ML060620470

Re-Issuance of Safety Evaluation for Amendment 163 Implementation of Arts/Mellla

ML060620470
Person / Time
Site:	Hope Creek
Issue date:	03/03/2006
From:	Stewart Bailey Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Levis W Public Service Enterprise Group
Bailey S N
References
TAC MC3390
Download: ML060620470 (6)

Text

OFFICIAL USE ONLY - PROPRIETARY INFORMATION March 3, 2006 Mr. William Levis Senior Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC - X04 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION - RE-ISSUANCE OF SAFETY EVALUATION FOR AMENDMENT 163 RE: IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTS/MELLLA (TAC NO. MC3390)

Dear Mr. Levis:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is re-issuing the enclosed Safety Evaluation (SE) for Amendment No. 163 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 for the Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS), in order to clarify certain statements in the SE and to identify information that is proprietary to General Electric Nuclear Energy (GENE). The amendment consisted of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated June 7, 2004, as supplemented by letters dated February 18, May 20, June 16, July 8, August 3, September 23, and November 16, 2005, and February 6, 2006. The amendment reflected an expanded operating domain resulting from the implementation of the Average Power Range Monitor, Rod Block Monitor TSs/Maximum Extended Load Line Limit Analysis (ARTS/MELLLA). Amendment No. 163 was issued on February 8, 2006.

Following receipt of Amendment No. 163, your staff informed the NRC of several portions of the SE that required correction or clarification. In order to correctly reflect the current licensing basis for HCGS, the NRC has revised the SE as follows:

(1) Page 2, 1st paragraph - The SE stated that the irradiated non-GE fuel in the HCGS Cycle 13 core was from one to two previous cycles. The SE has been revised to state that the irradiated non-GE fuel was from one to three previous cycles.

(2) Page 4, 5th paragraph - The SE stated that the ARTS/MELLLA improvement program would increase operating efficiency, in part, by improvements in plant instrumentation accuracy. The SE has been revised to state that the efficiency would be increased by changes to instrumentation setpoints.

(3) Page 9, 2nd paragraph - The SE stated that the power-dependent rod withdrawal event operating limit minimum critical power ratio value was statistically-based. The approved methods permit either a statistically-based or a bounding approach, and for the Cycle 13 core loading pattern a bounding value was used. The SE has been revised to delete the statement that the value was statistically-based.

Enclosure 2 transmitted herewith contains sensitive unclassified information.

When separated from Enclosure 2, this document is decontrolled.

OFFICIAL USE ONLY - PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

OFFICIAL USE ONLY - PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (4) Page 9, 4th paragraph - Section 3.3 on vessel overpressure indicates that there is no effect on the analyses because the design-basis case for 102% power and 105% core flow is not changed. The analyses for ARTS/MELLLA considered core flows ranging from 76.6% to 105% of core flow. The case for the new minimum core flow, 76.6%, is slightly bounding and shows acceptable results. The SE has been revised accordingly.

(5) Page 16, last paragraph - The SE stated that the axial power range monitor and rod block monitor setpoints that are being changed are part of the original plant design and established TSs, but they are not part of the plant licensing basis and are being retained for historical reasons. The SE was clarified to state that these setpoints are not credited in the safety analyses and are being retained for operational reasons.

All changes to the SE are indicated by marginal bars. The NRC staff has determined that the corrections to the original SE do not change our previous conclusions regarding the acceptability of the changes approved in Amendment No. 163.

Pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 2.390, the NRC has determined that information, indicated in ((brackets)), provided in the SE (Enclosure 2) is proprietary to GENE. The NRC has prepared a nonproprietary version of the SE (Enclosure 1).

GENE has reviewed the SE and concurs with the proprietary aspects.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Stewart N. Bailey, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 1-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354

Enclosures:

1. SE with Nonproprietary Information

2. SE with Proprietary Information cc w/encl 1 only: See next page OFFICIAL USE ONLY - PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

ML060620470 OFFICE LPL1-2/PM LPL1-2/LA LPL1-2/BC NAME SBailey CRaynor DRoberts DATE 3/03/06 3/03/06 3/03/06 Hope Creek Generating Station cc:

Mr. Michael P. Gallagher Jeffrie J. Keenan, Esquire Vice President - Eng/Tech Support PSEG Nuclear - N21 PSEG Nuclear P.O. Box 236 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Ms. R. A. Kankus Mr. Dennis Winchester Joint Owner Affairs Vice President - Nuclear Assessments Exelon Generation Company, LLC PSEG Nuclear Nuclear Group Headquarters KSA1-E P.O. Box 236 200 Exelon Way Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Mr. George P. Barnes Lower Alloways Creek Township Site Vice President - Hope Creek c/o Ms. Mary O. Henderson, Clerk PSEG Nuclear Municipal Building, P.O. Box 157 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Dr. Jill Lipoti, Asst. Director Mr. George H. Gellrich Radiation Protection Programs Plant Support Manager NJ Department of Environmental PSEG Nuclear Protection and Energy P.O. Box 236 CN 415 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Trenton, NJ 08625-0415 Mr. Michael J. Massaro Mr. Brian Beam Plant Manager - Hope Creek Board of Public Utilities PSEG Nuclear 2 Gateway Center, Tenth Floor P.O. Box 236 Newark, NJ 07102 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Regional Administrator, Region I Mr. Darin Benyak U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Director - Regulatory Assurance 475 Allendale Road PSEG Nuclear - N21 King of Prussia, PA 19406 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Senior Resident Inspector Hope Creek Generating Station U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Drawer 0509 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038