ML033230591
| ML033230591 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hope Creek  |
| Issue date: | 07/23/2004 |
| From: | Dan Collins NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1 |
| To: | Bakken A Public Service Enterprise Group |
| Boska J, NRR, 301-415-2901 | |
| References | |
| TAC MB7151 | |
| Download: ML033230591 (10) | |
Text
July 23, 2004 Mr. A. Christopher Bakken, III President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC-X04 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
SUBJECT:
HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:
REVISION TO THE REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL MATERIAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM (TAC NO. MB7151)
Dear Mr. Bakken:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 151 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 for the Hope Creek Generating Station. This amendment revises the Hope Creek licensing basis, as described in the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, to replace the current plant-specific reactor pressure vessel material surveillance program with the Boiling Water Reactor Vessel and Internals Project Integrated Surveillance Program in response to your application dated December 23, 2002, as supplemented on August 14, 2003. The amendment modifies the basis for your compliance with the requirements of Appendix H to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Reactor Vessel Material Surveillance Program Requirements.
A copy of our Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Daniel S. Collins, Senior Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 151 to License No. NPF-57
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page
Hope Creek Generating Station cc:
Mr. John T. Carlin Vice President - Nuclear Assessment PSEG Nuclear - N10 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. David F. Garchow Vice President - Engineering/Technical Support PSEG Nuclear - N28 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Michael Brothers Vice President - Site Operations PSEG Nuclear - N10 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. James A. Hutton Plant Manager PSEG Nuclear - X15 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Steven Mannon Acting Manager - Nuclear Safety and Licensing PSEG Nuclear - N21 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Jeffrie J. Keenan, Esquire PSEG Nuclear - N21 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Ms. R. A. Kankus Joint Owner Affairs Exelon Generation Company, LLC Nuclear Group Headquarters KSA1-E 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348 Lower Alloways Creek Township c/o Mary O. Henderson, Clerk Municipal Building, P.O. Box 157 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Dr. Jill Lipoti, Asst. Director Radiation Protection Programs NJ Department of Environmental Protection and Energy CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625-0415 Brian Beam Board of Public Utilities 2 Gateway Center, Tenth Floor Newark, NJ 07102 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Senior Resident Inspector Hope Creek Generating Station U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Drawer 0509 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
July 23, 2004 Mr. A. Christopher Bakken, III President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC-X04 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
SUBJECT:
HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:
REVISION TO THE REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL MATERIAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM (TAC NO. MB7151)
Dear Mr. Bakken:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 151 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 for the Hope Creek Generating Station. This amendment revises the Hope Creek licensing basis, as described in the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, to replace the current plant-specific reactor pressure vessel material surveillance program with the Boiling Water Reactor Vessel and Internals Project Integrated Surveillance Program in response to your application dated December 23, 2002, as supplemented on August 14, 2003. The amendment modifies the basis for your compliance with the requirements of Appendix H to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Reactor Vessel Material Surveillance Program Requirements.
A copy of our Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Daniel S. Collins Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 151 to License No. NPF-57
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION JClifford DCollins CBixler, RGN-I LLois PUBLIC CRaynor ACRS JUhle PDI-2 Reading SCoffin TBoyce OGC GHill (2)
JHoncharik CHolden DLPM DPR ADAMS Accession Number: ML033230591
- SE input provided - no major changes made.
- see previous concurrence OFFICE PDI-2/PM PDI-2/LA EMCB*
SRXB OGC PDI-2/SC NAME DCollins CRaynor SCoffin JUhle**
GLongo**
JClifford DATE 6/21/2004 6/04/2004 10/29/03 12/1/03 6/7/2004 7/22/04 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
PSEG NUCLEAR LLC DOCKET NO. 50-354 HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 151 License No. NPF-57 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment filed by PSEG Nuclear LLC dated December 23, 2002, as supplemented by letter dated August 14, 2003, 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 set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; 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 to authorize changes to the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) to allow implementation of the Boiling Water Reactor Vessel and Internals Project Integrated Surveillance Program as the basis for demonstrating compliance with the requirements of Appendix H, Reactor Vessel Material Surveillance Program Requirements, to 10 CFR Part 50, as set forth in the licensees application dated December 23, 2002, as supplemented by letter dated August 14, 2003.
3.
This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 30 days. Implementation of the amendment is the incorporation into the UFSAR of the program description set out in the licensees application dated December 23, 2002, as supplemented by letter dated August 14, 2003, and evaluated in the Safety Evaluation enclosed with this amendment. The licensee shall submit the changes authorized by this amendment with the next update of the UFSAR in accordance with 10 CFR 50.71(e).
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
/RA/
James W. Clifford, Chief, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Date of Issuance: July 23, 2004
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 151 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-57 PSEG NUCLEAR LLC HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-354
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated December 23, 2002, (Reference 1) as supplemented by letter dated August 14, 2003, (Reference 2) PSEG Nuclear LLC (PSEG, or the licensee) requested Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval to replace the current plant-specific reactor pressure vessel material surveillance program as described in the Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS) Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) with the Boiling Water Reactor Vessel and Internals Project (BWRVIP) Integrated Surveillance Program (ISP). The amendment modifies the basis for PSEGs compliance with the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Appendix H, Reactor Vessel Material Surveillance Program Requirements, at HCGS. The supplement dated August 14, 2003, provided additional information that clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the NRC staff's original proposed no significant hazards determination as published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2003 (68 FR 22752).
