ML060600040

Issuance of Amendment Removal of Main Steam Isolation Valve Twice Per Week Testing Surveillance Requirement

ML060600040
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	04/13/2006
From:	James Shea NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLA
To:	Kansler M Entergy Nuclear Operations
SHea J, NRR/DLPM, 415-1388
References
TAC MC7052
Download: ML060600040 (12)

Text

April 13, 2006 Mr. Michael Kansler President Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601

SUBJECT:

PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

REMOVAL OF MAIN STEAM ISOLATION VALVE TWICE PER WEEK TESTING SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENT (TAC NO. MC7052)

Dear Mr. Kansler:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 220 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-35 for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. This amendment is in response to your application dated May 24, 2005. This amendment deletes the main steam isolation valve twice per week partial stroke testing surveillance specified in Technical Specification 4.7.A.2.b.1.c.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register Notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

James Shea, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-293

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 220 to License No. DPR-35

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page

April 13, 2006 Mr. Michael Kansler President Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601

SUBJECT:

PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

REMOVAL OF MAIN STEAM ISOLATION VALVE TWICE PER WEEK TESTING SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENT (TAC NO. MC7052)

Dear Mr. Kansler:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 220 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-35 for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. This amendment is in response to your application dated May 24, 2005. This amendment deletes the main steam isolation valve twice per week partial stroke testing surveillance specified in Technical Specification 4.7.A.2.b.1.c.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register Notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

James Shea, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-293

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 220 to License No. DPR-35

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrPMJShea RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter GHill(2)

LPLI-1 R/F RidsNrrLASLittle RidsRgn1MailCenter WPoertner RidsNrrDorlLpLA RidsOGCMailCenter RidsNrrDorlDpr NMorgan Accession Number: ML060600040 *See SE dated 01/03/06 Office LPL1-1/PE LPL1-1/PM LPL1-1/LA CPTB/BC* OGC LPL1-1/BC Name NMorgan JShea SLittle SLee SHamrick RLaufer Date 3/30/06 03/27/06 3/30/06 1/3/06 4/07/06 4/13/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station cc:

Regional Administrator, Region I Boston, MA 02108 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road Director, Massachusetts Emergency King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Management Agency Attn: James Muckerheide Senior Resident Inspector 400 Worcester Road U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Framingham, MA 01702-5399 Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Post Office Box 867 Mr. William D. Meinert Plymouth, MA 02360 Nuclear Engineer Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Chairman, Board of Selectmen Electric Company 11 Lincoln Street P.O. Box 426 Plymouth, MA 02360 Ludlow, MA 01056-0426 Chairman Mr. Michael A. Balduzzi Nuclear Matters Committee Site Vice President Town Hall Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

11 Lincoln Street Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Plymouth, MA 02360 600 Rocky Hill Road Plymouth, MA 02360-5508 Chairman, Duxbury Board of Selectmen Town Hall Mr. Stephen J. Bethay 878 Tremont Street Director, Nuclear Safety Assurance Duxbury, MA 02332 Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Office of the Commissioner 600 Rocky Hill Road Massachusetts Department of Plymouth, MA 02360-5508 Environmental Protection One Winter Street Mr. Bryan S. Ford Boston, MA 02108 Manager, Licensing Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Office of the Attorney General Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station One Ashburton Place 600 Rocky Hill Road 20th Floor Plymouth, MA 02360-5508 Boston, MA 02108 Ms. Charlene D. Faison Director, Radiation Control Program Manager, Licensing Commonwealth of Massachusetts Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Executive Offices of Health and 440 Hamilton Avenue Human Services White Plains, NY 10601 174 Portland Street Boston, MA 02114 Secretary of Public Safety Executive Office of Public Safety One Ashburton Place

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station cc:

Mr. Gary J. Taylor Chief Executive Officer Mr. Michael J. Colomb Entergy Operations Director of Oversight 1340 Echelon Parkway Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Jackson, MS 39213 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John T. Herron Sr. VP and Chief Operating Officer Mr. Travis C. McCullough Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Assistant General Counsel 440 Hamilton Avenue Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

White Plains, NY 10601 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Oscar Limpias Vice President, Engineering Ms. Stacey Lousteau Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Treasury Department 440 Hamilton Avenue Entergy Services, Inc.

White Plains, NY 10601 639 Loyola Avenue New Orleans, LA 70113 Mr. Christopher Schwarz Vice President, Operations Support Mr. James Sniezek Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. 5486 Nithsdale Drive 440 Hamilton Avenue Salisbury, MD 21801-2490 White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Michael D. Lyster Mr. John F. McCann 5931 Barclay Lane Director, Nuclear Safety Assurance Naples, FL 34110-7306 Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601

ENTERGY NUCLEAR GENERATION COMPANY ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-293 PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 220 License No. DPR-35

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment filed by Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (the licensee) dated May 24, 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; 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 3.B of Facility Operating License No. DPR-35 is hereby amended to read as follows:

B. Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 220, 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 the date of issuance and shall be implemented within 60 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Richard J. Laufer, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: April 13, 2006

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 220 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-35 DOCKET NO. 50-293 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 areas of change.

Remove Insert 3/4.7-6 3/4.7-6

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 220 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-35 ENTERGY NUCLEAR GENERATION COMPANY ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC.

PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION DOCKET NO. 50-293

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated May 24, 2005 (ADAMS Accession No. ML051520468), Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (the licensee) submitted a request for a change to the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Pilgrim) Technical Specifications (TSs). The proposed change would delete the main steam isolation valves (MSIVs) twice per week partial stroke testing surveillance specified in TS 4.7.A.2.b.1.c.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

Section 182a of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), requires applicants for nuclear plant operating licenses to include TSs as part of the license. The Commissions regulatory requirements related to the content of TS are set forth in 10 CFR 50.36, Technical specifications. The regulation requires that TSs include items in five specific categories, including (1) safety limits, limiting safety system settings, and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operation; (3) surveillance requirements (SRs); (4) design features; and (5) administrative controls. However, the regulation does not specify the particular requirements to be included in a plants TSs.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and nuclear steam supply owners groups developed the Standard Technical Specifications (STS) that established models of the Commissions policy for TSs, and improved the format and clarity of the specifications.

NUREG-1433, Standard Technical Specifications General Electric Plants, BWR/4, Revision 3, was approved and issued for use by the NRC.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Specific Changes Requested The licensee has proposed to delete SR 4.7.A.2.b.1.c, which requires that the main steam line power operated valves or as commonly referred to as MSIVs be exercised by partial closure and subsequent reopening twice per week. The TS Bases will also be revised to identify that the MSIVs are functionally tested in accordance with the inservice testing (IST) program.

3.2 Basis for Changes The safety function of the MSIVs are to isolate the main steam lines in the event of a main steam line break, control rod drop, or loss of coolant accident in order to limit the loss of reactor coolant and/or the release of radioactive materials.

Pilgrim TS 3/4.13 requires full-stroke testing of the MSIVs to verify the valves safety function in accordance with the IST program, which is in compliance with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code). The IST program requires full-stroke exercising and stroke timing of the MSIVs when practical during scheduled plant power reductions below 60% power, not to exceed a frequency greater than quarterly testing. For those cases when full-stroke testing cannot practically be conducted during a plant down power, valve stroking will be attempted again during the next scheduled plant down power. The IST surveillance tests the reliability, operability, and safety function of the MSIVs for fast and complete closure and reopening, and ensures that the closure times are within the limits of operability as assumed in the safety analysis. Additional testing is performed during refueling outages to demonstrate the functioning of the system.

The purpose of the twice weekly partial stroke test is to ensure that the MSIVs and their pilot valves are not binding. This partial stroke test actuates a test pilot valve instead of the pilot valves used for fast closure of the MSIVs. The partial closure movement does not test the safety function of the MSIVs for full closure, and is not as valid as the full stroke fast closure test of the MSIVs done in accordance with the IST program. The full-stroke fast closure test in compliance with TS 3.13 adequately demonstrates the safety function of the MSIVs and demonstrates that their associated pilot valves are not sticking.

The partial stroke test is a high risk surveillance with marginal or no impact on the reliability of the MSIVs safety function. The current twice per week partial stroke test while at power creates the potential for an inadvertent closure of an MSIV. This test is considered high risk due to the potential for closure of an MSIV, which would create higher steam flow in the other steam lines leading to possible reactor transients and/or reactor scrams.

The partial stroke test of the MSIVs at power is not necessary to assure safe reactor operation and reliability of the MSIVs. The full-stroke testing of the MSIVs in accordance with the IST program, while in compliance with TS 3.13, will continue to be performed to verify the safety function and closure times of the MSIVs. This verification of safety function and closure times ensures that Pilgrim will continue to comply with the design-basis accident analyses.

3.3 Staff Evaluation The licensee proposed to delete SR 4.7.A.2.b.1.c, which requires that the MSIVs be exercised by partial closure and subsequent reopening twice per week. The SR 4.7.A.2.b.1.c test is a slow, partial closure of each MSIV. The testing arrangement is designed to give a slow closure of the MSIVs to avoid rapid changes in steam flow and nuclear system pressure, which could induce a transient condition. The partial closure test does not directly test the pilot valves used for fast closure of the MSIVs, but actuates a test pilot valve which slowly relieves pneumatic pressure from the actuator. The indirect indication partial closure movement does not test the safety function of the MSIVs for full closure, and is not as valid as the full-stroke fast closure test of the MSIVs done in accordance with the IST program. The full-stroke fast closure test in compliance with Pilgrim TS 3.13 adequately demonstrates the safety function of the MSIVs and verifies that the associated MSIV pilot valves are not sticking.

The NRC staff evaluated the licensees submittal and concluded that the proposed change does not involve a significant increase in risk to the safe operation of the plant. The ASME Code requires fast closure testing of the Pilgrim MSIVs. The twice weekly testing to partially close and subsequently reopen the MSIVs is not required by the ASME Code and is not necessary to demonstrate adequate safety performance of the MSIVs. The twice weekly partial closure and reopening test utilizes a test pilot valve that is installed solely for the purpose of performing the slow speed partial closure test. This test pilot is not used during the fast closure test or normal actuation of the MSIVs. The NRC staff has determined that the proposed change is acceptable because (1) the fast closure test required by TS 3.13 verifies that the MSIVs can perform its safety function; (2) the test pilot used in the twice weekly test per SR 4.7.A.2.b.1.c is not repositioned for the safety-related fast closure function of the MSIVs; and (3) the General Electric STS NUREG-1433 Rev-3, does not contain a requirement to partial stroke the MSIVs.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Massachusetts 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 and SRs. 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 (70 FR 48205; August 16, 2005). 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 Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: W. K. Poertner Date: April 13, 2006