ML053330561
| ML053330561 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Davis Besse  |
| Issue date: | 01/31/2006 |
| From: | Sands S Plant Licensing Branch III-2 |
| To: | Bezilla M FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co |
| SANDS S, NRR/DLPM, 415-3154 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML053330562 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC MC8006 | |
| Download: ML053330561 (10) | |
Text
January 31, 2006 Mr. Mark B. Bezilla Vice President FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Mail Stop A-DB-3080 5501 North State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760
SUBJECT:
DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: SPECIAL TEST EXCEPTION - PHYSICS TESTS (TAC NO. MC8006)
Dear Mr. Bezilla:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 271 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-3 for the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1. The amendment revises the technical specifications in response to your application dated July 27, 2005.
This amendment revises Technical Specification 3/4/10.2, Special Test Exceptions - Physics Tests, to increase the allowed time between flux channel Channel Functional Tests and the beginning of Mode 2 Physics Tests from 12 to 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.
A copy of the Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Stephen P. Sands, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-346
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 271 to NPF-3
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page
January 31, 2006 Mr. Mark B. Bezilla Vice President FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Mail Stop A-DB-3080 5501 North State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760
SUBJECT:
DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: SPECIAL TEST EXCEPTION - PHYSICS TESTS (TAC NO. MC8006)
Dear Mr. Bezilla:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 271 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-3 for the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1. The amendment revises the technical specifications in response to your application dated July 27, 2005.
This amendment revises Technical Specification 3/4/10.2, Special Test Exceptions - Physics Tests, to increase the allowed time between flux channel Channel Functional Tests and the beginning of Mode 2 Physics Tests from 12 to 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.
A copy of the Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Stephen P. Sands, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-346
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 271 to NPF-3
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC PDIII/2 R/F RidsNrrPMSSands RidsNrrDirsItsb RidsOgcRp RidsRgn3MailCenter RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter GHill (2)
RidsNrrLADClarke RidsNrrDorlLplf DORLDPR Package Accession Number: ML053330562 Amendment Accession Number: ML053330561 TS Accession Number: ML
- NLO w/comments OFFICE LPL3-2/PE LPL3-2/PM LPL3-2/LA DIRS/ITSB OGC LPL3-2/BC (A)
NAME SCampbell SSands DClarke TBoyce DFruchter*
MLandau DATE 1/10/06 1/11/06 1/12/06 1/18/06 1/27/06 1/30/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 cc:
Manager - Regulatory Affairs FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station 5501 North State - Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Director, Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance Bureau of Operations & Maintenance 6606 Tussing Road P.O. Box 4009 Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009 Regional Administrator U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60523-4351 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 5503 North State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Barry Allen, Plant Manager FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station 5501 North State - Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Dennis Clum Radiological Assistance Section Supervisor Bureau of Radiation Protection Ohio Department of Health P.O. Box 118 Columbus, OH 43266-0118 Carol OClaire, Chief, Radiological Branch Ohio Emergency Management Agency 2855 West Dublin Granville Road Columbus, OH 43235-2206 Zack A. Clayton DERR Ohio Environmental Protection Agency P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43266-0149 State of Ohio Public Utilities Commission 180 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43266-0573 Attorney General Office of Attorney General 30 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43216 President, Board of County Commissioners of Ottawa County Port Clinton, OH 43252 President, Board of County Commissioners of Lucas County One Government Center, Suite 800 Toledo, OH 43604-6506 The Honorable Dennis J. Kucinich United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Dennis J. Kucinich United States House of Representatives 14400 Detroit Avenue Lakewood, OH 44107 Gary R. Leidich President and Chief Nuclear Officer FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-19 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Joseph J. Hagan Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 David W. Jenkins, Attorney FirstEnergy Corporation Mail Stop A-GO-18 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308
Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 cc:
Danny L. Pace Senior Vice President, Fleet Engineering FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Manager, Fleet Licensing FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GHE-107 395 Ghent Road Akron, OH 44333 Manager, Site Regulatory Compliance FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Mail Stop A-DB-3065 5501 North State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Jeannie M. Rinckel Vice President, Fleet Oversight FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308
FIRSTENERGY NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY AND FIRSTENERGY NUCLEAR GENERATION CORP.
DOCKET NO. 50-346 DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT NO. 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 271 License No. NPF-3 1.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment filed by FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company et al., (the licensee) dated July 27, 2005, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's 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 Commission's 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 Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.
2.
Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. NPF-3 is hereby amended to read as follows:
(2)
Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 271, 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 and shall be implemented within 120 days of the date of issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
/RA/
Mindy S. Landau, Acting Chief Plant Licensing Branch III-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Attachment:
Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: January 31, 2006
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 271 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-3 DOCKET NO. 50-346 Replace the following page of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the area of change.
Remove Insert 3/4 10-2 3/4 10-2
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 271 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-3 FIRSTENERGY NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY, et al DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-346
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, Commission) dated July 27, 2005 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML052100159),
FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company, et al. (the licensee) requested changes to the technical specifications (TSs) for the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 (Davis-Besse).
