the staff has concluded that there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be adversely affected by the deletion of the two alternate repair criteria review from the identified TS SRs and License Condition.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Tennessee 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 and the changes surveillance requirements. 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 (67 FR 66014). 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: Kenneth J. Karwoski, NRR Dated: March 4, 2003

Mr. J. A. Scalice SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT Tennessee Valley Authority cc:

Mr. Karl W. Singer, Senior Vice President Mr. Pedro Salas, Manager Nuclear Operations Licensing and Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority Sequoyah Nuclear Plant 6A Lookout Place Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street P.O. Box 2000 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 Mr. James E. Maddox, Acting Vice President Mr. D. L. Koehl, Plant Manager Engineering & Technical Services Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place P.O. Box 2000 1101 Market Street Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Senior Resident Inspector Mr. Richard T. Purcell Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Site Vice President U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Sequoyah Nuclear Plant 2600 Igou Ferry Road Tennessee Valley Authority Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 P.O. Box 2000 Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 Mr. Lawrence E. Nanney, Director Division of Radiological Health General Counsel Dept. of Environment & Conservation Tennessee Valley Authority Third Floor, L and C Annex ET 11A 401 Church Street 400 West Summit Hill Drive Nashville, TN 37243-1532 Knoxville, TN 37902 County Executive Mr. Robert J. Adney, General Manager Hamilton County Courthouse Nuclear Assurance Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place Ms. Ann P. Harris 1101 Market Street 341 Swing Loop Road Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Rockwood, Tennessee 37854 Mr. Mark J. Burzynski, Manager Nuclear Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801