ML051230157
| ML051230157 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello  |
| Issue date: | 06/03/2005 |
| From: | Padovan L NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD3 |
| To: | Thomas J. Palmisano Nuclear Management Co |
| Padovan L, NRR/DLPM, 415-1423 | |
| References | |
| TAC MC3692 | |
| Download: ML051230157 (5) | |
Text
June 3, 2005 Mr. Thomas J. Palmisano Site Vice President Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Nuclear Management Company, LLC 2807 West County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362-9637
SUBJECT:
MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT - THIRD REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS CHANGE REQUEST TO IMPLEMENT A 24-MONTH FUEL CYCLE (TAC NO. MC3692)
Dear Mr. Palmisano:
The Nuclear Management Companys, LLCs, letter of June 30, as supplemented November 5, 2004, and March 3, 2005, submitted a license amendment request to implement a 24-month fuel cycle at Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is reviewing your request and finds that it needs Nuclear Management Company (NMC) to incorporate certain commitments and technical specification changes into its license amendment request (LAR) in order for us to complete our review. Accordingly, please respond to the enclosed request for additional information (RAI).
I discussed the enclosed RAI with Mr. John Fields of your organization on June 1, 2005, and he agreed to respond within 30 days of receipt of the RAI. Please contact me at (301) 415-1423 if you have questions.
Sincerely,
/RA/
L. Mark Padovan, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate III Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-263
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: See next page
ML051230157 NRR-088 OFFICE PDIII-1/PM PDIII-1/LA PDIII-1/SC NAME MPadovan THarris LRaghavan DATE 6/1/05 6/2/05 6/3/05
ENCLOSURE Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant License Amendment Request to Support 24-Month Operating Cycles Third Request for Additional Information Docket No. 50-263 James A. Lyons (NRC) letter to Alex Marion (Nuclear Energy Institute) of March 31, 2005, (ADAMS Accession No. ML050870008) contains background information to determine the trip setpoints and allowable values of safety-related instrumentation. The letter contains a generic Revised Method 3 Request for Additional Information that also applies to the Method 2 setpoint determination process used at Monticello. Accordingly, please provide the following additional information:
- 1. Regardless of the methodology used, the NRC staff has the following questions regarding Monticellos use of the methodology:
- a. Discuss how the methodology and controls you have in place ensure that the analytical limit (AL) associated with an limiting safety system setpoint (LSSS) will not be exceeded (the AL is a surrogate that ensures the safety limits will not be exceeded). Include in your discussion information on the controls you employ to ensure the trip setpoint established after completing periodic surveillances satisfies your methodology. If the controls are located in a document other than the technical specifications (TSs), discuss how those controls satisfy the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.36. Also, please propose a TS change for the LSSS being changed by the license amendment request to incorporate a footnote that states The as-left instrument setting shall be returned to a setting within the tolerance band of the trip setpoint established to protect the safety limit.
- b. Discuss how the TS surveillances ensure the operability of the instrument channel. This should include a discussion on how the surveillance test results relate to the TS AL and describe how these are used to determine the operability of the instrument channel. If the requirements for determining operability of the LSSS instrument being tested are in a document other than the TS (e.g., plant test procedure), discuss how this meets the requirements of 10 CFR 50.36. Also, please provide an explicit regulatory commitment to assess the operability of tested instrumentation based on the previous as-left instrument setting and accounting for the uncertainties associated with the test or calibration.
- 3. Please provide an explicit regulatory commitment to assess applicability of the Technical Specification Task Forces TS change to determine whether changes to Monticellos licensing basis are necessary to come into conformance with the existing understanding of the requirements of 10 CFR 50.36.
Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant cc:
Jonathan Rogoff, Esquire Vice President, Counsel & Secretary Nuclear Management Company, LLC 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspector's Office 2807 W. County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362 Manager, Regulatory Affairs Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Nuclear Management Company, LLC 2807 West County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362-9637 Robert Nelson, President Minnesota Environmental Control Citizens Association (MECCA) 1051 South McKnight Road St. Paul, MN 55119 Commissioner Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 520 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN 55155-4194 Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4351 Commissioner Minnesota Department of Health 717 Delaware Street, S. E.
Minneapolis, MN 55440 Douglas M. Gruber, Auditor/Treasurer Wright County Government Center 10 NW Second Street Buffalo, MN 55313 Commissioner Minnesota Department of Commerce 85 7th Place East, Suite 500 St. Paul, MN 55101-2198 Manager - Environmental Protection Division Minnesota Attorney Generals Office 445 Minnesota St., Suite 900 St. Paul, MN 55101-2127 John Paul Cowan Executive Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer Nuclear Management Company, LLC 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016 Nuclear Asset Manager Xcel Energy, Inc.
414 Nicollet Mall, R.S. 8 Minneapolis, MN 55401 November 2004