The BWRVIP ISP was submitted for NRC staff review and approval in topical reports BWRVIP-78, BWR Vessel and Internals Project, BWR Integrated Surveillance Program Plan, and BWRVIP-86, BWR Vessel and Internals Project, BWR Integrated Surveillance Program Implementation Plan (References 3 and 4). Additional information necessary to establish the technical basis for, and proposed implementation of, the BWRVIP ISP was provided in letters from the BWRVIP dated December 15, 2000, and May 30, 2001 (References 5 and 6). The NRC staff approved the proposed ISP in a safety evaluation (SE) by letter dated February 1, 2002 (Reference 7). However, the NRC staffs SE required that plant-specific information be provided by BWR licensees who wish to implement this ISP for their facilities. PSEGs December 23, 2002, and August 14, 2003, submittals provided the required plant-specific information.
2.0 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS The NRC staff finds that PSEG, in its December 23, 2002, submittal, identified the applicable regulatory requirements. The regulatory requirements for which the NRC staff based its acceptance are described below.
Nuclear power plant licensees are required by 10 CFR 50.60, "Acceptance criteria for fracture prevention measures for lightwater nuclear power reactors for normal operation", to comply with the requirements in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix H. Appendix H requires licensees to implement reactor pressure vessel (RPV) surveillance programs to monitor changes in the fracture toughness properties of ferritic materials in the reactor vessel beltline region which result from exposure of these materials to neutron irradiation and the thermal environment. Two specific alternatives are provided which may be used to address 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix H.
The first alternative is the implementation of a plant-specific RPV surveillance program consistent with the requirements of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
Standard Practice E 185, Standard Practice for Conducting Surveillance Tests for Light-Water Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor Vessels. In the design of a plant-specific RPV surveillance program, a licensee may use the edition of ASTM Standard Practice E 185 which was current on the issue date of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code to which the reactor vessel was purchased, or later editions through the 1982 edition.
The second alternative provided in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix H is the implementation of an ISP. Per this appendix, an ISP is defined as existing when, the representative materials chosen for surveillance for a reactor are irradiated in one or more other reactors that have similar design and operating features. Five specific criteria are stated in Section III.C.1 of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix H which must be met to support approval of an ISP:
a.
The reactor in which the materials will be irradiated and the reactor for which the materials being irradiated must have sufficiently similar design and operating features to permit accurate comparisons of the predicted amount of radiation damage.
b.
Each reactor must have an adequate dosimetry program.
c.
There must be adequate arrangement for data sharing between plants.
d.
There must be a contingency plan to assure that the surveillance program for each reactor will not be jeopardized by operation at reduced power level or by an extended outage of another reactor from which data are expected.
e.
There must be substantial advantages to be gained, such as reduced power outages or reduced personnel exposure to radiation, as a direct result of not requiring surveillance capsules in all reactors in the set.
As noted in Section 1.0 of this SE, the NRC staff approved this ISP in a SE dated February 1, 2002 (Reference 7). All of the criteria cited above for approval of the ISP were addressed either completely or partially in Reference 7. For those criteria which could not be fully addressed in Reference 7, plant-specific information would be required from licensees who wished to implement the BWRVIP for their facilities. As stated in Reference 7:
Licensees who wish to participate in the BWR ISP must provide, for NRC staff review and approval, information which defines how they will determine RPV and/or surveillance capsule fluences based on the dosimetry data which will be available for their facilities. This information must be submitted concurrently with each licensees submittal to replace their existing plant-specific surveillance program with the BWR ISP as part of their facilitys licensing basis. The information submitted must be sufficient for the staff to determine that:
(1) RPV and surveillance capsule fluences will be established as based on the use of an NRC-approved fluence methodology that will provide acceptable results based on the available dosimetry data, (2) If one methodology is used to determine the neutron fluence values for a licensees RPV and one or more different methodologies are used to establish the neutron fluence values for the ISP surveillance capsules which represent that RPV in the ISP, the results of these differing methodologies are compatible (i.e., within acceptable levels of uncertainty for each calculation).
Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.190, Calculational and Dosimetry Methods for Determining Pressure Vessel Neutron Fluence, describes methods and assumptions acceptable to the NRC staff for determining the pressure vessel neutron fluence. The guide is intended to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the fluence determination required by General Design Criteria 14, 30, and 31 of Appendix A, General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants, to 10 CFR Part 50.
