ML043640556

Ltr, Acceptance Review to Extend Technical Specification (TAC No. MC4070, MC4071, MC4072) (TS-447)

ML043640556
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	01/10/2005
From:	Marshall M NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD2
To:	Singer K Tennessee Valley Authority
Brown E, NRR/DLPM 415-2315
References
TAC MC4070, TAC MC4071, TAC MC4072, TS-447
Download: ML043640556 (4)

Text

January 10, 2005 Mr. Karl W. Singer Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

BROWNS FERRY UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - RESULTS OF ACCEPTANCE REVIEW REGARDING REQUEST TO EXTEND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANNEL CALIBRATION FREQUENCIES (MC4070, MC4071, AND MC4072)

(TS-447)

Dear Mr. Singer:

On August 16, 2004, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, the licensee) submitted a request to extend the channel calibration frequency requirements for instrumentation in the high pressure coolant injection, reactor core isolation cooling, and reactor water core isolation cooling systems. The technical bases provided is based primarily on an Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society of America (ISA) Standard, ISA-S67.04-1994, Setpoints for Nuclear Safety-Related Instrumentation.

Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.105, Setpoints for Safety-Related Instrumentation, was issued in 1976 with no reference to any industry standard, while Revision 2-1986 and Revision 3-1999 respectively endorsed 1982 and 1994 revisions of ISA-S67.04. This ISA standard provides guidance for establishing and maintaining the instrumentation setpoints. The 1982 revision of the ISA standard requires recording sufficient as-left and as-found limiting safety system setpoint data for each instrument channel to determine the true setpoint in terms of measured or derived process variables, and stated:

Should these data indicate drift rates considerably less than originally expected, testing intervals or tolerances may be revised accordingly, with suitable justification and documented.

TVAs justification for the proposed change does not provide sufficient details regarding the analytical limits associated with the values, the test data evaluation, extrapolation of 3-month test results for a 24-month test interval, and the instruments reliability. RG 1.105, Revision 3 states that ISA-67.04 provides limited guidance on drift evaluations and uncertainty terms development for the evaluation of an instrument surveillance interval and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has generally accepted drift evaluations based on statistical prediction techniques. The NRC staff provided additional guidance for performing such evaluations in Generic Letter (GL) 91-04, Changes in Technical Specification Surveillance Intervals to Accommodate a 24-Month Fuel Cycle.

K. Singer In addition, the setpoints in the submittal are based on setpoint Allowable Values established by use of ISA 67.04 Part 2 Method 3. As indicated in a letter from Mr. Michael Marshall to Mr. Karl Singer dated January 6, 2005, the NRC staff finds the use of Method 3 to establish these setpoints unacceptable in the form currently submitted. Based on the above, the NRC staff has determined that the submittal fails to provide sufficient justification to support the proposed surveillance interval change from 3-month to 24-month versus the 18-month to 24-month (maximum of 30 months) instrumentation calibration interval change discussed in GL 91-04. Unless the submittal is revised within 60 days to satisfactorily address the deficiencies noted, the NRC staff will consider all efforts on this submittal as complete.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Eva Brown, at (301) 415-2315 or Ms. Margaret Chernoff at (301) 415-4041.

Sincerely,

/RA MChernoff for/

Michael L. Marshall, Jr., Chief, Section 2 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260 and 50-296 cc: See next page

ML043640556 NRR-106 OFFICE PDII-2/PM PDII-2/PM PDII-2/LA PDII-2/SC NAME EBrown EBrown for BClayton BMozafari for MChernoff MMarshall DATE 1/7/05 1/7/05 1/10/05 1/10/05 Mr. Karl W. Singer BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT Tennessee Valley Authority cc:

Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President Mr. Robert G. Jones Nuclear Operations Browns Ferry Unit 1 Plant Restart Manager Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant 6A Lookout Place Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street P.O. Box 2000 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. Larry S. Bryant, General Manager Mr. Fredrick C. Mashburn Nuclear Engineering Senior Program Manager Tennessee Valley Authority Nuclear Licensing 6A Lookout Place Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street 4X Blue Ridge Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Michael D. Skaggs Site Vice President Mr. Timothy E. Abney, Manager Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Licensing and Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant P.O. Box 2000 Tennessee Valley Authority Decatur, AL 35609 P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority Senior Resident Inspector ET 11A U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 400 West Summit Hill Drive Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Knoxville, TN 37902 10833 Shaw Road Athens, AL 35611-6970 Mr. John C. Fornicola, Manager Nuclear Assurance and Licensing State Health Officer Tennessee Valley Authority Alabama Dept. of Public Health 6A Lookout Place RSA Tower - Administration 1101 Market Street Suite 1552 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 P.O. Box 303017 Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Mr. Kurt L. Krueger, Plant Manager Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Chairman Tennessee Valley Authority Limestone County Commission P.O. Box 2000 310 West Washington Street Decatur, AL 35609 Athens, AL 35611 Mr. Jon R. Rupert, Vice President Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609