BVY 06-025, Regulatory Commitment Change Schedule for Installation of Capacitor Banks

Regulatory Commitment Change Schedule for Installation of Capacitor Banks

ML060880418
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	03/21/2006
From:	Thayer J Entergy Nuclear Northeast, Entergy Nuclear Operations
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
BVY 06-025
Download: ML060880418 (7)

Text

Entergy Nuclear Northeast Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

E rntergy Vermont Yankee P.O. Box 0500 185 Old Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05302-050C Tel 802 257 5271 March 21, 2006 Docket No. 50-271 BVY 06-025 ATTN: Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001

References:

1) Entergy letter to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Vermont Yankee.

Nuclear Power Station, Technical Specification Proposed Change No.

263 - Supplement No. 12, Extended Power Uprate - Revised Grid Impact Study," BVY 04-086, August 25, 2004

2) Nuclear Energy Institute, "Guidelines for Managing NRC Commitment Changes,". NEI 99-04, Revision 0, July 1999

Subject:

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Regulatory Commitment Change Schedule for Installation of Capacitor Banks In Reference 1 Entergy made a regulatory commitment, based on the System Impact Study (Attachment 2 to Reference 1), to install additional capacitor banks at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VYNPS) prior to exceeding 630 megawatts electric (gross). Entergy has evaluated this commitment, using the guidance provided in Reference 2, and is herein updating the commitment to include a revised schedule for installation of the capacitor banks.

ISO-New England has concurred with the revised schedule. provides the technical basis supporting the commitment change. Attachment 2 provides an updated regulatory commitment.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Mr. James DeVincentis at 802-258-4236.

Sincerely J3 K. Thayer Site Vice President Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station rDCo)

BVY 06-.025 Docket No. 50-271 Page 2 of 2 Attachments (2) cc: Mr. Samuel J. Collins Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Mr. Richard B. Ennis, Project Manager Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 08B1 Washington, DC 20555-0001

- Mr. James J. Shea, Project Manager Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 08C2 Washington, DC 20555-0001 USNRC Resident Inspector Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC P.O. Box 157 Vernon, VT 05354 Mr. David O'Brien, Commissioner VT Department of Public Service 112 State Street - Drawer 20 Montpelier, VT 05620-2601

I Docket No. 50-271 BVY 06-025 Attachment 1 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Regulatory Commitment Change Basis Capacitor Bank Installation

BVY 06-025/Attachment 1/ Page 1 of 2 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Regulatory Commitment Change Basis Existi cgRegulatory Commitment

Description:

Install additional capacitor banks prior to exceeding 630 MWe (gross).

Source Document:

Entergy letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, Technical Specification Proposed Change No. 263 - Supplement No. 12, Extended Power Uprate - Revised Grid Impact Study," BVY 04-086, August 25, 2004 Revised Requlatory Commitment

Description:

Install two of the three capacitor banks (with a total rating of 45 MVAr) by June 1, 2006 and install the third capacitor bank (with a rating of 15 MVAr) prior to start-up from the spring 2007 refuel outage.

Backg round:

In support of the change in licensed power from 1593 MWt to 1912 MWt, a number of plant modifications were necessary to maintain acceptable operating margins. A System Impact Study was prepared by GE Power Systems Energy Consulting for ISO-New England to analyze the impact of the full power uprate on the interconnected New England transmission system in accordance with NEPOOL reliability standards. The System Impact Study was provided to the NRC as part of Entergy's submittal of August 25, 2004 (reference above). For study purposes, the full power uprate was represented with a rating of 684 MVA, a final power output rating of 667 MW, and a gross reactive power output rating of 150 MVAr at rated power output.

ISO-New England determined that the power uprate of VYNPS would not have any significant adverse effect on the reliability or operating characteristics of the system, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, including ensuring that normal 345 KV operating voltage is not adversely impacted as a result of the power uprate by the installation of 60 MVAr of shunt capacitors at the VYNPS 115 kV switchyard. This is.

accomplished by the installation of one 30 MVAr and two 15 MVAr capacitor banks. The capacitor banks will help maintain the 345 kV bus voltages at the pre-uprate scheduled voltage values under highly loaded grid conditions.

Entergy had originally scheduled completion of the modification to add capacitor banks during refueling outage 25, occurring in the fall of 2005. It is now planned that two of the three capacitor banks (with a total rating of 45 MVAr) will be installed by June 1, 2006 and the third capacitor bank (with a rating of 15 MVAr) will be installed prior to start-up from the spring 2007 refuel outage.

BVY 06-025/Attachment 1/ Page 2 of 2 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Regulatory Commitment Change Basis Basis and Justification for Revising:

Currently, two of the new capacitor banks (with a total rating of 45 MVAr) are scheduled to be placed in service by late April 2006. The third capacitor bank (with a rating of 15 MVAr) will not be placed in service until as late as spring 2007 (corresponding to VYI\PS refueling outage RFO-26) because de-energization of the 115 kV switchyard bus is necessary to perform a repair of a disconnect switch.

ISO-New England is fully aware of the revised schedule for placing the capacitor banks in service, including the fact that the capacitor banks may be placed in service following power ascension above 630 MWe. Operation of VYNPS at power levels exceeding 630 MWe is acceptable for the following reasons:

1. The transmission grid load is relatively low during early spring, and the need for the capacitor banks located at VYNPS to provide additional system VAr support is not anticipated during March, April and May 2006.

2. From June 2006 until spring 2007, if an additional 15 MVAr support is required to maintain system voltage requirements, the VAr support can be supplied from other sources including existing nearby capacitor banks located at Chestnut Hill (one capacitor bank at 23.4 MVAr and two capacitor banks at 13.2 MVAr), and Coolidge (two banks at 25 MVAr).

3. All transmission owners connected to the high voltage transmission system in New England have signed the ISO-NE Participants agreement. As stated in ISO-NE Operating Procedure OP-1, "Central Dispatch Operating Responsibility and Authority of ISO-New England, the Local Control Centers and Market Participants," the agreements provide "ISO-NE with the operating responsibility and authority necessary to reliably and efficiently operate the New England Control Area in compliance with ISO New England, NPCC and NERC standards." Part ll of the procedure goes on to state: 'This assigned responsibility and authority extends to include decisions, instructions, and orders issued to Local Control Centers and Market Participant facilities electronically, verbally or in writing, as required for day-to-day, minute-to-minute operation of both generation and transmission facilities under normal and emergency conditions and in compliance with NERC, NPCC and ISO policies." Thus, ISO-NE has the authority to require VYNPS to reduce MW generation at any time to supply additional MVAr capacity to the system, if necessary. These measures are not anticipated to be necessary between May of 2006 and spring of 2007 when the additional 15 MVAr capacitor bank will be placed in service; however, based on ISO-NE's authority, assurance exists that required MVAr capacity can be provided when needed.

i Docket No. 50-271 BVY 06--025 Attachment 2 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Revised Regulatory Commitment Capacitor Bank Installation

zK-S f.

BVY 06-025/Attachment 2/ Page 1 of 1 List of Regulatory Commitments The fol owing table identifies those actions committed to by Entergy in this document. Any other statements in this submittal are provided for information purposes and are not considered to be regulatory commitments.

TYPE SCHEDULED COMPLETION DATE COMMITMENT (Check one)

ONE-TIME CONTINUING ACTION COMPLIANCE Install additional capacitor banks X Ins two aptor banks (with a total rating of 45 MVAr) by June 1, 2006 and install the third capacitor bank (with a rating of 15 MVAr) prior to start-up from the spring 2007 refuel outage.