This plant-specific information is required by the NRC staff to ensure that criterion III.C.1.b of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix H for an ISP could be met by each facility, and to confirm that data which would be shared as part of the BWRVIP ISP could be effectively utilized by each licensee for the monitoring of RPV embrittlement for their facility.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
In its application dated December 23, 2002, as supplemented on August 14, 2003, PSEG submitted information which addressed the information requirement specified in the NRC staffs February 1, 2002, SE (Reference 7). PSEG submitted a revised Section 5.3.1.6.2 of the HCGS UFSAR by Reference 2, which stated:
Future neutron fluence calculations will be performed in accordance with Regulatory Guide 1.190.
In a separate application dated March 31, 2004, in which PSEG requested NRC approval of revised RPV pressure-temperature limits, PSEG stated that they have performed an updated fluence analysis for the HCGS RPV based on a fluence calculational methodology in accordance with RG 1.190. The NRC staff has concluded that the inclusion of this statement in the HCGS UFSAR and the March 21, 2003, letter is sufficient to address both items (1) and (2) from Reference 7. Regarding item (1), the licensees use of a methodology for determining the HCGS RPV neutron fluence values in accordance with RG 1.190 will provide acceptable results based upon the available dosimetry data. Regarding item (2), RPV surveillance capsules tested under this ISP will have their fluences determined by the use of a methodology which is in accordance with RG 1.190. The NRC staff has concluded that any two (or more) different fluence methodologies will provide compatible (as defined in Reference 7) results, provided that the best estimate fluence values are within each others uncertainty bounds.
Inasmuch as this action was submitted as a license amendment, consistent with the NRC staffs understanding of the decision given in Commission Memorandum and Order CLI-96-13, PSEG provided a revised Section 5.3.1.6.1 of the HCGS UFSAR by Reference 1 which documented the licensees incorporation of this ISP into the HCGS licensing basis:
The program for implementation of the scheduling and testing of the surveillance specimens is governed and controlled by BWR Vessel Internals Project (BWRVIP)
Integrated Surveillance Program (ISP). The ISP is defined in BWRVIP-86-A, Updated BWR Vessel and Integrated Surveillance Program (ISP) Implementation Plan (reference 5.3-12) [BWRVIP-86-A, Updated BWR Integrated Surveillance Program (ISP)
Implementation Plan, October 2002]. The NRC has issued a safety evaluation for the BWRVIP ISP and is included in Appendix B of BWRVIP-86-A. The withdrawal schedule will be in accordance with the BWRVIP ISP.
In addition, PSEG provided, in Section 5.3.1.6.1 of the HCGS UFSAR, the revised withdrawal schedule for the surveillance capsules in HCGS in accordance with the NRC staff-approved BWRVIP-86.
The NRC staff has concluded that the information provided in the revised HCGS UFSAR is adequate to document the licensees intent to appropriately implement this ISP as the method for demonstrating the compliance of HCGS with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix H.
Based on the above, the information provided by PSEG was sufficient for the NRC to conclude that the BWRVIP ISP, as approved in Reference 7, can be implemented for HCGS as the basis for demonstrating the facilitys continued compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix H. The licensee shall modify the HCGS UFSAR as noted in Section 3.0 of this SE and as stated in their December 23, 2002, and August 14, 2003, submittals to document their intent to utilize the BWRVIP ISP for this purpose. The HCGS UFSAR is controlled in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.59, Changes, tests, and experiments.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commissions 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 (68 FR 22752). 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 amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
7.0 REFERENCES
1.
D. F. Garchow (PSEG Nuclear LLC) to U.S. NRC Document Control Desk, Request for Change to Reactor Material Surveillance Program, December 23, 2002.
2.
D. F. Garchow (PSEG Nuclear LLC) to U.S. NRC Document Control Desk, Request For Additional Information on Reactor Pressure Vessel Material Surveillance Program, August 14, 2003.
3.
C. Terry (BWRVIP) to U.S. NRC Document Control Desk, Project No. 704 - BWR Vessel and Internals Project, BWR Integrated Surveillance Program Plan (BWRVIP-78), December 22, 1999.
4.
C. Terry (BWRVIP) to U.S. NRC Document Control Desk, Project No. 704 -
BWRVIP-86: BWR Vessel and Internals Project, BWR Integrated Surveillance Program Implementation Plan, EPRI Technical Report 1000888, December 22, 2000.
5.
C. Terry (BWRVIP) to U.S. NRC Document Control Desk, PROJECT NO. 704 -
BWRVIP Response to NRC Request for Additional Information Regarding BWRVIP-78, December 15, 2000.
6.
C. Terry (BWRVIP) to U.S. NRC Document Control Desk, PROJECT NO. 704 -
BWRVIP Response to Second NRC Request for Additional Information on the BWR Integrated Surveillance Program, May 30, 2001.
7.
W. H. Bateman (USNRC) to C. Terry, Safety Evaluation Regarding EPRI Proprietary Reports BWR Vessel and Internals Project, BWR Integrated Surveillance Program Plan (BWRVIP-78) and BWRVIP-86: BWR Vessel and Internals Project, BWR Integrated Surveillance Program Implementation Plan, February 1, 2002.
Principal Contributor: J. Honcharik L. Lois Date: July 23, 2004