ML043060393

Letter, Clarification of Safety Evaluation. TAC Nos. MC0625 and MC0626

ML043060393
Person / Time
Site:	Farley
Issue date:	11/11/2004
From:	Sean Peters NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD2
To:	Stinson L Southern Nuclear Operating Co
Peters S, NRR/DLPM, 415-1842
References
TAC MC0625, TAC MC0626
Download: ML043060393 (4)

Text

November 11, 2004 Mr. L. M. Stinson Vice President - Farley Project Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Post Office Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295

SUBJECT:

JOSEPH M. FARLEY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 RE: CLARIFICATION OF SAFETY EVALUATION (TAC NOS. MC0625 AND MC0626)

Dear Mr. Stinson:

By letter dated September 30, 2004, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems ML042820368) the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff issued Amendment No. 165 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-2 and Amendment No. 157 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-8 for the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2.

The amendments consisted of changes to the Technical Specification Limiting Condition of Operation 3.9.3, Containment Penetrations, to allow the containment equipment hatch to be open during core alterations and/or during movement of irradiated fuel assemblies.

Subsequently, your staff identified statements within the safety evaluation (SE) that are misleading.

For instance, on page 8 of the SE, the NRC staff states:

In addition, the licensee proposed adding SR [surveillance requirement] 3.9.3.3. This SR would require that the licensee verify the capability to install the open equipment hatch every 7 days. The NRC staff finds that this surveillance and its associated period would verify that the assumptions for a 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> containment equipment hatch closure remain valid.

Furthermore, in other locations within the SE, the NRC staff implies that plant personnel could close the equipment hatch within 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br />. However, during its evaluation of the amendment request, it was the NRC staffs understanding that, in the event of a fuel-handling accident (FHA) inside containment, the licensee will pursue timely closure of the equipment hatch.

Consistent with the licensees dose analysis, individuals in the containment closure crew will limit their exposure time to no more than 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> while closing the hatch, and the closure can be completed within 2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> of the FHA to provide defense in depth.

L. Stinson We regret any inconvenience these statements may have caused.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Sean E. Peters, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-348 and 50-364 cc: See next page

L. Stinson We regret any inconvenience these statements may have caused.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Sean E. Peters, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-348 and 50-364 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC PDII-1 R/F MRoss-Lee DClarke SPeters OGC ACRS GHill (4)

BBonser, RII DLPM DPR ADAMS Accession Number: ML043060393 OFFICE PDII-1/PM PDII-1/LA (A) OGC PDII-1/SC (A)

NAME SPeters DClarke DFruchter MRoss-Lee DATE 11/02/04 11/02/04 11/09/04 11/11/04 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2 cc:

Mr. J. R. Johnson William D. Oldfield General Manager SAER Supervisor Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 470 P.O. Box 470 Ashford, AL 36312 Ashford, AL 36312 Mr. B. D. McKinney, Licensing Manager Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35201-1295 Mr. M. Stanford Blanton Balch and Bingham Law Firm P.O. Box 306 1710 Sixth Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35201 Mr. J. Gasser Executive Vice President Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35201 State Health Officer Alabama Department of Public Health 434 Monroe St.

Montgomery, AL 36130-1701 Chairman Houston County Commission P.O. Box 6406 Dothan, AL 36302 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 7388 N. State Highway 95 Columbia, AL 36319