The proposed changes would revise TS 3/4.10.2, ?Special Test Exceptions - Physics Tests.
Specifically, the proposed change would revise TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.10.2.2 to increase the allowed time between the flux channel Channel Functional Tests and the beginning of Mode 2 Physics Tests from 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> to 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.
The change would reduce the burden placed on plant personnel to synchronize the Channel Functional Tests with other activities, plant conditions and administrative resources, that if not met have the potential of requiring repetition of the Channel Functional Test. The proposed change does not result in design changes to the neutron flux instrumentation or in changes to how the neutron flux instrumentation is used; the channel operability will continue to be ensured by the Channel Check and Channel Calibration requirements of TS 4.3.1.1.1.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Appendix A, specifies criteria for the design of reactor and protection control circuits. Criterion 20, Protection System Functions, requires that the protection system be designed (1) to initiate automatically the operation of appropriate systems including the reactivity control systems, to assure that specified acceptable fuel design limits are not exceeded as a result of anticipated operational occurrences and (2) to sense accident conditions and to initiate the operation of systems and components important to safety. Further, Criterion 21, Protection System Reliability and Testability, requires that the protection system be designed for high functional reliability and inservice testability commensurate with the safety functions to be performed. Redundancy and independence designed into the protection system shall be sufficient to assure that (1) no single failure results in loss of the protection function and (2) removal from service of any component or channel does not result in loss of the required minimum redundancy unless the acceptable reliability of operation of the protection system can be otherwise demonstrated. The protection system shall be designed to permit periodic testing of its functioning when the reactor is in operation, including a capability to test channels independently to determine failures and losses of redundancy that may have occurred. Finally, Criterion 25, Protection System Requirements for Reactivity Control Malfunctions, requires that the protection system be designed to assure that specified acceptable fuel design limits are not exceeded for any single malfunction of the reactivity control systems, such as accidental withdrawal (not ejection or dropout) of control rods.
The changes proposed by the licensee affect the limiting condition for operation for ?Special Test Exceptions - Physics Test, in particular, the neutron flux instrumentation Channel Functional Test that must precede Physics Testing in Mode 2. The neutron flux instrumentation is used for two events: 1) an uncontrolled control rod assembly group withdrawal from a subcritical condition (startup accident), and 2) an uncontrolled control rod assembly group withdrawal at power.
SR 4.10.2.2 requires each source and intermediate range and high flux channel be subjected to a Channel Functional Test within 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> prior to initiating a Physics Test. Performing a Channel Functional Test on each nuclear instrumentation source and intermediate range high startup rate control rod withdrawal inhibit ensures that the instrumentation required to detect a deviation from thermal power or to detect a high startup rate is Operable. Performing the test once within 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br />, prior to initiating Physics Tests, ensures that the instrumentation is Operable shortly before Physics Tests begin and allows the operator to correct any instrumentation problems.
The TS 3/4.10.2, Physics Tests, Bases permits Physics Tests to be performed at less than or equal to 5 percent of rated thermal power and the licensee is required to verify the fundamental nuclear characteristics of the reactor core and related instrumentation.
In addition, the licensees proposal to increase the time period provided by the revised SR will match the corresponding information in the bases for NUREG-1430, Standard Technical Specifications - Babcock and Wilcox Plants, Section 3.1.9, Physics Test - Exceptions MODE 2.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
The Nuclear Instrumentation (NI) System monitors core reactivity by detecting neutrons that leave the reactor core. The nuclear instruments monitor three overlapping ranges of flux:
source range, intermediate range, and power (high) range. In the NI System there are two electrically and physically independent source range channels. The intermediate range instrumentation consists of two redundant channels that utilize gamma-compensated ion chambers as sensors. The power range instrumentation consists of four redundant, linear channels that utilize uncompensated ion chambers as sensors. The existing SR 4.10.2.2 requires that each source range, intermediate range, and high flux channel be subjected to a Channel Functional Test within 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> prior to the start of Physics Tests.
Under the existing SR, the Channel Functional Test is performed in anticipation of Physics Tests. The required Channel Functional Testing is accomplished through the sequential performance of eight surveillance procedures. The time required to complete these procedures leaves little margin to the end of the 12-hour window. No conditions can be identified that would occur between 12 and 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> before the start of Physics Testing that would adversely affect the operability of the various flux channel Functional Units. Moreover, the Channel Check and Channel Calibration requirements of TS 4.3.1.1.1 remain in effect. Performing a Channel Functional Test on each NI System, intermediate range and high flux channel within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> of the initiation of the Physics Tests will continue to ensure that the instrumentation is Operable shortly before Physics Tests begin and will allow the operator to correct instrumentation problems that may be discovered during testing. Based on this evaluation, the NRC staff determined this proposal is acceptable.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Ohio State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
This 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 or changes a surveillance requirement. The NRC staff has determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluent 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 (70 FR 56502). 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 NRC staff 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 Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor: Y. Orechwa Date: January 31, 2006